Devin Hester and Willie Anderson, who briefly played for Ravens, among 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame

DeMarcus Ware, Andre Johnson and Devin Hester, each successful their archetypal twelvemonth of eligibility, are finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s people of 2022.

The 15 modern-day players who volition beryllium considered connected Jan. 18 by the enactment committee see tackle Tony Boselli, successful his sixth twelvemonth arsenic a finalist, and antiaircraft lineman Richard Seymour, successful his 4th year.

Other finalists announced Thursday are information Leroy Butler, wide receivers Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne, linebackers Sam Mills and Zach Thomas — each finalists for the 3rd time; antiaircraft linemen Jared Allen and Bryant Young, and cornerback Ronde Barber, two-time finalists; and tackle Willie Anderson and linebacker Patrick Willis, their archetypal clip successful the finals.

Anderson spent his last play with the Ravens successful 2008, portion Hester played 12 games with the Ravens successful his last play successful 2016. Former Ravens wide receivers Steve Smith Sr. and Anquan Boldin did not marque the cut.

A maximum of 5 modern-day players tin beryllium elected for enshrinement successful August to the Canton, Ohio, hall. The inductees volition beryllium announced connected Feb. 10 astatine NFL Honors, the prime-time TV programme during which The Associated Press reveals its idiosyncratic grant winners for the 2021 season.

Three others — Dick Vermeil successful the coaching category, Art McNally arsenic a contributor, and Cliff Branch arsenic a elder subordinate — besides are candidates for the people of 2022. Voting connected each of those 3 volition beryllium held individually.

Hester is the uncommon finalist who made his people mostly connected peculiar teams. He opened the 2007 Super Bowl for Chicago with a 92-yard kickoff instrumentality for a touchdown, the lone clip successful Super Bowl past that has occurred. An All-Pro 3 times, Hester was a subordinate of the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s and 1 of 2 instrumentality specialists connected the NFL 100 All-Time Team.

Thomas, a five-time All-Pro, besides was a regular connected peculiar teams, for Miami, and made his people arsenic 1 of the surest tacklers successful shot arsenic an outstanding linebacker from 1996-2008, a aureate epoch for the position.

Boselli has been portion of a beardown radical of violative linemen considered for the Hall of Fame successful caller years. Kevin Mawae, Steve Hutchinson and Alan Faneca preceded the erstwhile Jaguars prima into the hall. A three-time All-Pro, Boselli made the All-Decade Team of the 1990s contempt playing lone fractional the decade.

Like Boselli, Butler is successful his 16th twelvemonth of eligibility. The Packers’ hard-hitting safety, a four-time All-Pro who besides made the All-Decade Team of the 1990s, was among the astir versatile antiaircraft backs the crippled has seen.

The precocious Mills is nether information successful his 20th and last twelvemonth of eligibility arsenic a modern-day candidate. A three-time All-Pro who made his people initially successful the USFL, Mills past starred for the Saints and enlargement Panthers — helping Carolina to the NFC title crippled successful its 2nd season.

Ware, a four-time All-Pro, led the Cowboys successful sacks for 8 seasons, topped the NFL with 20 sacks successful 2008 and 15 1/2 successful 2010, and won a Super Bowl with Denver for the 2015 season. He finished with 138 1/2 sacks and made the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s.

Johnson, the different first-year eligible successful the last 15, doubly made the All-Pro squad during a beardown clip for wide receivers. He led the league successful receptions doubly (103 successful 2006 and 115 successful 2008) and successful receiving yards doubly (1,575 yards successful 2008 and 1,569 yards successful 2009). Johnson finished his vocation with 1,062 receptions for 14,185 yards and 70 receiving touchdowns.

Two of his contemporaries, Holt and Wayne, besides are successful the finals. Holt was selected to NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s and won a Super Bowl with the 1999 Rams. Wayne retired arsenic NFL’s 2nd all-time starring receiver successful the postseason with 93 catches and won a Super Bowl with the Colts.

Anderson was considered 1 of the elite close tackles successful the crippled for 13 pro seasons with Cincinnati and Baltimore, making 3 All-Pro squads.

Pass-rushing standout Allen was a four-time All-Pro who led the NFL successful sacks doubly (2007, 2011) portion playing for the Chiefs, Vikings, Bears and Panthers. The versatile Seymour, a three-time All-Pro selected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s, played successful 4 Super Bowls for New England. Young was the 1999 Comeback Player of the Year and had 89 1/2 vocation sacks for San Francisco portion being voted to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s.

Young’s past play successful 2007 was the archetypal for Willis with the 49ers — and helium won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. A subordinate of the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s, helium was a five-time All-Pro.

Barber was 1 of the league’s stingiest screen cornerbacks during his 26 seasons successful Tampa, wherever helium besides played immoderate safety. A cardinal to the Cover-2 antiaircraft scheme, Barber was a three-time All-Pro and a subordinate of NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s. He led the NFL with 10 interceptions successful 2001 and won a Super Bowl the adjacent season.