Pat Patriot
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- Mar 19, 2019
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Three first-time eligible players made the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. Peyton Manning was joined by Charles Woodson and Calvin Johnson in earning a bust in the first year of eligibility.
Alan Faneca, John Lynch, Drew Pearson, Bill Nunn and Tom Flores also are in the Class of 2021, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced.
The 2022 class doesn’t look as likely to have as many first-ballot Hall of Famers.
Pass rusher DeMarcus Ware has the best chance to earn induction without a wait. He made nine Pro Bowls and four times was All-Pro, earning a place on the All-Decade Team for the 2000s.
Ware, who played nine seasons for the Cowboys and three with the Broncos, retired with 138.5 sacks.
Receivers Andre Johnson, Steve Smith and Anquan Boldin have interesting cases.
Johnson’s 1,062 career catches and 14,185 yards both rank 11th in history; Boldin is ninth all-time in receptions (1,076); and Smith’s 14,731 yards ranks eighth in history.
Other players who are in their first year of eligibility in 2022 are Tony Romo, Chad Greenway, Mario Williams, Robert Mathis and Vince Wilfork.