Julius Peppers, Antonio Gates
headline Hall of Fame finalists
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[December 28, 2023]
Defensive end Julius Peppers and tight end Antonio Gates --
among the most prolific players at their respective positions --
highlight the list of 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of
Fame's Modern Era Class of 2024, released Wednesday.
Peppers and Gates are the only players to make the list in their
first year of eligibility. Nine players who made the final list in
2023 are back on the list in '24, while four other players are
finalists for the first time though not in their first year of
eligibility.
Peppers, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time first-team
All-Pro, finished his 17-year career with 159.5 sacks, fifth all
time and the most by any player not yet in the Hall. Taken second
overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 2002 draft, Peppers was
named Defensive Rookie of the Year after compiling 12 sacks to go
with one interception and five forced fumbles in 12 games.
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After 10 seasons with the Panthers, Peppers played four years with
the Chicago Bears and then finished his career by playing three
seasons with the Green Bay Packers.
On the other end of the draft spectrum, Gates went undrafted after
not playing football in college. Instead, he starred in basketball
in his final two years at Kent State.
Combining his height (6-foot-4) with his rebounding skills, Gates
first made a name for himself in the NFL as a jump-ball specialist
in the end zone. He really broke through in his second season,
scoring 13 touchdowns -- then a single-season record for tight ends.
He finished his career with 116 career TDs, seventh all time and the
most ever by a tight end.
Gates made eight Pro Bowls and was a three-time first-team All-Pro
in his 16 seasons. He finished with 955 receptions for 11,841 yards,
spending his entire career with the Chargers (14 in San Diego and
the final two in Los Angeles).
The four other players making the list for the first time are
cornerback Eric Allen (in his 18th year of eligibility), safety
Rodney Harrison (11th year), running back Fred Taylor (ninth) and
offensive lineman Jahri Evans (second).
Punt/kick return specialist Devin Hester, who holds the
single-season record for total kick-return touchdowns (six) and the
career mark for punts returned for a score (14) is among those back
on the list from 2023. Hester, who also made history with the first
opening kickoff returned for a touchdown in Super Bowl history
(Super Bowl XLI), is a finalist for the third time.
Wide receivers Reggie Wayne (whose Indianapolis Colts beat Hester's
Chicago Bears in that Super Bowl) and Torry Holt (a member of the
St. Louis Rams' famed "Greatest Show on Turf") are both finalists
for the fifth time, the most of any of this year's finalists.
The Hall of Fame selection committee will elect the Modern Era Class
of 2024 the week leading up to Super Bowl LVIII, with the class
announced on Feb. 8.
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Up to five members can be elected to the modern
class (a minimum of 80 percent of the votes is required for possible
election). Finalists from the Seniors and Coach/Contributor
categories may also be elected.
Modern Era Class of 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Finalists
(Name, position, years, teams)
Eric Allen, cornerback -- 1988-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New
Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders
Jared Allen, defensive end -- 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013
Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers
Willie Anderson, offensive tackle -- 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals,
2008 Baltimore Ravens
Jahri Evans, guard -- 2006-2016 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay
Packers
Dwight Freeney, defensive end/outside linebacker -- 2002-2012
Indianapolis Colts, 2013-14 San Diego Chargers, 2015 Arizona
Cardinals, 2016 Atlanta Falcons, 2017 Seattle Seahawks, 2017 Detroit
Lions
Antonio Gates, tight end -- 2003-2018 San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers
Rodney Harrison, safety -- 1994-2002 San Diego Chargers, 2003-08 New
England Patriots
Devin Hester, punt returner/kick returner/wide receiver -- 2006-2013
Chicago Bears, 2014-15 Atlanta Falcons, 2016 Baltimore Ravens
Torry Holt, wide receiver -- 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009
Jacksonville Jaguars
Andre Johnson, wide receiver -- 2003-2014 Houston Texans, 2015
Indianapolis Colts, 2016 Tennessee Titans
Julius Peppers, defensive end -- 2002-09, 2017-18 Carolina Panthers,
2010-13 Chicago Bears, 2014-16 Green Bay Packers
Fred Taylor, running back -- 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars,
2009-2010 New England Patriots
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Reggie Wayne, wide receiver -- 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts
Patrick Willis, linebacker -- 2007-2014 San Francisco 49ers
Darren Woodson, safety -- 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys
--Field Level Media
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