Dan Reeves, the only coach to take the Falcons to the Super Bowl, made the list of 94 modern-era nominees as a coach candidate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Reeves, who also coached with the Denver Broncos and New York Giants, posted a 190-165-2 record and coached in four Super Bowls.
Former Falcons Morten Andersen, Mike Kenn, Chris Hinton and Clay Matthews are also modern-era nominees for the class of 2017.
Former University of Georgia players Hines Ward and Terrell Davis are also nominees.
Last season Andersen, Kenn and Davis were semifinalists. Andersen, the league’s all-time leading scorer, and Davis, were finalist in 2016. Ward is a first-year eligible player.
Hinton, who made seven Pro Bowls from 1983-1991 and made the Pro Bowl or first-team All-Pro at four of the five offensive line positions, is receiving new consideration. He played for the Falcons form 1990 to 1993.
The list of nominees consists of 45 offensive players, 32 defensive players, six special teams players and 11 coaches. The modern-era nominees will be trimmed to 25 semifinalists in November and, from there, to 15 finalists in January.
Eighteen finalists will be presented to the full 48-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee during its annual selection meeting on the eve of Super Bowl LI. The finalists will consist of 15 Modern-Era finalists, the recently named Senior Finalist, Kenny Easley, and the 2017 Contributor Finalists, Jerry Jones and Paul Tagliabue.
Here’s the full list:
BY POSITION
QUARTERBACKS (7)
Drew Bledsoe, Randall Cunningham, Doug Flutie, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair, Phil Simms, *Kurt Warner
RUNNING BACKS (13)
Shaun Alexander, Ottis Anderson, Tiki Barber, Larry Centers, Roger Craig, *Terrell Davis, Eddie George, *Edgerrin James, Daryl Johnston, Eric Metcalf (also WR/PR/KR), LaDainian Tomlinson, Herschel Walker (also KR), Ricky Watters
WIDE RECEIVERS (10)
Isaac Bruce, Henry Ellard (also PR), Torry Holt, Chad Johnson, Derrick Mason (also KR/PR), *Terrell Owens, Sterling Sharpe, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Hines Ward
TIGHT END (1)
Mark Bavaro
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (14)
Tony Boselli (T), Ray Donaldson (C), *Alan Faneca (G), Jay Hilgenberg (C), Chris Hinton (G/T), Kent Hull (C), *Joe Jacoby (T), Mike Kenn (T), Olin Kreutz (C), Jim Lachey (T), Kevin Mawae (C/G), Tom Nalen (C), Nate Newton (G), Steve Wisniewski (G)
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (5)
Leslie O’Neal (DE), Simeon Rice (DE), Fred Smerlas (NT), Jason Taylor (DE), Bryant Young (DT)
LINEBACKERS (11)
Carl Banks, Cornelius Bennett, Tedy Bruschi, Seth Joyner, Levon Kirkland, Clay Matthews, Willie McGinest (also DE), Karl Mecklenburg, Sam Mills, Joey Porter, Zach Thomas
DEFENSIVE BACKS (16)
Eric Allen (CB), *Steve Atwater (S), Joey Browner (S), LeRoy Butler (S), Brian Dawkins (SS), Rodney Harrison (S), Ty Law (CB), Albert Lewis (CB), *John Lynch (S), Frank Minnifield (CB), Bob Sanders (SS), Darren Sharper (FS), Dennis Smith (SS), Troy Vincent (S), Everson Walls (CB), Darren Woodson (S)
KICKERS/PUNTER (4)
*Morten Andersen (K), Gary Anderson (K), Sean Landeta (P), Nick Lowery (K)
SPECIAL TEAMS (2)
Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB), Steve Tasker (ST also WR)
COACHES (11)
*Don Coryell, Bill Cowher, Tom Flores, Mike Holmgren, Jimmy Johnson, Chuck Knox, Buddy Parker, Richie Petitbon, Dan Reeves, Clark Shaughnessy, Dick Vermeil
*Finalist in 2016.
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