Plunkett, Williams, Anderson among 162 nominees for Pro Football Hall of Fame | iNFOnews.ca
FILE - Washington Redskins quarterback Doug Williams prepares to let go of a pass during first quarter of Super Bowl XXII against the Denver Broncos in San Diego, Jan. 31, 1988. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)

Plunkett, Williams, Anderson among 162 nominees for Pro Football Hall of Fame

Former Super Bowl MVPs Jim Plunkett, Doug Williams and Ottis Anderson are among the 162 players nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 in the seniors category.

The nominees consist of 90 offensive players, 67 defensive players and five special teamers. To be considered in the category, each former player last could have appeared in a professional football game in the 2000 season.

The seniors screening committee will reduce the list to 50 players that will be considered by a blue-ribbon committee. There were eventually be three finalists up for induction in voting conducted before the Super Bowl in February.

The nominees include three players who were finalists the past two years but didn’t get in, with linebacker Maxie Baughan and offensive lineman Jim Tyrer looking to be finalists for the second straight year and receiver Art Powell looking to get back the stage after reaching it in 2024.

Among the other nominees are former NFL MVP Ken Anderson, running back Roger Craig and special teams standout Steve Tasker.

Plunkett led the Raiders to Super Bowl titles following the 1980 and 1983 seasons. He won Super Bowl MVP in his first trip when he threw for 261 yards and three TDs in a win over Philadelphia.

The former No. 1 overall pick by New England in 1971 played 15 seasons in the NFL. He and Eli Manning are the only QBs who started in two Super Bowl wins who are eligible for the Hall of Fame and haven’t yet been inducted.

Williams played nine seasons in the NFL for Tampa Bay and Washington, with his biggest moment coming in the 1987 season. He took over as starting quarterback for Washington in the playoffs and became the first Black quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl when he threw four TD passes in the second quarter of a 42-10 win over Denver.

Anderson ran for 10,723 yards in a 14-year career for the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Giants. He was an All-Pro as a rookie in St. Louis in 1979 and then ran for 102 yards and a TD 11 seasons later when he helped the Giants beat the Buffalo Bills 20-19 in the Super Bowl.

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Plunkett, Williams, Anderson among 162 nominees for Pro Football Hall of Fame | iNFOnews.ca
FILE – Oakland Raiders’ quarterback Jim Plunkett smiles broadly as he shows off his Most Valuable Player trophy after being named as the top competitor in Super Bowl XV against the Philadelphia Eagles, Jan. 25, 1981, in New Orleans. (AP Photo, File)
Plunkett, Williams, Anderson among 162 nominees for Pro Football Hall of Fame | iNFOnews.ca
FILE – New York Giants running back Ottis Anderson rushes for a third quarter touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in an NFC playoff game at Giants Stadium, Jan. 7, 1990, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun, File)

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