Peyton Manning, Charles Woodson, the leader of the 2021 finalist list for Pro Football Hall of Fame

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Four players from their first year of eligibility are among the 15 finalists for the 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

Defender Peyton Manning, defensive end Charles Woodson, wide receiver Calvin Johnson and defensive end Jared Allen lead the list of finalists. Up to five of the finalists will be chosen later this month for registration.

The finalists were announced on Tuesday. This is the second time in four years that four players from their first year of eligibility have been finalists in the same year.

The 2021 class consecration ceremony is currently scheduled for the week of August 5-9. The class of 2020 is scheduled to be dedicated to a separate ceremony that week as well, as last August’s event was canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The four players, with 33 career Pro Bowl appearances, join defender Ronde Barber, tackle Tony Boselli, safety LeRoy Butler, guard Alan Faneca, wide receiver Torry Holt, safety John Lynch, defender Clay Matthews Jr., defender Sam Mills, defensive line Richard Seymour, defender Zach Thomas and wide receiver Reggie Wayne.

It could be the eighth consecutive year that a player in his first year of eligibility is selected and if three of the players in his first year of eligibility are selected from the five entrants, it would be the third time in the last four years that three players in the first year year of eligibility were selected for enrollment in the same class.

Champ Bailey, Tony Gonzalez and Ed Reed were consecrated in 2019, while Ray Lewis, Randy Moss and Brian Urlacher were in the 2018 class.

This year marks the eighth time Lynch has been a finalist, the sixth time for Faneca and the fifth time for Boselli.

The list of 15 will now be cut to five registered later this month by the Hall of Fame selection board.

Tom Flores is already a finalist on Coach Hall’s committee, Bill Nunn is a finalist as a collaborator, and Drew Pearson is a finalist on the senior committee. If all three are chosen for consecration, the 2021 Hall Class would have eight new renowned halls.

Manning – with five MVP awards in the league, 14 Pro Bowl selections, seven All-Pro first team selections, a Comeback Player of the Year award and a Walter Payton Man of the Year award – is one of the most decorated players in league history. . He was behind the center for the Denver Broncos when they won the Super Bowl 50 to finish their last season (2015) in the league.

After 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, Manning signed with the Broncos in 2012 – making him one of the best players to change teams in the free agency era. Colts had 11 seasons of 10 wins with Manning at the helm and won Super Bowl XLI, with Manning being named MVP of the game.

He retired with numerous one-season and career records, including a 5,477-meter run and 55 touchdowns in 2013.

Woodson was selected nine times in the Pro Bowl and finished his 18-year career tied for fifth in interceptions – with Ken Riley – 65. He led the league in interceptions with nine for the Green Bay Packers in 2009 and won a Super Bowl ring with the Packers next season.

The safely turned corner also forced 33 fumbles in his career, had 20 sacks and three seasons of 90 attacks, including 113 attacks with the Oakland Raiders at 38 years old.

Johnson played nine seasons for the Detroit Lions before retiring abruptly after the 2015 season, when he had 88 catches for 1,214 yards and nine touchdowns. He had five seasons of 1,200 receiving yards and is ranked 31st in career receiving yards.

Due to the Lions’ struggles, something he later said contributed to his retirement, he played in just two postseason seasons, finishing with 211 yards and two touchdowns in his first postseason appearance, a 45-game loss. 28 in front of the New Orleans Saints in the NFC wild-card round that followed the 2011 season.

And Allen, who is 12th on the league’s all-time bag list with 136, has played for four teams in his 13-year career and led the league in sacks in 2007 (15.5) as well as in 2011. (with 22).

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