2010 finalists to be announced today at 4 PM ET

For the first time ever, the exclusive announcement of finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2010 will be announced during the NFL Network’s program “Pro Football Hall of Fame: Road to Canton.” The show first airs on Friday, Jan. 8 at 4:00 p.m. ET. The program reairs at 9:00 p.m. ET that evening and again on Saturday Jan. 9 at 2:00 a.m. ET and 8:00 a.m. ET.

Paul Burmeister hosts the 60-minute show and leads a panel discussion analyzing the finalists. The panel will also include two members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee –  USA Today NFL writer Jarrett Bell and Dallas Morning News NFL writer Rick Gosselin – along with longtime Pro Football Hall of Fame executive Joe Horrigan. 

Also on “Road to Canton,” NFL Films president Steve Sabol looks at his greatest Hall of Fame class (1971 – Jim Brown, Bill Hewitt, Frank “Bruiser” Kinard, Vince Lombardi, Andy Robustelli, Y.A. Tittle and Norm Van Brocklin) and hosts a roundtable with NFL Films’ most storied cinematographers – Bob Angelo, Donnie Marx, Hank McElwee and Bob Smith – to discuss the great shots and stories of this year’s finalists.

Class of 2007 enshrinee and NFL Network analyst Michael Irvin  joins Burmeister to discuss 2010 semifinalists Emmitt Smith, Jerry Rice and the other wide receiver nominees. Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve Young, who connected with Rice for 85 touchdowns, talks about his favorite Rice moments.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2010 will be announced live from the site of Super Bowl XLIV in South Florida on Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 5:00 PM ET on NFL Network.

For the first time fans are invited to vote for their choice for the Pro Football Hall of Fame with the Van Heusen Pro Football Hall of Fame Fan’s Choice. Poll results will be revealed on the show, with in depth analysis, and a comparison to the Selectors Vote. The Pro Football Hall of Fame, Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation and J.C. Penney Company have teamed to provide the first-ever dedicated forum for fans to debate, discuss and voice their choice by voting for the Hall of Fame Class of 2010. The robust forum also includes stats on all candidates and opinions from football experts, Hall of Fame players and fans around the country. More on the Fan's Choice>>>