Former Vikings Randy Moss and Steve Hutchinson are among four first-time eligible nominees to make the list of 15 modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2018, the Hall announced Tuesday night.
Joining them as first-time eligible finalists are Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher. Meanwhile, former Cowboys and Giants cornerback Everson Walls became a first-time finalist in his 20th year of eligibility.
The modern-era finalists along with contributor committee finalist Bobby Beathard and senior committee finalists Robert Brazile and Jerry Kramer will be considered for election to the Hall when the 48-person selection committee meets in Minneapolis on Feb. 3, a day before Super Bowl LII.
The modern-era finalists will be trimmed to 10 and five before the committee votes yes or no on those five finalists. The committee also will vote yes or no on the two senior finalists and the contributor finalist. Eighty percent of the votes are needed for selection.
The other modern-era finalists chosen were Tony Boselli, Isaac Bruce, Brian Dawkins, Alan Faneca, Joe Jacoby, Edgerrin James, Ty Law, John Lynch, Kevin Mawae and Terrell Owens.
Moss' 156 touchdowns over 14 seasons rank No. 2 in NFL history. His 23 touchdowns as a Patriot in 2007 is the record for a single season. He played his first seven seasons (1998-04) and one month of the 2010 season as a Viking.
Hutchinson played his first five seasons in Seattle (2001-05) before spending the next six seasons with the Vikings.
He was a five-time first-team All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowl selection at left guard. He'll be competing with fellow offensive linemen Mawae, who went to eight Pro Bowls and was All-Pro first-team three times; and and Faneca, who was a nine-time Pro Bowler and six-time first-team All-Pro selection.
