Three first-time eligible players and a player who has waited 25 years highlight the list of 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2023.
Tackle Joe Thomas, a 10-time Pro Bowl selection as well as a six-time first-team All Pro, cornerback Darrelle Revis and defensive end Dwight Freeney are all finalists in their first year of eligibility. Cornerback Albert Lewis, who played his last game in the 1998 season, has waited through the customary five-year period after retirement to go with 20 years of eligibility to be named a finalist for the first time.
The rest of the finalists for the class of 2023, announced Wednesday night, are:
- Jared Allen, defensive end
- Willie Anderson, tackle
- Ronde Barber, cornerback
- Devin Hester, wide receiver/returner
- Torry Holt, wide receiver
- Andre Johnson, wide receiver
- Zach Thomas, linebacker
- DeMarcus Ware, defensive end/outside linebacker
- Reggie Wayne, wide receiver
- Patrick Willis, linebacker
- Darren Woodson, safety
Of that group, only Woodson was not a finalist last year, and Holt has now been a finalist four times.
The Hall of Fame’s board of selectors will meet in the coming weeks to choose a maximum of five modern-era finalists for enshrinement. The class of 2023 will be announced Feb. 9 during the NFL Honors show, three days before the Super Bowl.