Former Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Willie Roaf is one of 26 candidates for enshrinement into the 2011 Hall of Fame. Roaf is one of five first time candidates that include Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin and Deion Sanders.
The Chiefs picked up Roaf in 2002 where he spent four years in KC and made four Pro Bowls blocking for a few of the best running back seasons in recent memory including Priest Holmes' single season touchdown record in 2003 and Larry Johnson's ridiculous run in the second half of the 2005 season.
Roaf retired shortly before the 2006 season that put the Chiefs in a bind as far as a replacement went. But he was among the elite during those four years, and the nine years prior with the New Orleans Saints where he went to another seven Pro Bowls. He was the 8th overall pick in 1993 and lived up to (and surpassed) expectations.
These 26 candidates -- only 21 have been announced -- will be whittled down to 15 and then the 2011 class will be announced before the Super Bowl.
Here are the other semi-finalists that have been announced:
(On another note, the list below made me completely forget Tim Brown finished his career with the Bucs.)
Jerome Bettis, RB – 1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers
Tim Brown, WR/KR – 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Cris Carter, WR – 1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles, 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings, 2002 Miami Dolphins
Don Coryell, Coach – 1973-77 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San Diego Chargers
Roger Craig, RB – 1983-1990 San Francisco 49ers, 1991 Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-93 Minnesota Vikings
Terrell Davis, RB – 1995-2001 Denver Broncos Dermontti Dawson, C – 1988-2000 Pittsburgh Steelers
Edward DeBartolo, Jr., Owner – 1979-1997 San Francisco 49ers
Richard Dent, DE – 1983-1993, 1995 Chicago Bears, 1994 San Francisco 49ers, 1996 Indianapolis Colts, 1997 Philadelphia Eagles
Chris Doleman, DE/LB – 1985-1993, 1999 Minnesota Vikings, 1994-95 Atlanta Falcons, 1996-98 San Francisco 49ers
Marshall Faulk, RB – 1994-98 Indianapolis Colts, 1999-2005 St. Louis Rams
Kevin Greene, LB/DE – 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-99 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers
Ray Guy, P – 1973-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Charles Haley, DE/LB – 1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys Lester Hayes, CB – 1977-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Cortez Kennedy, DT – 1990-2000 Seattle Seahawks
Curtis Martin, RB – 1995-97 New England Patriots, 1998-2005 New York Jets
Art Modell, Owner – 1961-1995 Cleveland Browns, 1996-2003 Baltimore Ravens
Andre Reed, WR – 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins
Willie Roaf, T – 1993-2001 New Orleans Saints, 2002-05 Kansas City Chiefs
Ed Sabol, Contributor – 1964-1995 NFL Films
Deion Sanders, CB/KR/PR – 1989-1993 Atlanta Falcons, 1994 San Francisco 49ers, 1995-99 Dallas Cowboys, 2000 Washington Redskins, 2004-05 Baltimore Ravens
Shannon Sharpe, TE – 1990-99, 2002-03 Denver Broncos, 2000-01 Baltimore Ravens
Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner – 1989-2006 National Football League
Aeneas Williams, CB/S – 1991-2000 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, 2001-04 St. Louis Rams
George Young, Contributor – 1968-1974 Baltimore Colts, 1975-78 Miami Dolphins, 1979-1997 New York Giants, 1998-2001 National Football League