Hester, Ware among 15 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists

Devin Hester, DeMarcus Ware, and Andre Johnson are finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility, along with 12 other modern-era candidates eyeing gold jackets.

The selection process began with 123 nominees. The group was trimmed to 26 semifinalists in November. Here are the finalists:

Hester is perhaps the most intriguing candidate on the ballot considering his excellence on special teams but minimal contributions on offense or defense. The former Chicago Bears star had 19 career return touchdowns, including a record 14 on punts. He famously returned the opening kickoff of Super Bowl XLI for a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts.

Ware is up for enshrinement after putting together a storied career as a pass-rusher with the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos. He retired with 138.5 career sacks, good for ninth on the all-time list. Ware led the NFL in sacks in 2008 and 2010 while with the Cowboys, and he helped the Broncos win Super Bowl 50.

Johnson starred for the Houston Texans when the franchise was struggling to establish itself after its inception in 2002. He led the league in receiving in back-to-back seasons in 2008 and 2009 and eclipsed the 1,500-yard mark three times total.

The 2022 class will be announced Feb. 10.