The Pittsburgh Steelers greats Hines Ward and James Harrison will wait another year to try and find their way to Canton, Ohio after the Pro Football Hall of Fame committee did not name them finalists for the 2024 class.
For Ward, he’s now been a semifinalist the last eight years, but has never been named one of the 15 finalists. Other wide receivers named to the finalist list were Indianapolis Colts’ Reggie Wayne, St. Louis Rams’ Tory Holt and Houston Texans’ Andre Johnson.
It’s Wayne’s and Holt’s 5th time as finalists. It’s Johnson’s 3rd time. Ward finished his career with 1,000 catches to Holt’s 920, and more touchdowns (85) than Holt, Wayne or Johnson.
Harrison has been a semifinalist the last two years. The 2008 Defensive Player of the Year was widely regarded as one of the league’s most dominant defenders from 2007-2012. Ward and Harrison has 25 years from their retirement date to be considered a modern-era candidate. They would then go into the senior pool.
The 2024 finalists include running back Fred Taylor, tight end Antonio Gates, defensive end Julius Peppers, offensive linemen Willie Anderson and Jahri Evans, defensive linemen Jared Allen and Dwight Freeney, linebacker Patrick Willis, defensive backs Eric Allen, Rodney Harrison and Darren Woodson and kick returner Devin Hester.
