Modern-Era Semifinalists for ‘07

Former Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis, Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers/Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Bruce Matthews, and Minnesota Vikings guard Randall McDaniel are the three first-year eligible players to make the list of 25 semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2007. The Hall of Fame's Board of Selectors chose the 25 semifinalists from the recently announced list of 111 preliminary nominees.

The list of 25 semifinalists will be reduced by mail ballot to 15 modern-era candidates. That list, announced in mid-January, will increase to 17 finalist nominees with the inclusion of the two recommended candidates of the Hall of Fame's Seniors Committee. The Seniors Committee nominees, who were announced in August, are former Cleveland Browns guard Gene Hickerson and Detroit Lions tight end Charlie Sanders.

This year marks the first time that the finalists list will number 17. Prior to this year, the finalist list was limited to 15 nominees, 13 modern-era and two senior candidates.

To be considered for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a nominated player must have been retired at least five years. For a non-player, there is not a mandatory retirement period, but a coach must be retired before he may be considered. A contributor, who is a nominee who has made outstanding contributions to pro football in capacities other than playing and coaching, may still be active in his pro football career.

The Class of 2007 will be determined at the Selection Committee's annual meeting on Saturday, February 3, 2007, in Miami, Florida, the day before Super Bowl XLI. The election results are announced immediately following the meeting at a press conference at the media headquarters. Hall of Fame bylaws stipulate that between three and six new members will be selected each year.

The complete list of 25 modern-era semifinalists includes:

Davis	Dawson	Dean	Dent	Gradishar
Terrell Davis - RB - 1995-2001 Denver Broncos Dermontti Dawson - C - 1988-2000 Pittsburgh Steelers Fred Dean - DE - 1975-1981 San Diego Chargers, 1981-1985 San Francisco 49ers Richard Dent - DE - 1983-1993, 1995 Chicago Bears, 1994 San Francisco 49ers, 1996 Indianapolis Colts, 1997 Philadelphia Eagles Randy Gradishar - LB - 1974-1983 Denver Broncos
Greene	Grimm	Guy	Haley	Hayes
Kevin Greene - LB/DE - 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-1995 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-1999 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers Russ Grimm - G - 1981-1991 Washington Redskins Ray Guy - P - 1973-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders Charles Haley - DE/LB - 1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-1996 Dallas Cowboys Lester Hayes - CB - 1977-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Irvin	Kuechenberg	Matthews	McDaniel	Modell
Michael Irvin - WR - 1988-1999 Dallas Cowboys Bob Kuechenberg - G - 1970-1984 Miami Dolphins Bruce Matthews - G/T/C - 1983-2001 Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers/Titans Randall McDaniel - G - 1988-1999 Minnesota Vikings, 2000-2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Art Modell - Owner - 1961-1995 Cleveland Browns, 1996-2003 Baltimore Ravens
Monk	Reed	Stabler	Tagliabue	D. Thomas
Art Monk - WR - 1980-1993 Washington Redskins, 1994 New York Jets, 1995 Philadelphia Eagles Andre Reed - WR -1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins Ken Stabler - QB - 1970-1979 Oakland Raiders, 1980-1981 Houston Oilers, 1982-1984 New Orleans Saints Paul Tagliabue - Commissioner - 1989-2006 National Football League Derrick Thomas - LB - 1989-1999 Kansas City Chiefs
T. Thomas	Tippett	Wehrli	Young	Zimmerman
Thurman Thomas - RB - 1988-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Miami Dolphins Andre Tippett - LB - 1982-1993 New England Patriots, injured 1989 Roger Wehrli - CB - 1969-1982 St. Louis Cardinals George Young - GM/Administrator - 1968-1974 Baltimore Colts, 1975-1978 Miami Dolphins, 1979-1997 New York Giants, 1998-2001 National Football League Gary Zimmerman - T - 1986-1992 Minnesota Vikings, 1993-1997 Denver Broncos

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