Hines Ward, James Harrison advance to semifinal round for Pro Football Hall of Fame
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Hines Ward and James Harrison are among 25 modern-era semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The two former Pittsburgh Steelers stars survived the cutdown from 173 candidates that were announced in September. The next step will be to make the list of 25 finalists.
Ward has reached the round of semifinalists for the eighth time. He has never advanced any further. Harrison has made the semifinal round for the second year in a row since gaining eligibility.
Ward is the franchise’s career leader in receptions (1,000), receiving yards (12,083) and receiving touchdowns (85). He was Super Bowl XL MVP and appeared in four Pro Bowls. He also was considered the league’s premier blocking wide receiver.
Ward played his last five years with the Steelers under coach Mike Tomlin. Together, they won one Super Bowl and appeared in another before Ward retired.
“Hines was a football player first, receiver second,” Tomlin said Tuesday. “I think of the ridiculous consistency of his toughness — in the passing game, running game, running with the football after the catch, blocking. He is well deserving of consideration, and I hope it happens for him this time.”
Tomlin compared Ward to another of his players, former Tampa Bay safety John Lynch, who was enshrined in 2021.
“Stats don’t tell their story,” Tomlin said. “Ask the men that played football against them of that generation, about their impact on the game and how the game is played and, in some instances, how the game is officiated.”
Harrison, another two-time Super Bowl winner, was the franchise’s all-time leader in sacks until the record was broken by T.J. Watt earlier this year. He was an NFL defensive player of the year and five-time Pro Bowl representative, and his 100-yard interception return for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLIII is regarded as the best defensive play in Super Bowl history.
Players that made the round of semifinalists in their first year of eligibility were tight end Antonio Gates and defensive end Julius Peppers. Running back Tiki Barber also made it for the first time. He retired in 2006.
Eight players who made it to the final stage of 15 in the class of 2023 return as semifinalists this year with Jared Allen, Dwight Freeney, Devin Hester, Andre Johnson, Torry Holt, Patrick Willis, Willie Anderson and Darren Woodson all looking to get in after falling short a year ago.
The other semifinalists are Eric Allen, Anquan Boldin, Jahri Evans, London Fletcher, Eddie George, Rodney Harrison, Robert Mathis, Steve Smith Sr., Fred Taylor, Ricky Watters, Reggie Wayne and Vince Wilfork.
The 28 semifinalists will be reduced to 15 finalists before the final voting process in January. The 15 finalists will be trimmed to 10 and then five during the selection meeting early next year. The final five candidates will need to get 80% of the votes from the panel to get into the Hall.
Associated Press contributed to this report.