Junior Seau, Jerome Bettis headline group of 8 in 2015 Hall of Fame class
For the second year in a row, the Pro Football Hall of Fame class was announced during the "NFL Honors" awards show, which aired nationally from the Phoenix Convention Center on Saturday night.
Following a selection meeting that lasted eight hours and 50 minutes, the 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame class includes Junior Seau, Jerome Bettis, Tim Brown, Charles Haley, Will Shields, Bill Polian, Ron Wolf and Mick Tingelhoff.
Seau enters in his first year of eligibility. The late San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots linebacker earned 12 Pro Bowl nods, and was an eight-time All-Pro. He won two AFC championships 13 years apart.
Bettis, who spent the bulk of his pro career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of the 2015 class.
Bettis ran for 13,662 yards, averaging 3.9 yards per carry in his career. His 91 rushing touchdowns are tied for 10th-most all time.
Bettis won his first and only Super Bowl with the Steelers following the 2005 season, his final year in the league.
Brown is one of only 10 players in league history to record 1,000 receptions. His 1,094 grabs rank fifth all-time.
Haley finally broke through in his sixth consecutive year as a finalist on the ballot. Haley is the only player in league history with five Super Bowl rings.
A fourth-round selection of the San Francisco 49ers in the 1986 draft, Haley was twice named the NFC Defensive Player of the Year, and earned five Pro Bowl nods. He finished his career with 100.5 sacks.
Shields spent the bulk of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs, earning 12 Pro Bowl nods as a guard, and was selected as a first-team All-Pro three times.
Polian was the architect of the Buffalo Bills team that qualified for four consecutive Super Bowls. He later won a Super Bowl as general manager and team president of the Indianapolis Colts in 2006.
Wolf, who enters in the "contributor" category after serving as general manager of the Green Bay Packers for nine years (1992-2000).
The Packers won three division titles and one Super Bowl under Wolf's leadership.
Tingelhoff waited 31 years between his first year of eligibility for the Hall of Fame and finally making it in.
Tingelhoff was the center for the Minnesota Vikings from 1962-78. He was a five-time first-team All-Pro selection.
The five men eliminated in the final vote were Tony Dungy, Kevin Greene, Marvin Harrison, Orlando Pace and Kurt Warner.
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