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Jerome Bettis, Kevin Greene among 25 Hall of Fame semifinalists

It was expected both former Steelers players would make the semifinals, and likely will be finalists again as well. The question is whether 2014 is their year for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

By Neal Coolong
Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

Is a career total of 13,662 rushing yards enough. Are 160 career sacks enough?

For former Steelers Jerome Bettis and Kevin Greene, it's to the point now where those who earned more than their key statistics are already in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And now, ones with less are starting to get inducted.

Bettis's yardage total is the sixth-highest figure of all time, and only two of the top 10 are not in the Hall of Fame - Bettis and LaDainian Tomlinson, who is not yet eligible, but when he is, in 2016, he figures to be added immediately.

Bettis has been a finalist for the last three years, his first three as an eligible candidate. His rushing yardage total was fifth all time when he retired, but Tomlinson rushed for 22 more yards than Bettis in a career that ended in 2011.

Greene, one of the members of the Blitzburgh D of the 1990s, racked up 160 sacks in a career that, like Bettis, started with the Los Angeles Rams. He had a run of three seasons in Pittsburgh, where he racked up 35 sacks. His 14 sacks in 1994 led the NFL, and he was named to the All Pro team, the first of two such nominations.

The process will bring the list of 25 semifinalists down to 15 modern era candidates, and two recommendations from the Hall of Fame's Senior Committee. Those nominations are P Ray Guy and DE Claude Humphrey.

The list is eventually pared down to 17, then to 10, then to five - the maximum amount of modern era candidates that can be inducted in one year.

2014 Pro Football Hall of Fame Semifinalists

Morten Andersen, K - 1982-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-2000, 2006-07 Atlanta Falcons, 2001 New York Giants, 2002-03 Kansas City Chiefs, 2004 Minnesota Vikings
Steve Atwater, S - 1989-1998 Denver Broncos, 1999 New York Jets
Jerome Bettis, RB - 1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers
Derrick Brooks, LB - 1995-2008 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tim Brown, WR/KR - 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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
Edward DeBartolo, Jr., Owner - 1977-2000 San Francisco 49ers
Tony Dungy, Coach - 1996-2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2002-08 Indianapolis Colts
Kevin Greene, LB/DE - 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-99 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers
Charles Haley, DE/LB - 1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys
Marvin Harrison, WR - 1996-2008 Indianapolis Colts
Joe Jacoby, T - 1981-1993 Washington Redskins
Jimmy Johnson, Coach - 1989-1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1996-99 Miami Dolphins
Walter Jones, - T - 1997-2008 Seattle Seahawks
John Lynch, FS - 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos
Karl Mecklenburg, LB - 1983-1994 Denver Broncos
Andre Reed, WR - 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins
Will Shields, G - 1993-2006 Kansas City Chiefs
Michael Strahan, DE - 1993-2007 New York Giants
Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner - 1989-2006 National Football League
Aeneas Williams, CB/S - 1991-2000 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, 2001-04 St. Louis Rams
Steve Wisniewski, G - 1989-2001 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders
George Young, Contributor - 1968-1974 Baltimore Colts, 1975-78 Miami Dolphins, 1979-1997 New York Giants, 1998-2001 National Football League

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