Junior Seau headlines HOF class
PHOENIX -- Former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau and Kansas City Chiefs guard Will Shields, both 12-time Pro Bowl selections in their NFL careers, led the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2015.
Seau, in his first year of eligibility, Shields, former Pittsburgh Steelers running back and current ESPN analyst Jerome Bettis, wide receiver Tim Brown and defensive end Charles Haley were the five modern-era enshrinees, selected Saturday in the meeting of the Hall's board of selectors.
The Class of '15 will also include former Minnesota Vikings center Mick Tingelhoff, who played 240 games in his career and was the seniors committee nominee, as well as two nominees in the contributors category -- former Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts general manager and current ESPN analyst Bill Polian, as well as long-time NFL executive Ron Wolf.
The Hall's board of selectors began the day with 15 modern-era finalists, which were trimmed first to 10 finalists and then five in the day-long meeting. A finalist must receive 80 percent of the vote from the 46 selectors to be selected for enshrinement. The class was formally announced during the "NFL Honors" television show inside the Phoenix Symphony Hall. The Class of '15 will be formally enshrined at the Hall of Fame in August.
