DENVER – For the second straight year and the third time ever , former Broncos safeties Steve Atwater and John Lynch were named finalists for this year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Class.
The legendary safeties are two of the 15 modern-era finalists for the Hall of Fame Class of 2020, which was winnowed down from 122 nominees. Other former Broncos Randy Gradishar and Dan Reeves are also eligible for the broader 2020 class, the Broncos said.
Atwater and Lynch were also finalists for the Class of 2019 , which saw Broncos owner Pat Bowlen and former Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey inducted.
The other 13 modern-era finalists this year are: T Tony Boselli, WR Isaac Bruce, S LeRoy Butler, G Alan Faneca, WR Torry Holt, G Steve Hutchinson, RB Edgerrin James, LB Sam Mills, S Troy Polamalu, DE Richard Seymour, LB Zach Thomas, WR Reggie Wayne and DT Bryant Young.
This is the third time Atwater has been a finalist and the seventh time Lynch, who is currently the general manager of the San Francisco 49ers, has been named a finalist.
The Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee will meet the day before Super Bowl LIV to pick this year’s class. They will select five modern-era players who receive an 80% positive vote from the committee members, in addition to 15 others from a pool of players who played more than 25 years ago, contributors and coaches.
The modern-era players will be enshrined in the Hall in a ceremony on Sat., Aug. 8 in Canton, Ohio.
