9 players added to Pro Football Hall of Fame ballot in first year of eligibility

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Tuesday that 173 nominees are up for induction into next year’s class. And nine of those former players are on the ballot for the first time.

The first-timers are wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Jordy Nelson, tight end Antonio Gates, running back Jamaal Charles, offensive linemen T.J. Lang, Josh Sitton and Max Unger, and defensive linemen Haloti Ngata and Julius Peppers. 

The Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee will whittle the list to 25 semifinalists by November. And from there, 15 finalists will be presented to the committee, which will choose anywhere between four and nine new members to the Hall. The final meeting comes before the Super Bowl. The committee also will give a yes or no to the three senior finalists — Steve McMichael, Randy Gradishar and Art Powell. The coach/contributor finalist is Buddy Parker.

Of the 173 modern-era players up for the Hall, 94 were offensive players, while 62 were defenders and another 17 excelled at special teams.

Here’s a look at the first-time nominees:

Brandon Marshall caught 21 passes against the Colts in December 2009, to break an NFL record. He also made the Pro Bowl six times. The Broncos drafted this former Central Florida star in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played 13 seasons, topping at least 100 catches in six of them. For his career, Marshall caught 970 passes for 12,351 yards and 83 touchdowns. However, Marshall never saw action in a playoff game.

Jamaal Charles was a third-round draft pick of the Chiefs in 2008. The former Texas Longhorn star still owns an NFL record. It’s for averaging 5.4 yards per carry for his career. He was a two-time, first-team All Pro and Charles earned spots in four Pro Bowls. He still owns Kansas City records for career rushing yards (7,260); longest rushing rushing play (91 yards); rushing yards in a game (259) and receiving TDs in a game (four).

Antonio Gates is one of the top tight ends in NFL history. The Chargers landed the former basketball star as an undrafted free agent. He ended his career as a three-time, first-team All-Pro with eight Pro Bowl appearances. His career 116 touchdowns are an NFL record for tight ends. He caught 955 passes for 11,841 yards).

Jordy Nelson caught everything as a receiver for the Packers. He still owns the franchise record with 54 post-season receptions. He played no bigger game than the Super Bowl, when he caught nine passes for 141 yards.

Julius Peppers, the No. 2 pick of the 2002 draft, earned first-team All-Pro three times. The defensive end also earned spots in nine Pro Bowls. He posted 159.5 QB sacks, which is the fourth-highest total since 1982, when the NFL began maintaining the stat.

Now, for the linemen who so often get overlooked when it comes to publicity. The Pro Football Hall of Fame committee also will consider T.J. Lang, who made two Pro Bowls while playing for both the Packers and Lions. He was considered one of the best guards in the game. Josh Sitton, Lang’s teammate, also was one of the best linemen in the league. He made four Pro Bowls, with one, first-team All-Pro honor. Meanwhile, Max Unger was a dominant center with the Seahawks and Saints. He made the Pro Bowl three times with a first-team All-Pro also on the resume.

Then there’s Haloti Ngata, a first-round draft pick of the Ravens who earned spots in five Pro Bowls. The defensive tackle also made first-team All-Pro two times.