Road to Canton (via South Florida)

On the day before Super Bowl XLIV in South Florida next February, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Board of Selectors will meet to hold its annual selection meeting to elect between four and seven individuals who will comprise the Class of 2010. The 44-person committee will debate the merits of 17 final candidates. Two of those finalists are this year’s senior nominees, former Detroit Lions defensive back Dick LeBeau and Denver Broncos running back Floyd Little.

Voice Your Choice

For the first time ever, fans now have a forum to share opinions on the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Thanks to our friends at JCPenney and Van Heusen, you can join the debate at jpc.com/fans>>>

The other 15 finalists will be selected from the initial list of 131 preliminary modern-era nominees that was announced on September 19. The selection process calls for a reduction to 25 semifinalists in November before the finalists are determined in January.

Between now and Thanksgiving Weekend, Profootballhof.com will profile the groups of players who comprise this list of nominees for the 2010 class.

NEXT WEEK: Contributors, Coaches, & Special Teams

PREVIOUS WEEKS: First-Year Eligibles

---

Quarterback Nominees

Currently 23 modern-era quarterbacks have been enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. However, it’s been four years since a quarterback made it all the way through the selection process. That came when a pair of passers Troy Aikman and Warren Moon, were members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2006.

Nine of the preliminary nominees for the Class of 2010 are quarterbacks. All but Rich Gannon, who is in his first year of eligibility, have been nominees in the past. Since the selection process added the cut down to 25 semifinalists in 2004, none of this year’s quarterback nominees have made it that semifinalist round. Only one quarterback of the group has even been a Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist. Former Cincinnati Bengals QB Ken Anderson was among the 15 finalists in 1996 and again in 1998.

Here’s a closer look at the QBs under consideration for 2010 and how they stack up against each other:

{GALLERY} Ken Anderson – 1971-1986 Cincinnati Bengals

 Randall Cunningham – 1985-1995 Philadelphia Eagles, 1997-99 Minnesota Vikings, 2000 Dallas Cowboys, 2001 Baltimore Ravens

 Boomer Esiason – 1984-1992, 1997 Cincinnati Bengals, 1993-95 New York Jets, 1996 Arizona Cardinals

 Rich Gannon – 1987-1992 Minnesota Vikings, 1993 Washington Redskins, 1995-98 Kansas City Chiefs, 1999-2004 Oakland Raiders

 Jim Plunkett – 1971-75 New England Patriots, 1976-77 San Francisco 49ers, 1979-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders

 Phil Simms – 1979-1993 New York Giants

 Joe Theismann – 1974-1985 Washington Redskins

 Danny White (also P) – 1976-1988 Dallas Cowboys

 Doug Williams – 1978-1982 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1986-89 Washington Redskins

Quarterback Nominees for 2010 Election
		Passing						Rushing
Player	Yrs.	Att	Comp	Yds	TD	Int	Rtg	No	Yds	TD	TD
Ken Anderson	16	4,475	2654	32,838	197	160	81.9	397	2,220	20	20
Randall Cunningham	16	4,289	2429	29,979	207	134	81.5	775	4,928	35	35
Boomer Esiason	14	5,205	2969	37,920	247	184	81.1	447	1,598	7	7
Rich Gannon	17	2,533	4206	28,743	180	104	84.7	521	2,449	21	21
Jim Plunkett	15	3,701	1943	25,882	164	198	67.5	323	1,337	14	14
Phil Simms	14	4,647	2576	33,462	199	157	78.5	349	1,252	6	6
Joe Theismann	12	3,602	2044	25,206	160	138	77.4	355	1,815	17	17
Danny White	13	2,950	1761	21,959	155	132	81.7	159	482	8	10
Doug Williams	9	2,507	1240	16,998	100	93	69.4	220	884	15	15

		Honors			Championships
Player	Yrs.	All-Pro	All-Conf	Pro Bowls	Div.	Conf	League
Ken Anderson	16	1	2	4	2	1	0
Randall Cunningham	16	2	3	4	2	0	0
Boomer Esiason	14	1	2	4	2	1	0
Rich Gannon	17	2	3	4	7	1	0
Jim Plunkett	15	0	0	0	3	2	2
Phil Simms	14	1	0	2	3	2	2
Joe Theismann	12	1	2	2	3	2	1
Danny White	13	0	0	1	6	2	1
Doug Williams	9	0	0	0	3	1	1