Newz Forum: FOOTBALL: Hall of Fame nominees whittled down to 25

CANTON, Ohio -- Dan Marino and Steve Young highlighted a list Friday of 25 candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The former All-Pro quarterbacks are among six first-year eligible players. The nominees were chosen by the Hall of Fame's board of selectors from a previously announced list of 90 candidates.

The list will be reduced by a mail ballot to 13 modern-era candidates. That list will increase to 15 finalists with the addition of two candidates recommended by the Hall of Fame's senior committee. Those nominees, who were announced in August, are quarterback Benny Friedman and running back Fritz Pollard.

Marino starred holds the single-season record of 48 touchdown passes. He quarterbacked the Miami Dolphins for 17 seasons and took them to the 1985 Super Bowl, which they lost to San Francisco. He holds NFL records with 61,361 yards passing and 420 touchdown passes.

Young played with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before going to San Francisco. The left-hander emerged from Joe Montana's shadow to lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl title after the 1994 season.

Other first-year eligible players on the list are: defensive end-linebacker Chris Doleman (Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, 49ers), defensive end-linebacker Charles Haley (49ers, Dallas Cowboys), wide receiver Michael Irvin (Cowboys) and linebacker Derrick Thomas (Kansas City Chiefs).

Owners Art Modell (Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens) and Ralph Wilson Jr. (Buffalo Bills) return to the list.

source

CBS