CANTON, Ohio — The Pro Football Hall of Fame released its list of modern-era nominees for the Class of 2022 and it features many names Browns fans should remember well.
Announced Wednesday, the list of nominees includes a total of 122 players—65 offensive players, 46 defensive players and 11 special teams players.
The list also includes numerous players who spent time on the Browns, including Eric Metcalf, Earnest Byner, Josh Cribbs, Michael Dean Perry, Lomas Brown, Willie McGinest, Jake Delhomme, Jeff Garcia, Jamal Lewis and Andre Rison.
Metcalf, a two-time Pro Bowler, spent the first six seasons of his career in Cleveland where he recorded 2,229 rushing yards, 2,732 receiving yards, 26 offensive touchdowns and seven return touchdowns.
Byner played seven of his 14 NFL seasons in Cleveland, creating a dynamic running back duo with Kevin Mack and finishing his career with 8,261 rushing yards, 4,605 receiving yards and 71 touchdowns.
Cribbs has been on the nominee list for three straight years now after finishing his career with 13,488 career return yards and 11 career return touchdowns, among other impressive stats. Cribbs is set to be honored during the Browns game against the Bears Sunday after he was named a Browns Legend in 2020.
Perry made five of his six Pro Bowl appearances with the Browns, recording 51.5 sacks in 90 games. He was among five former Browns players named Legends in 2001.
Brown played in 10 games for the Browns in the 1999 expansion era, McGinest ended his career with the Browns over three seasons from 2006 to 2008, and Lewis finished his career in Cleveland between 2007 and 2009, recording 2,806 yards and 13 touchdowns in orange and brown.
Delhomme played in 10 games for the Browns in 2010 while Garcia spent the 2004 season in Cleveland. Rison played for the Browns in 1995.
The initial list of modern-era nominees has 122 players but will be reduced to 25 semi-finalists in November and later 15 finalists in January.
Finalists will be presented to the 49-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Selction Committee during an annual meeting before Super Bowl LVI.
The modern-era finalists will be reduced during the meeting from 15 to 10, then from 10 to five. The remaining five finalists will be voted on and must receive an 80% positive vote to be elected to the Hall of Fame.
Here is a full list of modern-era nominees:
QUARTERBACKS – Randall Cunningham, Jake Delhomme, Boomer Esiason, Jeff Garcia, Dave Krieg, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair
RUNNING BACKS – Shaun Alexander, Mike Alstott (FB), Tiki Barber, Earnest Byner, Larry Centers (FB), Corey Dillon, Eddie George, Priest Holmes, Steven Jackson, Jamal Lewis, Eric Metcalf (also WR/PR/KR), Lorenzo Neal (FB), Fred Taylor, Herschel Walker (also KR), Ricky Watters, Brian Westbrook
WIDE RECEIVERS – Anquan Boldin, Troy Brown (also PR/KR), Donald Driver, Henry Ellard (also PR), Devin Hester (also PR/KR), *Torry Holt, Joe Horn, Andre Johnson, Chad Johnson, Derrick Mason, Muhsin Muhammad, Andre Rison, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Steve Smith, Hines Ward, *Reggie Wayne, Wes Welker
TIGHT ENDS – Dallas Clark, Ben Coates, Brent Jones, Heath Miller, Wesley Walls
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN – Willie Anderson (T), Matt Birk (C), *Tony Boselli (T), Lomas Brown (T), Ruben Brown (G), D’Brickashaw Ferguson (T), Kevin Glover (C/G), Jordan Gross (T), Olin Kreutz (C), Jake Long (T), Nick Mangold (C), Logan Mankins (G), Jesse Sapolu (C/G), Jeff Saturday (C), Chris Snee (G), Brian Waters (G), Richmond Webb (T), Erik Williams (T), Steve Wisniewski (G)
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN – John Abraham (DE also LB), *Jared Allen (DE), La’Roi Glover (DT/NT), Casey Hampton (DT/NT), Robert Mathis (DE), Leslie O’Neal (DE), Michael Dean Perry (DT/DE), Simeon Rice (DE), *Richard Seymour (DT), Justin Smith (DE), Neil Smith (DE), Greg Townsend (DE/LB/DT/NT), Justin Tuck (DE), Vince Wilfork (DT/NT), Kevin Williams (DT), Bryant Young (DT)
LINEBACKERS – Cornelius Bennett, Lance Briggs, Tedy Bruschi, London Fletcher, Seth Joyner, Willie McGinest (also DE), *Sam Mills, Hardy Nickerson Sr., Takeo Spikes, Pat Swilling (also DE), *Zach Thomas, DeMarcus Ware, Patrick Willis
DEFENSIVE BACKS – Eric Allen (CB), *Ronde Barber (CB/S), Dre Bly (DB), *LeRoy Butler (S), Nick Collins (S), Antonio Cromartie (CB), Merton Hanks (S), Rodney Harrison (S), Albert Lewis (CB), Tim McDonald (S), Allen Rossum (DB), Asante Samuel (CB), Bob Sanders (S), Charles Tillman (CB), Troy Vincent (CB), Adrian Wilson (S), Darren Woodson (S)
PUNTERS/KICKERS – Gary Anderson (K), Jeff Feagles (P), John Kasay (K), Sean Landeta (P), Ryan Longwell (K), Reggie Roby (P), Matt Turk (P)
SPECIAL TEAMS – Josh Cribbs (KR/PR also WR), Mel Gray (PR/KR also WR), Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB), Steve Tasker (ST also WR)
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