One of our favorite days on our Hall of Fame calendar is the day before the Super Bowl.  Not only are we excited with the impending biggest game of the year, but it also is the day that the Pro Football Hall of Fame announces their annual class.

With the advent of social media, the word on the inductees broke before the official announcement on the NFL Network.

The new members are:

Steve Atwater:  This was a long time coming.  Eligible since 2005, Atwater was a two-time Super Bowl Champion with the Denver Broncos, and he was also a two-time First Team All-Pro.  The Free Safety also was chosen for eight Pro Bowls, and was chosen for the 1990s All-Decade Team.  This was the third time that he was named a Finalist, and his entry cushions the blow for an upset Denver fanbase that felt Randy Gradishar was snubbed by the Centennial Slate Blue Ribbon Committee.  Atwater was ranked #5 on our latest list for Hall of Fame consideration.

Isaac Bruce:  A star with the St. Louis Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf” team, Isaac Bruce won a Super Bowl with the Rams and would    Bruce has been eligible since 2015, and this was the fourth time that he made to the Finalists.  Over his career, he went to four Pro Bowls and accumulated 15,208 Receiving Yards and 91 Touchdowns.  With the exception of his last two seasons in San Francisco, he was with the Rams for the majority of his career.  Bruce was ranked #9 on our last list.

Steve Hutchinson:  Hutchinson has been Hall of Fame eligible since 2018, and he has been a Finalist ever year.  The Offensive Guard began his career in Seattle, where he spent five seasons, and was chosen for two First Team All-Pros.  He would join the Minnesota Vikings for six years, and was a First Team All-Pro three times while donning the purple.  Finishing his career with one final year in Tennessee, Hutchinson was a Pro Bowl Selection on seven occasions.  Hutchinson was ranked #24 on our last list.

Edgerrin James:  Eligible since 2015, Edgerrin James was the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1999, and with the Indianapolis Colts he went to four Pro Bowls. He would win the Rushing Title in his first two years and would overall rush for 12,246 Yards, and caught 433 passes for another 3,364 Yards.  This was the fourth year for James as a Finalist.  He was ranked #20 on our last list.

Troy Polamalu:  Polamalu enters Canton on his first year of eligibility, which was widely expected.  The Safety spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2003-14), and he was the 2010 Defensive Player of the Year. The Strong Safety won two Super Bowls, went to eight Pro Bowls and four First Team All-Pros.  Polamalu was ranked #7 on our last list.  

The first five cut from the 15 Finalists were LeRoy Butler, Torry Holt, Sam Mills, Reggie Wayne and Bryant Young. The next five cut were Tony Boselli, Alan Faneca, John Lynch, Richard Seymour and Zach Thomas

This group will join the 15 men who were chosen by the Centennial Slate Blue Ribbon Committee.  That group consisted of Harold Carmichael, Jim Covert, Bill Cowher, Bobby Dillon, Cliff Harris, Winston Hill, Jimmy Johnson, Alex Karras, Steve Sabol, Donnie Shell, Duke Slater, Mac Speedie, Ed Sprinkle, Paul Tagliabue and George Young.

We will now begin work on our Notinhalloffame.com Football List.  All of those inducted will be removed from the list.  We will then add those who are eligible for the 2021 Class, and insert them accordingly.  Look for that in early March.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Isaac Bruce arrived as a second-round pick out of Memphis in 1994 and spent his first year mostly learning the NFL. The next season he exploded. In 1995, he caught 119 passes for 1,781 yards and 13 touchdowns, a total that still ranks among the highest single-season receiving yards in league history. He somehow missed the Pro Bowl that year, but the production announced him as one of the league’s better young receivers. He followed it in 1996 by leading the NFL with 1,338 yards and earning the first of his four Pro Bowl selections.

Bruce was a precise route-runner who could win at all levels and had the speed to stretch the field. He wasn’t the flashiest player, but he was reliable and tough enough to keep producing even as the Rams figured out what they wanted to be. After a couple of injury-shortened seasons, he was ready when the offense finally clicked.

Everything came together in 1999 when the Rams became the Greatest Show on Turf. Bruce caught 77 passes for 1,165 yards and 12 touchdowns as the offense tore through the league and finished 13-3. In Super Bowl XXXIV, he caught six passes for 162 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown from Kurt Warner late in the fourth quarter that proved to be the game-winner. The following year he posted 87 catches for 1,471 yards and nine touchdowns, then added 64 catches for 1,106 yards and six scores in 2001 as the Rams returned to the Super Bowl (this time losing to the Patriots). Those three seasons cemented him as the clear number-one target on one of the most explosive offenses the league has ever seen.

Bruce kept producing after the peak years. He posted more 1,000-yard seasons in 2002, 2004, and 2006, and he remained a steady target even as the roster turned over. He left for a brief stint with the 49ers after the 2007 season, then was traded back to the Rams so he could retire as a Ram in 2010.

With the Rams, he finished with 942 receptions, 14,109 receiving yards, and 84 touchdowns. Those numbers still sit at the top of the franchise’s receiving charts. The Rams retired his number 80 in 2010.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame inducted him in 2020, recognizing the receiver who went from a quiet second-round pick to the leading man of one of the most explosive offenses the league has ever seen.

As we here at Notinhalloffame.com consistently work hard to create new lists we have to continuously update the ones that we have.  One of our main core lists, the Football List of those to consider for the Pro Football Hall of Fame has been updated.  

The first step for us is to take out all of those who were chosen for the Hall.  This takes out Tony Gonzalez (#1), Champ Bailey (#2), Ed Reed (#3), Johnny Robinson (#7), Kevin Mawae (#16) and Ty Law (#28).

The second step is to add those who are now eligible.  As we have a Football Futuressection that allows you to vote and make comments prior to their eligibility we factor that input before we slot in the new entries.  

This leads to our third step, which is taking in your votes and comments on the existing names on the list and altering our rankings if deemed necessary.

The entire list can be found here, but on this page the new top ten are:

For the first time, Chuck Howley moved to the top.  The former Linebacker and Super Bowl V MVP was a six time Pro Bowl and five time First Team All Pro Selection.  He was ranked at #5 last year.

L.C. Greenwood rocketed to #2 from #6.  Greenwood played for the Pittsburgh Steelers all of his career and was a member of the dynasty that won four Super Bowls in the 1970’s.  The Defensive End was a six time Pro Bowl Selection and he was a Finalists for the Hall of Fame on six occasions.

Alan Faneca went up from #4 to #3.  The Offensive Lineman was a nine time Pro Bowl and six time First Team All Pro and helped the Steelers win Super Bowl XL.  He has been a Finalist the last four years.

Former NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1978) Randy Gradisharjumps from #8 to #4.  The former Denver Bronco would be chosen for seven Pro Bowls, five First Team All Pros and was a Finalist for the Hall of Fame twice.

Our highest new entry is also our highest rated offensive skill player in former Wide Receiver, Reggie Wayne.  Wayne helped the Colts win Super Bowl XLI and caught 1,070 Receptions with 14,345 Yards. He was a six time Pro Bowl Selection who led the NFL in Receiving Yards in 2007.

Roger Craig went from #9 to #6.  The versatile Running Back helped the San Francisco 49ers win three Super Bowls and he was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 1988.  He made history as the first player to rush for 1,000 Yards and catch for 1,000 Yards.

Steve Atwater increased his rank from #12 to #7.  “The Smilin’ Assassin” and former Denver Bronco was first a Finalist in 2016 and was against this year.  The Defensive Back was an eight time Pro Bowler and two time Super Bowl Champion.

Troy Polamalu is the second new entry to break our top ten.  Spending his entire career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Polamalu was chosen for eight Pro Bowls, four First Team All Pros and was the 2010 Defensive Player of the Year.  He helped Pittsburgh win the Super Bowl twice.

Former Super Bowl Champion with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Ronde Barber is #9 after climbing from #11.  The Defensive Back was chosen for five Pro Bowls and was the league leader in Interceptions in 2001.

Rounding out the top ten is Isaac Bruce, the former St. Louis Rams Wide Receiver of their “Greatest Show on Turf”. Bruce was a former Super Bowl Champion who caught 1,024 Passes for 15,208 Yards and 91 Touchdowns.  He would go to four Pro Bowls.

There are other new entries on out Notinhalloffame.com Football List.  Also making their debut are:

Patrick Willis comes in at #16.  Playing his entire career with the San Francisco 49ers the Linebacker would be invited to seven Pro Bowls and five First Team All Pros.  

John Abraham makes his first appearance at #40.  Abraham is in the top 15 all time in Quarterback Sacks, Tackles for Loss and Forced Fumbles and he was a five time Pro Bowl Selection.

Former Chicago Bear Linebacker Lance Briggs enters at #80.  He was a seven time Pro Bowl Selection.

The final new entry is Justin Smith at #101.  Smith is a five time Pro Bowl Selection.

As you will see, there are 103 names on this list.  Our intent is to eventually grow it to 250 (or possibly more) so as we are adding and subtracting names, we feel leaving it at this number is fine for now.

You know what we want you to do!

Take a look at our revised list and cast your votes and offer your opinions!

As always we here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to thank you for your support.