Former 49ers standouts Roger Craig and Terrell Owens are among the 26 semifinalists announced Wednesday evening for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Craig, a nine-time semifinalist, is also the only former Raiders player to make the cut from the initial list of 94 nominees.
The next step in the selection process comes in January when the semifinalists are reduced to 15 modern-era finalists. The finalist list increases to 18 finalists with the addition of the nominees in the contributors and seniors categories.
The senior finalist is former Seattle Seahawks safety Kenny Easley, while the contributor finalists are Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue.
No more than five modern-era finalists can be elected in a given year. Easley, Jones and Tagliabue will be voted on separately. Like all other finalists, each must receive 80 percent vote from the full selection committee at the annual selection meeting on Saturday, February 4, 2017, in Houston, the day before Super Bowl LI.
Four first-year eligible candidates advanced to the semifinal stage: safety Brian Dawkins, defensive end Jason Taylor, running back LaDainian Tomlinson and wide receiver Hines Ward.
Craig was one of the first dual-threat running backs in the NFL. He became the first player in NFL history with 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season. He ranks No. 44 all-time with 8,189 rushing yards. His teams advanced to the playoffs in each of his 10 NFL seasons.
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Owens ranks second all-time in receiving yards (15,934) behind only Jerry Rice. He is seventh in NFL history with 1,078 receptions. His 156 career touchdowns is No. 5 all-time, and third among wide receivers.
The following is the complete list of 2017 modern-era semifinalists, including their positions, years of participation and teams. Also listed are the number of times and years that each individual has been named a semifinalist since this reduction vote was added to the Selection Committee Bylaws in 2004:
--Morten Andersen, K – 1982-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-2000, 2006-07 Atlanta Falcons, 2001 New York Giants, 2002-03 Kansas City Chiefs, 2004 Minnesota Vikings | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2013-17)
--Steve Atwater , S – 1989-1998 Denver Broncos, 1999 New York Jets | (Times as a Semifinalist: 6 – 2012-17)
--Tony Boselli , T – 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002 Houston Texans (injured reserve) | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2016-17)
--Isaac Bruce , WR – 1994-2007 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 2008-09 San Francisco 49ers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2015-17)
--Don Coryell , Coach – 1973-77 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San Diego Chargers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 9 – 2005, 2010-17)
--Roger Craig , RB – 1983-1990 San Francisco 49ers, 1991 Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-93 Minnesota Vikings | (Times as a Semifinalist: 9 – 2009-17)
--Terrell Davis , RB – 1995-2001 Denver Broncos | (Times as a Semifinalist: 11 – 2007-2017)
--Brian Dawkins , S, 1996-2008 Philadelphia Eagles, 2009-2011 Denver Broncos | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2017)
--Alan Faneca , G – 1998-2007 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2008-09 New York Jets, 2010 Arizona Cardinals | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2016-17)
--Chris Hinton , G/T – 1983-89 Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts, 1990-93 Atlanta Falcons, 1994-95 Minnesota Vikings | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2017)
--Torry Holt , WR – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2015-17)
--Joe Jacoby , T – 1981-1993 Washington Redskins | (Times as a Semifinalist: 7 – 2005, 2008, 2013-17)
--Edgerrin James , RB – 1999-2005 Indianapolis Colts, 2006-08 Arizona Cardinals, 2009 Seattle Seahawks | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2015-17)
--Jimmy Johnson , Coach – 1989-1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1996-99 Miami Dolphins | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2014-17)
--Mike Kenn , T – 1978-1994 Atlanta Falcons | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2015-17)
--Ty Law , CB – 1995-2004 New England Patriots, 2005, 2008 New York Jets, 2006-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2009 Denver Broncos | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2015-17)
--John Lynch , FS – 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2013-17)
--Clay Matthews , LB – 1978-1993 Cleveland Browns, 1994-96 Atlanta Falcons | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2012, 2017)
--Kevin Mawae , C/G – 1994-97 Seattle Seahawks, 1998-2005 New York Jets, 2006-09 Tennessee Titans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2015-17)
--Karl Mecklenburg , LB – 1983-1994 Denver Broncos | (Times as a Semifinalist: 6 – 2012-17)
--Terrell Owens , WR – 1996-2003 San Francisco 49ers, 2004-05 Philadelphia Eagles, 2006-08 Dallas Cowboys, 2009 Buffalo Bills, 2010 Cincinnati Bengals | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2016-17)
--Jason Taylor , DE – 1997-2007, 2009, 2011 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Washington Redskins, 2010 New York Jets | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2017)
--LaDainian Tomlinson , RB – 2001-09 San Diego Chargers, 2010-11 New York Jets | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2017)
--Hines Ward , WR – 1998-2011 Pittsburgh Steelers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2017)
--Kurt Warner , QB – 1998-2003 St. Louis Rams, 2004 New York Giants, 2005-09 Arizona Cardinals | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2015-17)
--Darren Woodson , S – 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2015, 2017)
