Roger Craig becomes Hall of Fame semifinalist

Six former 49ers, including running back Roger Craig, took a step closer to induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, it was announced today.

The Hall of Fame’s Board of Selectors chose 25 semifinalist from the list of 133 preliminary nominees. This is the first time Craig has been a semifinalist despite being eligible for the Hall of Fame since 1999.

 

Other former 49ers who made the list are Charles Haley, Chris Doleman, Rod Woodson, Kevin Greene and Richard Dent.

 

The list of 25 semifinalists will be reduced by mail ballot to 15 modern-era candidates. That list increases to 17 finalist nominees with the inclusion of the two recommended candidates of the Hall of Fame’s Seniors Committee.

 

The Seniors Committee nominees, who were announced in August, are Bob Hayes (a seventh former 49ers player) and Claude Humphrey. Hayes, a three-time All-NFL pick spent 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys (1965-1974) and one season with the San Francisco 49ers (1975).

 

The results of the modern-era reduction vote to 15 finalists will be announced in early January. 

 

The Class of 2009 will be determined at the Selection Committee’s annual meeting on Saturday, January 31, 2009, in Tampa, Florida the day before Super Bowl XLIII. The election results are announced immediately following the meeting at a press conference at the Super Bowl media headquarters.

 

Although there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s current ground rules do stipulate that between four and seven new members will be selected each year. No more than five modern-era nominees can be elected in a given year and a class of seven enshrinees can only be achieved if both senior nominees are elected.

 

Here is the complete list of the Hall of Fame semifinalists:

 

Cris Carter, WR – 1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles, 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings, 2002 Miami Dolphins

Roger Craig, RB – 1983-1990 San Francisco 49ers, 1991 Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-93 Minnesota Vikings,

Terrell Davis, RB – 1995-2001 Denver Broncos

Dermontti Dawson, C – 1988-2000 Pittsburgh Steelers

Richard Dent, DE – 1983-1993, 1995 Chicago Bears, 1994 San Francisco 49ers, 1996 Indianapolis Colts, 1997 Philadelphia Eagles

Chris Doleman, DE/LB – 1985-1993, 1999 Minnesota Vikings, 1994-95 Atlanta Falcons, 1996-98 San Francisco 49ers

Kevin Greene, LB/DE – 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-99 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers

Russ Grimm, G – 1981-1991 Washington Redskins

Ray Guy, P – 1973-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders

Charles Haley, DE/LB – 1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys

Lester Hayes, CB – 1977-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders

Cortez Kennedy, DT – 1990-2000 Seattle Seahawks

Bob Kuechenberg, G – 1970-1984 Miami Dolphins

Randall McDaniel, G – 1988-1999 Minnesota Vikings, 2000-01 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Art Modell, Owner – 1961-1995 Cleveland Browns, 1996-2003 Baltimore Ravens

John Randle, DT – 1990-2000 Minnesota Vikings, 2001-03 Seattle Seahawks

Andre Reed, WR – 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins

Shannon Sharpe, TE – 1990-99, 2002-03 Denver Broncos, 2000-01 Baltimore Ravens

Bruce Smith, DE – 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000-03 Washington Redskins

Ken Stabler, QB – 1970-79 Oakland Raiders, 1980-81 Houston Oilers, 1982-84 New Orleans Saints

Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner – 1989-2006 National Football League 

Steve Tasker, Special Teams/WR – 1985-86 Houston Oilers, 1986-1997 Buffalo Bills

Derrick Thomas, LB – 1989-1999 Kansas City Chiefs

Ralph Wilson, Owner – 1960-current Buffalo Bills

Rod Woodson, CB/S – 1987-1996 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers, 1998-2001 Baltimore Ravens, 2002-03 Oakland Raiders

 

To be considered for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a nominated player or coach must have been retired at least five years.  A contributor, who is a nominee who has made outstanding contributions to pro football in capacities other than playing and coaching, may still be active in his pro football career.

 

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