The Pro Football Hall of Fame released their list of 17 finalists for the 2011 Hall of Fame class (list after the jump). The most notable Bay Area NFL Hall of Fame nominees are former Oakland Raiders WR Tim Brown and former 49ers defensive end and linebacker Charles Haley. Both were finalists last year but did not get enough support for induction. There are numerous additional players with Bay Area connections. These include Deion Sanders, Chris Doleman, and Richard Dent.
The Bay Area also has what I perceived as huge snubs of individuals who won't be in the finalist class. For the 49ers, former running back Roger Craig and former owner Eddie DeBartolo did not advance past the semifinalist class. For Roger Craig, that would appear to be a big step backward after he finished as a finalist last year. Of course, he had to compete with a strong first year class that includes Deion Sanders, Jerome Bettis, Curtis Martin, Willie Roaf, and Marshall Faulk. Roger Craig was doing what Marshall Faulk before Faulk was in the NFL, but that's easy to forget I suppose.
Eddie DeBartolo is not a shocking snub given his less than graceful exit from the 49ers. He's now worked his way back onto the scene a little due in part to his relationship with current 49ers President Jed York (his uncle). We'll see if that softens the voters in the coming years.
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)
Dermontti Dawson, C (1988-2000 Pittsburgh Steelers)
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)
Charles Haley, DE/LB (1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys)
Chris Hanburger, LB (1965-78 Washington Redskins)
Cortez Kennedy, DT (1990-2000 Seattle Seahawks)
Curtis Martin, RB (1995-97 New England Patriots, 1998-2005 New York Jets)
Andre Reed, WR (1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins)
Les Richter, LB (1954-62 Los Angeles Rams)
Willie Roaf, OT (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)
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