Talented, enigmatic stars step closer to football hall

Randy Moss and Ray Lewis cleared another hurdle toward Pro Football Hall of Fame induction Tuesday, as they were among 27 semifinalists for the class of 2018.

The two players, who dominated on the field while occasionally creating negative headlines off it, are considered locks to become finalists in January and heavy favourites for enshrinement later next year in Canton, Ohio.

Four other former players, defensive back Ronde Barber, guard Steve Hutchinson, defensive lineman Richard Seymour and linebacker Brian Urlacher, joined Moss and Lewis as attaining semifinalist status in their first years on the ballot. Former players and coaches must not have been active in football for at least five consecutive years to be eligible for the Hall.

Becoming semifinalists for the first time, although not in their first years on the ballot, were safety LeRoy Butler, defensive ends Leslie O’Neal and Simeon Rice and cornerback Everson Walls. Former wide receiver Terrell Owens, who is second all-time in the NFL in receiving yards and third in receiving touchdowns, is in his third straight year as a semifinalist.

Moss is third all-time in receiving yards (15,292) and second in receiving touchdowns (156), and he is widely regarded as one of the most dominant wide receivers ever, arguably second only to Jerry Rice. In a career that spanned 14 seasons, he was named the 1998 Associated Press offensive rookie of the year, was selected for six Pro Bowls and appeared in two Super Bowls.

Moss also was involved in some noteworthy off-field episodes before he entered the NFL, as he was denied an athletic scholarship to Notre Dame for a role in a high school fight that landed him jail time, then was dismissed from Florida State’s program for violating his probation by testing positive for marijuana, before going on to a record-setting career at Marshall.

He made an immediate splash in the NFL and would go on to lead the league in TD receptions five times.

Never accused of dogging it on the field, Lewis was one of the most intense players of any era and among the finest defensive players of his time. In a 17-year career spent entirely with the Ravens, he helped the team win two Super Bowls while earning two AP defensive player of the year awards, 13 Pro Bowl selections and seven firstteam all-pro nods.

In 2000, Lewis reached a plea deal of obstruction of justice in a case where he and two companions were initially indicted in the stabbing deaths of two men after a Super Bowl party in Atlanta; he received one year of probation and was fined $250,000 by the NFL. Lewis and Moss now both work as football analysts.

Other Hall of Fame finalists include: safety Steve Atwater; offensive tackle Tony Boselli; wide receiver Isaac Bruce; coach Don Coryell; running back Roger Craig; safety Brian Dawkins; guard Alan Faneca; wide receiver Torry Holt; offensive tackle Joe Jacoby; running back Edgerrin James; coach Jimmy Johnson; defensive back Ty Law; safety John Lynch; guard/centre Kevin Mawae; linebacker Karl Mecklenburg; and wide receiver Hines Ward.