Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Johnson, Thomas not among finalists for Pro Football Hall
DAVIE — Former Miami Dolphins greats Jimmy Johnson and Zach Thomas will have to wait at least another year to be Hall of Famers.
Johnson, the former Dolphins coach from 1996-99, and Thomas, the five-time All-Pro player with the Dolphins from 1996-2007, did not make the cut among 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Thursday.
University of Miami greats Ed Reed and Edgerrin James, and former Dillard High standout Isaac Bruce, however, were among the finalists for professional football’s highest individual honor.
The selection meeting — which will determine the four to eight inductees — will be on Feb. 2, the day before the Super Bowl, in Atlanta. Inductions will be on Aug. 3 at the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
Johnson, in his sixth year as a semifinalist, began his coaching career with the University of Miami before leading the Dallas
Cowboys to two Super Bowls in 1992 and 1993. Johnson has more Super Bowls than six of the 23 coaches already in the Hall of Fame.
Thomas, a semifinalist for first time this season, was a five-time All-Pro player with the Dolphins from 1996-2007, and was a seventime Pro Bowl player. He career is comparable to firstballot Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher, who was inducted in 2017.
Reed, a finalist in his first year as a semifinalist, could be the first free safety since Ken Houston in 1986 to be inducted in his first year of eligibility.
Reed owns the two longest interception returns in league history. He also holds NFL records with nine playoff interceptions and 1,590 interception return yards. As a safety, he led the NFL in interceptions three times during his career from 2002-13.
James, a former UM great who became the Indianapolis Colts’ all-time leading rusher and rushing touchdown leader, became a finalist for the third time. James is 13th on the NFL’s all-time rushing list, with 12,246 yards. He is the only player in the top 15 of career rushing, outside of active running backs Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson, not in the Hall of Fame.
Bruce, who owns the NFL’s second-most receiving yards with 15,208, became a finalist for third straight year. He won a Super Bowl with the then-St. Louis Rams in the 1999 season.
Tight end Tony Gonzalez, safety Steve Atwater, cornerback Champ Bailey, cornerback Ty Law, safety John Lynch (who threw the first pitch in Marlins organizational history), offensive tackle Tony Boselli, guard Steve Hutchinson (a Coral Springs High graduate), guard/center Kevin Mawae, guard Alan Faneca, defensive end Richard Seymour and coaches Don Coryell and Tom Flores were also named finalists. Already finalists are contributors Gil Brandt and Pat Bowlen, and senior committee nominee Johnny Robinson.