The list of 15 Modern-Era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame is out, and there's a good chance the Class of 2024 will have a distinct San Diego flair.
In a surprise to absolutely nobody, former Chargers All-Pro Antonio Gates is a finalist in his first year of eligibility. No tight end in history has caught more touchdown passes than Gates, who played 14 of his 16 seasons in America's Finest City. One would think he's a shoe-in for enshrinement in Canton but when the 49-member Selection Committee gets together anything is possible.
"Marvin Harrison, in my mind, was a first ballot Hall of Famer. It took him three times. So, you never know what's going to happen," says Tony Dungy, a Super Bowl winning coach who also didn't get in until his third year of eligibility.
Dungy is also on that Selection Committee so he has a say on who gets a bust in Canton. If his opinion is shared by at least 80% of the members then Gates will be on his way to football immortality.
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
"Antonio Gates was a special player," says Dungy. "He was a headache for a lot of defensive coordinators. His numbers are Hall of Fame numbers. He's done things that very few tight ends in the history of the game have done. So, he's going to get in. Whether it happens this year, next year, the year after, I'm not sure but he is a Hall of Fame talent."
Chargers fans might get to see another San Diego legend walking across the stage in Canton. Safety Rodney Harrison is a finalist for the first time, and it's been a long time coming for him. Harrison has been eligible for the last 11 seasons. He played for the Bolts from 1994-2002 then went to New England to bolster the Patriots dynasty. During his career Harrison was one of the most feared hitters on the planet (in fact, many of the tackles he made would be illegal under today's rules).
But, he hasn't waited as long as Eric Allen has. After waiting 18 years the Point Loma High School alum is finally a Hall of Fame finalist. During his 14-year career as a cornerback with the Eagles, Saints, and Raiders, Allen picked off 54 passes and took eight of them back for touchdowns. Only seven players in history had more pick-sixes than Allen.
Local
And, although he's certainly better known for his years of dominance with the Colts, former Chargers defensive end Dwight Freeney is a finalist for the second straight season. The 7-time Pro Bowler spent the 2013 and 2014 seasons in San Diego. The full list of finalists looks like this:
• 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
• Reggie Wayne, Wide Receiver – 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts
• Patrick Willis, Linebacker – 2007-2014 San Francisco 49ers
• Darren Woodson, Safety – 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys
The Selection Committee can elect up to five of them. The Class of 2024 will be publicly unveiled on Thursday, February 8th, at the NFL Honors show in Las Vegas during Super Bowl week.
