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First year candidates for NFL Hall of Fame 2016 have been unveiled

By Cody Williams

Brett Favre won his coaching debut as Oak Grove high school's offensive coordinator. (Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook - US PRESSWIRE)
Brett Favre won his coaching debut as Oak Grove high school's offensive coordinator. (Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook - US PRESSWIRE) /
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A look at the 11 first year candidates for the NFL Hall of Fame for 2016.

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Not to completely state the obvious, but going to the NFL Hall of Fame is a big deal. The chances of a player even making it to the NFL are slim at best. The chance that a player makes it to the pinnacle of football and then succeeds at a level high enough to earn him a Hall of Fame nod is incredible. On Wednesday night, 11 players were named as first year candidates for the NFL Hall of Fame in 2016.

The list is highlighted by two big names: Brett Favre and Terrell Owens. If you’ve followed the NFL over the past decade even marginally, those are two figures who should mean something to you. However, the other nine first year candidates aren’t too shabby, either.

Here are the 11 first year candidates:

Note: all stats are from NFL.com

Brett Favre: Captured three consecutive NFL MVP awards from 1995-97; won Super Bowl XXXI with the Green Bay Packers; holds the NFL record for most career passing yards and most career passing attempts (as well as most interceptions), and is an icon in the sport.

Clinton Portis: Played for the Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins in his career from 2002-10. He won the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 2002, was voted to two Pro Bowls, and finished his career with 9,923 rushing yards and 75 rushing touchdowns.

Brian Westbrook: Played for two teams in his career from 2002-10, most notably with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was a two-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-team All-Pro over his career. Statistically, he finished his career with 6,335 yards rushing and 41 rushing touchdowns, while also accruing 3,940 receiving yards and 30 receiving touchdowns.

Terrell Owens: Played for five different teams from 1996-2010, making six Pro Bowls and earning five First-team All-Pro selections. He finished his career with 15,934 yards receiving, 1,078 receptions, and 153 receiving touchdowns in his career. He’s also the only player to score a touchdown against all 32 NFL teams.

Alan Faneca: Was an offensive guard for 13 seasons in the NFL, earning numerous accolades over his career. He was voted to nine Pro Bowls, selected as a First-Team All-Pro six times, and captured a victory in Super Bowl XL as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Keith Bulluck: Played for the Tennessee Titans for most of his 11-year career, finishing his career with one season as a member of the New York Giants in 2010. He was selected to one Pro Bowl and three All-Pro teams over his career. He finished his career with 1,069 tackles, 18 sacks, 14 forced fumbles, and 21 interceptions.

Mike Vrabel: Played in the NFL from 1997-2010, most famously for the New England Patriots from 2001-08. He was selected to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams in 2007 and won three Super Bowls as a member of the Patriots. He finished his career with 704 tackles, 57 sacks, 17 forced fumbles and 10 touchdown receptions, which account for all 10 of his career receptions.

Lawyer Milloy: Played strong safety in the NFL from 1996-2010, making four Pro Bowls, earning three All-Pro selections, and winning Super Bowl XXVI with the Patriots. He finished his career with 1,431 tackles, 21 sacks and 25 interceptions.

Darren Sharper: Played from 1997-2010 in the NFL with three teams, winning one Super Bowl, making five Pro Bowls, earning six All-Pro selections, and accruing 63 interceptions and 11 pick-sixes over his career. He’s also currently serving a prison sentence for multiple rape and sexual assault charges.

John Carney: Was a kicker in the NFL from 1988-2010. He made two Pro Bowls over his career, was selected to three All-Pro teams, and is a one-time Super Bowl champion. He had a career 82.4 percent success rate on field goals, a 98.4 percent success rate on extra points, and had a career-long field goal of 54 yards.

Ethan Albright: Was a long-snapper in the NFL, earning the nickname “The Red Snapper” due to his bright red hair. He played from 1995-2010 in the league, earning his lone Pro Bowl selection in 2007.

Those are your 11 first-year candidates. Who do you think is getting in from that group? Are any of them first-ballot Hall of Famers? Let us know in the comments.

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