2012 Nominees - Alphabetical with teams and years

 

K.S. “BUD” ADAMS, JR. - Owner
1960-Present Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers/Titans

ERIC ALLEN - Cornerback
1988-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders (14 playing seasons)

GARY ANDERSON - Kicker
1982-1994 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1995-96 Philadelphia Eagles, 1997 San Francisco 49ers, 1998-2002 Minnesota Vikings, 2003-04 Tennessee Titans (23 playing seasons)

BILL ARNSPARGER - Assistant Coach/Head Coach
1964-1969 Baltimore Colts, 1970-1973, 1976-1983 Miami Dolphins, 1974-1976 New York Giants (three Head Coaching seasons, 20 total seasons)

STEVE ATWATER - Safety
1989-1998 Denver Broncos, 1999 New York Jets (11 playing seasons)

TIKI BARBER - Running Back
1997-2006 New York Giants (10 playing seasons)

BOBBY BEATHARD - Contributor
1966-67 Kansas City Chiefs, 1968-1971 Atlanta Falcons, 1972-77 Miami Dolphins, 1978-1988 Washington Redskins,1990-99 San Diego Chargers 

CORNELIUS BENNETT - Linebacker
1987-1995 Buffalo Bills, 1996-98 Atlanta Falcons, 1999-2000 Indianapolis Colts (14 playing seasons)

JEROME BETTIS - Running Back
1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers (13 playing seasons)

DREW BLEDSOE - Quarterback
1993-2001 New England Patriots, 2002-04 Buffalo Bills, 2005-06 Dallas Cowboys (14 playing seasons)

TONY BOSELLI - Tackle
1995-2002 Jacksonville Jaguars (eight playing seasons)

GIL BRANDT - Contributor 1960-1988 Dallas Cowboys, 1995-present National Football League

LOMAS BROWN - Tackle
1985-1995 Detroit Lions, 1996-98 Arizona Cardinals, 1999 Cleveland Browns, 2000-01 New York Giants, 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (18 playing seasons)

TIM BROWN - Wide Receiver/Kick Returner
1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (17 playing seasons)

JOEY BROWNER - Safety
1983-1991 Minnesota Vikings, 1992 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10 playing seasons)

LEROY BUTLER - Safety
1990-2001 Green Bay Packers (12 playing seasons)

DAVE BUTZ - Defensive Tackle
1973-74 St. Louis Cardinals, 1975-1988 Washington Redskins (16 playing seasons)

LEO CARLIN - Administrator
1960-Present Philadelphia Eagles

BUD CARSON - Head Coach/Assistant Coach
1971-77 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1978-81, 1997 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1982 Baltimore Colts, 1983 Kansas City Chiefs, 1985-88 New York Jets, 1989-1990 Cleveland Browns, 1991-94 Philadelphia Eagles (24 coaching seasons, two as a head coach)

CRIS CARTER -  Wide Receiver
1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles, 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings, 2002 Miami Dolphins (16 playing seasons)

LARRY CENTERS - Running Back
1990-1998 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, 1999-2000 Washington Redskins, 2001-2002 Buffalo Bills, 2003 New England Patriots (14 playing seasons)

TODD CHRISTENSEN - Tight End
1979 New York Giants, 1979-1988 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders  (10 playing seasons)

GARY CLARK - Wide Receiver
1985-1992 Washington Redskins, 1993-94 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals
1995 Miami Dolphins (11 playing seasons)

MARK CLAYTON - Wide Receiver
1983-1992 Miami Dolphins, 1993 Green Bay Packers (11 playing seasons)

BEN COATES - Tight End
1991-99 New England Patriots, 2000 Baltimore Ravens (10 playing seasons)

JACK KENT COOKE - Owner
1974-1997 Washington Redskins

DON CORYELL - Head Coach
1973-77 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San Diego Chargers (14 seasons)

JIM COVERT - Tackle
1983-1990 Chicago Bears (eight playing seasons)

BILL COWHER - Head Coach
1992-2006 Pittsburgh Steelers (15 seasons)

ROGER CRAIG - Running Back
1983-1990 San Francisco 49ers, 1991 Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-1993 Minnesota Vikings (11 playing seasons)

OTHO DAVIS - Trainer
1971-72 Baltimore Colts, 1973-1995 Philadelphia Eagles

STEPHEN DAVIS - Running Back
1996-2002 Washington Redskins, 2003-05 Carolina Panthers, 2006 St. Louis Rams (11 playing seasons)

Dermontti Dawson

TERRELL DAVIS - Running Back
1995-2001 Denver Broncos (seven playing seasons)

DERMONTTI DAWSON - Center
1988-2000 Pittsburgh Steelers (13 playing seasons)

ED DEBARTOLO, JR. - Owner
1979-2000 San Francisco 49ers

CHRIS DOLEMAN - Defensive End/Linebacker
1985-1993, 1999 Minnesota Vikings, 1994-95 Atlanta Falcons, 1996-98 San Francisco 49ers (15 playing seasons)

KENNY EASLEY - Safety
1981-87 Seattle Seahawks (seven playing seasons)

HENRY ELLARD - Wide Receiver/Punt Returner
1983-1993 Los Angeles Rams, 1994-98 Washington Redskins, 1998 New England Patriots (16 playing seasons)

JOE FIELDS - Center
1975-1987 New York Jets, 1988 New York Giants (14 playing seasons)

TOM FLORES - Head Coach
1979-1987 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-94 Seattle Seahawks (12 seasons)

EDDIE GEORGE - Running Back
1996-2003 Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Titans, 2004 Dallas Cowboys (nine playing seasons)

RON GIBBS - Referee
1940-1962 (23 officiating seasons)

KEVIN GREENE - Linebacker/Defensive End
1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-99 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers (15 playing seasons)

CARL HAIRSTON - Defensive End, Defensive Tackle
1976-1983 Philadelphia Eagles, 1984-1989 Cleveland Browns, 1990 Phoenix Cardinals (15 playing seasons)

CHARLES HALEY - Defensive End/Linebacker
1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys (12 playing seasons)

Charles Haley

KEN HARVEY - Linebacker
1988-1993 Phoenix Cardinals, 1994-98 Washington Redskins (11 playing seasons)

JAY HILGENBERG - Center
1981-1991 Chicago Bears, 1992 Cleveland Browns, 1993 New Orleans Saints (13 playing seasons)

CHRIS HINTON - Guard/Tackle
1983-89 Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts, 1990-93 Atlanta Falcons, 1994-95 Minnesota Vikings (13 playing seasons)

KENT HULL - Center
1986-1996 Buffalo Bills (11 playing seasons)

JOE JACOBY - Tackle
1981-1993 Washington Redskins (13 playing seasons)

JIMMY JOHNSON Head Coach
1989-1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1996-99 Miami Dolphins  (nine seasons)

KEYSHAWN JOHNSON - Wide Receiver
1996-99 New York Jets; 2000-03 Tampa Bay Buccaneers; 2004-05 Dallas Cowboys, 2006 Carolina Panthers (11 playing seasons)

ED “TOO TALL” JONES - Defensive End
1974-78, 1980-89 Dallas Cowboys (15 playing seasons)

JIM KENSIL - Contributor
1961-1977 National Football League, 1977-1987 New York Jets (27 seasons)

MIKE KENN - Tackle
1978-1994 Atlanta Falcons (17 playing seasons)

CORTEZ KENNEDY - Defensive Tackle
1990-2000 Seattle Seahawks (11 playing seasons)

JOE KLECKO  - Defensive End/Defensive Tackle/Nose Tackle
1977-1987 New York Jets, 1988 Indianapolis Colts (12 playing seasons)

CHUCK KNOX - Head Coach
1973-77 Los Angeles Rams, 1978-1982 Buffalo Bills, 1983-1991 Seattle Seahawks, 1992-94 Los Angeles Rams (22 seasons)

EDDIE KOTAL - Scout
1947-1961 Los Angeles Rams (15 seasons)

JIM LACHEY - Tackle
1985-87 San Diego Chargers, 1988 Los Angeles Raiders,
1988-1992, 1994-95 Washington Redskins  (10 playing seasons)

ALBERT LEWIS - Cornerback
1983-1993 Kansas City Chiefs, 1994-98 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders (16 playing seasons)

NICK LOWERY - Kicker
1978 New England Patriots, 1980-1993 Kansas City Chiefs, 1994-96 New York Jets (18 playing seasons)

DEXTER MANLEY - Defensive End
1981-89 Washington Redskins, 1990 Phoenix Cardinals, 1991 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11 playing seasons)

Curtis Martin

CHARLES MANN - Defensive End
1983-1993 Washington Redskins, 1994 San Francisco 49ers (12 playing seasons)

CURTIS MARTIN - Running Back
1995-97 New England Patriots, 1998-2005 New York Jets (11 playing seasons)

CHUCK MATHER - Assistant Coach
1958-1965 Chicago Bears (8 seasons)

CLAY MATTHEWS - Linebacker
1978-1993 Cleveland Browns, 1994-96 Atlanta Falcons (19 playing seasons)

ART MCNALLY - Official
1968-1991 National Football League

KARL MECKLENBURG - Linebacker
1983-1994 Denver Broncos (12 playing seasons)

SAM MILLS - Linebacker
1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers (12 playing seasons)

BRIAN MITCHELL - Running Back/Kick Returner/Punt Returner
1990-99 Washington Redskins, 2000-02 Philadelphia Eagles, 2003 New York Giants (14 playing seasons)

ART MODELL - Owner
1961-1995 Cleveland Browns, 1996-2003 Baltimore Ravens

BILL PARCELLS - Head Coach
1983-1990 New York Giants, 1993-96 New England Patriots, 1997-99 New York Jets, 2003-06 Dallas Cowboys (20 seasons)

BUDDY PARKER - Head Coach
1949 Chicago Cardinals, 1951-56 Detroit Lions, 1957-1964 Pittsburgh Steelers (15 seasons)

ANDRE REED - Wide Receiver
1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins (16 playing seasons)

DAN REEVES - Head Coach
1981-1992 Denver Broncos, 1993-96 New York Giants, 1997-2003 Atlanta Falcons (23 seasons)

GERALD RIGGS - Running Back
1982-88 Atlanta Falcons, 1989-1991 Washington Redskins (10 playing seasons)

WILLIE ROAF - Tackle
1993-2001 New Orleans Saints, 2002-05 Kansas City Chiefs (13 playing seasons)

REGGIE ROBY - Punter
1983-1992 Miami Dolphins, 1993-94 Washington Redskins, 1995 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1996-97  Houston/Tennessee Oilers, 1998 San Francisco 49ers (16 playing seasons)

STEVE SABOL - President
NFL Films

MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER - Head Coach
1984-88 Cleveland Browns, 1989-1998 Kansas City Chiefs, 2001 Washington Redskins, 2002-06 San Diego Chargers (21 seasons)

STERLING SHARPE - Wide Receiver
1988-1994 Green Bay Packers (seven playing seasons)

CLARK SHAUGHNESSY - Head Coach, Assistant Coach
1944-1947 Washington Redskins, 1948-49 Los Angeles Rams, 1951-1962 Chicago Bears (18 seasons)

DONNIE SHELL - Safety
1974-1987 Pittsburgh Steelers (14 playing seasons)

WILL SHIELDS - Guard
1993-2006 Kansas City Chiefs (14 playing seasons)

PHIL SIMMS - Quarterback
1979-1993 New York Giants, injured-1982 (14 playing seasons)

FRED SMERLAS - Nose Tackle
1979-1989 Buffalo Bills, 1990 San Francisco 49ers, 1991-92 New England Patriots (14 playing seasons)

Rod Smith

JIMMY SMITH - Wide Receiver
1992 Dallas Cowboys, 1995-2005 Jacksonville Jaguars (12 playing seasons)

ROD SMITH - Wide Receiver
1995-2006 Denver Broncos (12 playing seasons)

PAUL TAGLIABUE - Commissioner
1989-2006 National Football League (18 seasons)

STEVE TASKER - Special Teams/Wide Receiver
1985-86 Houston Oilers, 1986-1997 Buffalo Bills (13 playing seasons)

BURL TOLER, SR. - Official
1965-1989 National Football League (25 officiating seasons)

JIM TUNNEY - Official
1960-1991 National Football League (32 officiating seasons)

MIKE VANDERJAGT - Kicker
1998-2005 Indianapolis Colts, 2006 Dallas Cowboys (nine playing seasons)

DICK VERMEIL - Head Coach
1976-1982 Philadelphia Eagles, 1997-99St. Louis Rams, 2001-05 Kansas City Chiefs (15 seasons)

TROY VINCENT - Cornerback
1992-95 Miami Dolphins, 1996-2003 Philadelphia Eagles, 2004-06 Buffalo Bills, 2006 Washington Redskins (15 playing seasons)

HERSCHEL WALKER - Running Back
1986-89 Dallas Cowboys, 1989-1991 Minnesota Vikings, 1992-94 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995 New York Giants, 1996-97 Dallas Cowboys (12 playing seasons)

EVERSON WALLS - Cornerback
1981-89 Dallas Cowboys, 1990-92 New York Giants, 1992-93 Cleveland Browns (13 playing seasons)

RICKY WATTERS - Running Back
1992-94 San Francisco 49ers, 1995-97 Philadelphia Eagles, 1998-2001 Seattle Seahawks (10 playing seasons)

AENEAS WILLIAMS - Cornerback/Safety
1991-2000 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, 2001-04 St. Louis Rams (14 playing seasons)

STEVE WISNIEWSKI - Guard
1989-2001 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders (13 playing seasons)

RON WOLF - Contributor
1991-2001 Green Bay Packers

DARREN WOODSON - Safety
1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys (12 playing seasons)

FRANK WYCHECK - Tight End
1993-94 Washington Redskins, 1995-2003 Houston/Tennessee Oiler/Titans (11 playing seasons)

GEORGE YOUNG - Contributor
1968-1974 Baltimore Colts, 1975-78 Miami Dolphins, 1979-1997 New York Giants, 1998-2001 National Football League

Preliminary Nominees Announced>>>