Nine former New York Giants are among the list of 102 Modern Era nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2019.
The list of former Giants and their tenures with the team includes linebacker Carl Banks (1984-82), running back Tiki Barber (1997-2006), tight end Mark Bavaro (1985-90), offensive tackle Lomas Brown (2000-01), punter Jeff Feagles (2003-09), punter Sean Landeta (1985-93, 2006), return specialist Brian Mitchell (2003), running back Herschel Walker (1995), and head coach Dan Reeves (1993-96).
Banks was an integral part of the Big Blue Wrecking Crew defense of the 1980s and it’s questionable that he’s not already inducted. Barber is the Giants’ all-time rushing leader but he offended some by the way he retired after the 2006 season. Bavaro has received high profile support for induction in the form of former Giants defensive coordinator Bill Belichick but doesn’t seem to have a groundswell of support for enshrinement.
Brown played 18 seasons in the NFL and was a starter on the Giants team that advanced to Super Bowl XXXV. Both Feagles and Landeta were among the best punters of their era, but it’s extremely unlikely they will be inducted as there is only one punter enshrined in Canton (Ray Guy). Mitchell may face an uphill battle for enshrinement as well as for being primarily a special teams player.
Walker is one of the greatest all-around athletes of his generation but has faced opposition for induction. Reeves is underrated as a contributor to the game of football. He won Super Bowl VI as a Dallas Cowboys running back and Super Bowl XII as a Cowboys assistant coach. Reeves was a two-time Coach of the Year and reached four Super Bowls (XXI, XXII, XXIV, and XXXIII) as a head coach. Reeves participated in nine Super Bowls as a player or coach, second in NFL history to Belichick’s 11.
The Modern Era nominees will be reduced from 102 to 25 semifinalists in November. After that, 15 finalists will be selected in January. Eighteen finalists (15 from the Modern Era, a Senior Finalist, and two Contributor Finalists) will be presented to the 48-member Selection Committee at its annual meeting on Selection Saturday (Feb. 2, the day before Super Bowl LIII) in Atlanta.
Former Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Johnny Robinson (Senior), Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen (Contributor), and former Cowboys executive Gil Brandt (Contributor) have already been nominated.
The Senior and Contributor Finalists are voted “yes or no” and must receive at least 80 percent of the vote for induction. The Modern Era finalists are trimmed from 15 to 10 then from 10 to 5 during the meeting. The remaining five finalists are then voted on individually and must receive at least 80 percent of the vote for induction.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2019 will be announced during the NFL Honors award show the night before the Super Bowl. Formal enshrinement will take place Aug. 3. The complete list of Modern Era nominees for the Class of 2019 is available on the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s website.
– Curtis Rawls is a Managing Editor for Full Press Coverage and covers the NFL, the New York Giants, and the NBA. Please like and follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Twitter. Curtis can be followed on Twitter @CuRawls203.
