For the fourth time Bills all-time leading receiver Andre Reed is a Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist. The 15 modern era finalists chosen for potential induction as part of the 2010 Hall of Fame class were announced live on NFL Network at 4 pm Friday.
Reed was named a semi-finalist last month along with Bills Wall of Famer Steve Tasker. Tasker however, did not make the final cut when the list was reduced to 15 finalists.
The list of 15 candidates up for possible induction includes the league's current all-time leading rusher in Emmitt Smith and all-time leading receiver in Jerry Rice. Both are considered locks to be first ballot Hall of Famers as this was the first year they were eligible for enshrinement.
Shannon Sharpe, who is the second all-time leading receiver among tight ends in NFL history is also a finalist.
Reed has three other receivers with him as finalists in Rice, Tim Brown and Cris Carter, who was a finalist with Reed in 2009.
The other finalists are Don Coryell (coach), Roger Craig (RB), Dermonti Dawson (C), Richard Dent (DE), Russ Grimm (G), Charles Haley (DE/LB), Rickey Jackson (LB), Cortez Kennedy (DT) and John Randle (DT). The two Senior Committee finalists are Dick LeBeau and Floyd Little.
The Selection Committee will meet in South Florida, on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010, to elect the Hall of Fame Class of 2010.The election results will be announced at 5 p.m. ET during a one-hour NFL Network special.
Although there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the Pro Football Hall of Fame's current ground rules stipulate that between four and seven new members will be selected each year. No more than five modern-era nominees can be elected in a given year and a class of six or seven can only be achieved if one or both senior nominees are elected.
