The NFL announced the finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2009, and Shannon Sharpe is among them.
There were 133 eligible candidates — players, coaches and contributors — at the beginning of the process, and Sharpe was only one of a handful of players in their first year of eligibility to be selected as one of the 25 semifinalists.
Former Bronco Terrell Davis was also one of the 25 semifinalists, though the Hall of Fame selectors only voted Sharpe through to the final 15.
Sharpe played 12 seasons in Orange and Blue and two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens during a playing career that spanned from 1990 to 2003.
In that time, he played his way to become one of the most prolific tight ends in NFL history. He caught 815 passes for 10,060 yards and 62 touchdowns. When he retired, he was the all-time leader among tight ends in all three categories.
There are 17 finalists — two players were nominated earlier by the Hall of Fame’s Senior Committee. They are as follows: WR Cris Carter, C Dermontti Dawson, DE Richard Dent, G Russ Grimm, WR Bob Hayes, DE Claude Humphrey, DT Cortez Kennedy, G Bob Kuechenberg, G Randall McDaniel, DT John Randle, WR Andre Reed, Sharpe, DE Bruce Smith, former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, LB Derrick Thomas, Buffalo Bills Founder/Owner Ralph Wilson and CB/S Rod Woodson.
There’s no set number of inductees that will actually make it to Canton, but the Hall of Fame’s ground rules state that each class will be composed of four to seven members.
To be elected into the Hall of Fame, a finalist must receive a minimum positive vote of 80 percent.
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.
-Gray Caldwell, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: Gray Caldwell, Hall of Fame, Shannon Sharpe
Once again they left out T.D. i’m certain he will make it one day but wish it would have been this year.
Congrats to Shannon though, i’m looking forward to seeing him in Canton where he belongs. there is a great list of names mentioned above but i’m certain we will get out third HOFer this year in Shannon.
Congrats again and good luck
GO BRONCOS!!!!
Way to go 84!
Grats to Sharpe show them your guns and your grin go get them
you should make it above alot of them you set the standard for all tight ends to come
If he is not selected the first time around, the selection committee wil lose all creditability. The commitee has ignored the accomplishments of are players.
There is ABSOLUTELY no doubt he makes it first ballot. Sharpe completely redefined the TE position and made it possible for guys like Gates, Gonzalez, Witten, etc… to become such a large part of modern day offenses.
Agreed Wormy! He changed the position to what it is today!!
Way to go 84, good luck to you.
Man I am having a hard time with this Mike firing, I hate to think that someone else is going to get the credit for the Broncos winning it all next year!
uh. where the hell did that come from Reggie! Shannon Sharpe first ballot no doubt. But Terell Davis not getting in i can understand. i too am biased and would love to see him in but he’ll have a tougher time due to a short career by HOF standards.
NICE JOB SHANONON ! ! !
No love for Gradishar or TD !
No doubt Sharpe deserves to be in the HOF, but Gradishar and TD should be in there too.
Way to Go Shannon!!! Now with these 3 in (Sharpe, Elway and Zimm) would the hall of fame wake up and get Mecklenburg, Gradishar, Wright, Atwater and some day Rod in there?
Way to go 84 you deserve it!!!!
FINALLY some good news around here!!
I am very happy & excited for Sharpe and I can’t imagine they won’t put him through. Like some of you have said he redefined the TE position to what it is today and if it wasn’t for Sharpe’s incredible success at this position who knows if someone like Gonzalez or even our own Scheffler would even have that great of a job. #84 definitely deserves this.
However, it bugs me that this HOF committee can’t see the light and realized what they’re missing in Canton by not putting through some out of this world players like Gradishar, Atwater & Davis. I mean come on… what are these people thinking… I know I know Davis’ injury is probably the reason and he didn’t play that long for us but they must think something of him or they wouldn’t keep mentioning his name early on in the voting process of this EVERY YEAR!! But what really baffles me is that they completely overlook Gradishar & Atwater every time… I can think of only one reason why they by-pass these 2 every year “cause they played for the Broncos”. Get over it you old farts (speaking to this so called committee of wise people), get some sense knocked into you and put some legit people in the Hall of Fame where they belong!
No doubt Smith will be there one day… too great of a player and too respected of a man to not be considered in his first year of eligibility when it comes. And definitely no doubt Shanny will be there someday… I won’t even start on that other than he deserves to be a HOF coach.
Congrats to #84 once again! I remember him playing for this team like it was yesterday. Good times, good times… ah those were the days!
With faith…
GO BRONCOS in ’09!!!!
Best Tight End Ever
YaY Good job Sharpe best Tight End that ever played.
LOL Nice storyboard elway I was sure you wree stil on holiday
I strongly agree wih you about this being some great news!!
Unfortunately I am restricted to videos of his play as I have only been a fan since 2004..
From what I have seen and read, he redefined the role of TE which saw more production come from the TE.. hence you replicate that and end up with the likes of Gate, Gonzo and Witten.. #84 FOR SURE!
Very good, very good. Makes me smile when a Bronco player makes the HOF. 07Elway, could not agree with you more. Shannon Sharpe is one of the classiest individuals and deserves this acknowledgment.
YEA SHANNON. WE LOVED WATCHING AND CHEERING FOR THE BRONCOS IN YOUR DAY. WE STILL LIKE WATCHING THEM EVEN THO WE LIVE IN NEVADA. HOPEFULLY THEY WILL DO BETTER THIS YEAR. WE WILL BE KEEPING OUR FINGERS CROSSED FOR YOU.
What about T.D., Steve Atwater, Karl Mechlenburg, and Dennis Smith??????????
probably like 15 more cowboys in there this year. just cause there popular!!!!
hey im not gunna get pissed we can keep gettin a new hall of famer brought in every year lol i mean yea all those guys deserve it but if they all got in this year we’ll have to wait till the next bronco goes. i mean Rod should go but who know when and lynch who knows if he’ll go a bronco or buc. then next we wait for champ MAN is it gunna be a heart breaking day when he retires
This will be the impetus for a successful season. As Shannon is inducted into the HOF, the Broncos will catch fire during the season and become a legitimate contender. GO BRONCOS!!!
Don’t forget Dennis Smith
Anybody see Vincent Jackson got arrested for DUI Teusday morn. That’s the type of players they are putting on the Chargers team drunks and roid users That would be his second if he gets charged AND HE IS STILL ON PROBATION FOR THE FIRST. He said he didn’t THINK he would be charged I think he didn’t think. another dumbass putting himself, his team, and his city in a bad situation. GO PITTSBURG ! ! !
Detroit Reggie,
Stop worrying. It is not going to happen.
The “search” for the new coach looks an awful lot like wandering through the desert, just less productive.
As for the younger Mr. Sharpe:
Congratulations to an amazing athlete, a true crowd pleaser and a class act.
And pretty funny too. I still laugh thinking about his “phone call” to the National Guard on the sidelines.
Way to go. Should be a unanimous first ballot.
Just hitting all the bases. We do have some deadlines soon though Feb. 18-24 NFL combine, Feb. 27 Free agency begins, April 25-26 NFL Draft. Cutting it close.
way to go #84 today makes me proud to be a Bronco fan =]
“Mr. President, call in the National Guard! Send as many men as you can spare! Because we are killing the Patriots! They need emergency help!”
LOL.. Sharpe is great!
Elway07
3 words
East Coast Biased.
And just a thought, but mabey this year Marshall might want to get on the red phone and call his good buddy the president to get some help for our defense! “lol”.
Go Shannon
Go Broncos 09
First, congratulations to Shannon. econd, Randy Gradashir is no lonfger elegible to be elected to the HOF via regular route. the ionly way he can get in is via Seniors Committee and that’s a one time shot and it’s rare that an old timer get in.
So there’s 17 finalists. Whos’s in and who’s not. My own biased list (Names all caps are 1st ballot):
CHRIS CARTER YES!
Dermonti Dawson NO!
Richard Dent Flip a coin between him and Russ Grimm
Rus Grimm Coin flip
Bob Hayes (Seniors Committe) YES, another undeserving Cowboy gets in
Claude Humphry NO!
Cortez Kennedy NO!
Bob Kuchennerger NO!
Randle McDaniel NO!
John Randle NO!
Andre Reed NO!
SHANNON SHARPE YYYEEEESSSSS!!!!!
BRUCE SMITH YES!
Paul Tagliabue (Cioach/contributor) YES!
Derrick Thomas YES!
Ralph Wilson NO!
RON WOODSON YES!
With a maximum off 7 slots and 4 are cinch 1st ballot plus Tagliabue, it’s a bad year for every one else as there’s only two slots left.
We were lucky to get to watch you play here in Denver for so many years. Thanks Shannon and good luck!
Congrats Sharp you deserve it for sure!!!!!
So do all the other guys all of you mentioned. All this crap about how TD did not play long enough is so stupid it pisses me off. You should be judged by how you affected the game while you played. He changed the game while he played. Teams had to devise their entire game plan according to the fact that they were facing TD. While he played he was one of if not the best player in the NFL it does not matter if he played 7 years or 17 he changed the game and that is deserving of the HOF. He still holds NFL records. Length of career is bogus crap. Some guys play 16yrs and don’t do crap does this mean they deserve to be HOFers because they played a long time, NO! The committee is a bunch of D-bags.
Again congrats #84, I hope to see many more Broncos join you in the future.
Loved watching him, Good luck shannon!
Terell Davis, 2000 yds. rushing, league MVP, Super Bowl MVp, etc. etc. etc. back 2 back superbowl Champions thanks in LArge to TD, What more do they want!!!!!! this guy top 5 to ever play he just got robbed after Elway retired and Griese could not throw a good pass in an average game,,TD your in the HAll as far as i’m concerned and i have your rookie card, and i’m not letting it go,,
First of all, congratulations to Shannon Sharpe, we all knew it was coming and it is good to see more blue and orange in the hall.
Second, what really pisses me off about TD not getting into the hall of fame is Gale Sayers. Sayers waas a riduclus running back , but lets be honest if he didnt play for the bears he never would have gotten in. he played in 7 seasons, TD had 8. Sayers and 2 thousand yard seasons, TD had 3 and 1 2000 yard season. Plus TD is the greatest post season running back in history. Doubt me ? look at how many post season TD’s he has and number of 100 yard rushing games in the post season.
best tight end ever
If Brady’s career is cut short from his injury, do you think they will keep him out of the Hall!! HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!! They shouldn’t keep TD out either!!!!!!!!!!!!
T.D. probably didn’t get in because of that “Cancer” statement he made about T.O….j/k. I think that Sharpe was a no brainer, and I don’t doubt that T.D. will be on the finalist ballot in one or two more years.
Well Broncomaniacs,
It’s about flippin’ time………BEST NEWS I’VE HEARD ALL WEEK. Congrats 84 you’re the BEST TE to play the position hands down. 3 superbowls w/ 2 teams most receptions/yards in NFL history- you are already in. Now let’s see Mecklenburg, Gradishar, Atwater, TD, D-Smith & Rod get in. They are well deserving. Gonzales, Witten who? Please. Chargers SUCK!!! Go Steelers.
Broncos 2009 Baby- All the way to the TOP!!!
If T.D. doesn’t get in… its because of his short career. Even though he was he was GREAT!… that short career will hurt his chances… EVEN THOUGH, I don’t think it should affect it. I think he should be in there because he did GREAT!
td should get in based on the stats he put up in his time. he is 1 of only 3 or 4 hbs to rush for 1000 yards in the 1st 7 games of the season 1 of only so many to run for 2000 yards in a season and won 2 superbowls and a sb mvp. im sure berry sanders is in and he never even got a sb. not sayin he isnt 1 of the best of all time but i hear a interesting debate the other date on the radioe and they were sayin sanders wouldnt even be a everydown back into days league. whats every1s thoughts on that
interesting side note- dallas released pac man i wonder if hed be any better oppisite bailey than bly
Yea… I think we need to try him out… He’s an athlete, and athlete we need. He and Royal can switch off return. He wouldn’t be a bad 3rd or 2nd string CB…
Ummm that would be a hell no on the pac rat. Trust me were better off with a bruised and battered bly than a fully healthy and totaly confused pac man.
We need good, young players that good is for on and off the field. and pac man is neither. Yes we need young talent in the secondary but that would be taking steps backwards.
Whats position is our most pressing need this offseason.
Im gona go wit linebacker, then D-line, Secondary, runningback.
But im all for taking the best player availabe in the draft.
M.C., I do agree w/ you. I think it is just a little bit of hope I still have in the back of my head thinking he could be back to where he was 2 yrs ago and be a star player. But I guess I need to realize that he isn’t anymore.
I agree w/ the LB position being #1 on our need list. I think it’d be nice to have James Lauranaitis to fill that spot.
What route do you think Denver should go in the draft?
Why is everyone wanting Lauranitis? He’s number 3 LB is all the mock drafts. Obviously something major has happened to make his stiock slip so bad.
And Pacman Jones!!! He’s an alcoholic criminal who’s so bad that Dallas didn’t even put him in in nickle situations. The only thing he does better than average is return.
DT is our number one need. With a dominant DT or DE’s pass rushing will improve significantly and this will allow our secondary to play tighter coverage.
I obviously think that Denver will go the defensive route in the draft….they need to anyway. We’ve got great offensive talent and these guys are young yet. Maybe some depth wouldn’t hurt but I don’t see a lot of changes on the offensive side. The defensive well we’ve all seen what happened this year. I think that we need to definitely look for some D-line and safeties. I know our LB did not perform well but I think that with DJ, Winborn, and Woodyard that is a pretty decent crew, I think. Our safeties did less than par. I think we need another hard hitter “Lynch” style safety to bust some people up. Most of all we need a good head coach.
Pacman….are you serious, he is nothing but a negative distraction.
I actually think that Were solid at DT. I mean thats the only place on the field that we get penetration from, and the only spot on the field where we make stops in the runing game. But we gota focus on the DE position. Which is why im all for going to a 3-4.
But Isnt funny how all the DE’s that we just let walk out of here in free agency have gone on to have better carriers. Trevor Price, Reggie Hayword, Bertrand Berry.
But back to the present.
I say Linebacker because it seems to be the position that rookies can come in and improve the entire deffense quickly, And quick improvment is what we need.
True our safties suck but unless champ is gona be the man to get every one in the right spots we might just have a fast guy running in circles.
My linebacker pick is #2 from texas I remember when they played USC he had to cover reggie bush on a whell route and he stuck with him down the field, deflected the ball, played perfect coverage. He probly wont be a first day guy, but there is definetly alot of talent there. And he’s a sure tackler and we kinda need alot of those.
As far as our first round pick Im all for Moreno, or Bryon orakpo if he’s still there.
Any one know what happend to Tim crowder he had 6 sacks his first year, showed alot of promise then fell of the map….. but dumerville had 14 last year and he didnt do anything this year either so I take that question back
or wells in the first round, he impressed me against Texas even though they where doing the dumbest things ive ever seen against power run plays he was still impressive