6 former Steelers nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame 2023 class

The Pro Football Hall of Fame has announced the 129 modern-era players who have been nominated for enshrinement for 2022. Among the players are six with ties to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Nominated for the first time is former Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison. Undrafted in 2022 out of Kent State, Harrison spent time with the Steelers practice squad and appeared in one game his rookie year where he recorded no statistics. After spending time with the Baltimore Ravens and the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe, Harrison returned to the Steelers in 2004 where he stuck for the next nine seasons before departing for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2013. In all, Harrison spent 14 different seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and appeared in 177 games with 107 starts. More notably, Harrison was a five-time Pro Bowler, two-time First-Team All-Pro, and the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2008. Harrison is also currently the Steelers all-time sack leader with 80.5.

Hines Ward has made it as far as a semifinalist in previous years. Ward spent all 14 of his NFL seasons in Pittsburgh and was selected to the Pro Bowl four times. Playing in three Super Bowls with the Steelers, Ward was the Super Bowl MVP for the 2004 season.

Other nominations are nose tackle Casey Hampton, linebacker Chad Brown, linebacker James Farrior, and kicker Gary Anderson. During the 2020 offseason, Hall of Fame kicker Morton Andersen gave a ringing endorsement for Gary Anderson to enter the Hall of Fame in an exclusive interview with BTSC.

Modern-era finalists will be trimmed down to 25 in November and again to 15 in January before going down to 10 and then five during Super Bowl weekend in February. The five finalists and three senior finalists will undergo a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote and must receive 80% in order to be selected.

A complete list of all players who were nominated for 2022 can be seen below courtesy of the Pro football Hall of Fame.