Peyton Manning and Charles Woodson headline list of 15 finalists for the 2021 Class of the Hall of Fame

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Four players in their first year of eligibility are among the 15 finalists for the 2021 Class of the Hall of Fame.

Quarterback Peyton Manning, deep defenseman Charles Woodson, receiver Calvin Johnson and defensive end Jared Allen top the list.

Up to five finalists will be selected in late January for induction on the venue.

The finalists were announced on Tuesday. It is the second time in recent years that four players in their first year of eligibility are finalists in the same year.

The induction ceremony for the 2021 Class is currently scheduled for the week of August 5-9. The 2020 Class has scheduled a separate ceremony this week, due to the fact that last August’s event was canceled due to restrictions by COVID-19.

These four players, with 33 combined appearances in the Pro Bowl, join cornerback Ronde Barber, tackle Tony Boselli, safety LeRoy Butler, guard Alan Faneca, receivers Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne, the safety John Lynch, linebackers Clay Matthews Jr., Sam Mills and Zach Thomas and defensive end Richard Seymour,

It could be the eighth consecutive year that a player in his first year of eligibility is selected and if three players in his first year are among the top five winners, it would be the third time in the last four years that three players in his first year they are elected in the same class.

Camp Bailey, Tony Gonzalez and Ed Reed were inducted in 2019 and in 2019, Ray Lewis, Randy Moss and Brian Urlacher were in the 2018 Class.

This year marks the eighth time Lynch is a finalist, sixth for Faneca and fifth for Boselli.

Former coach Tom Flors is already a finalist after being appointed by the coaching committee. Bill Nunn is a finalist as a contributor and Drew Pearson is a finalist for the veterans committee. If all three are elected, the 2021 Class could have up to eight members.

Manning, who won five awards as Most Valuable Player, was selected in 14 Pro Bowls and seven All-Pro starting teams, won the Return of the Year and Man of the Year awards, is one of the most awarded players in NFL history. He was a quarterback for the Denver Broncos when they won the Super Bowl 50 and thus ended his last campaign in the league.

After 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, Manning signed with the Broncos in 2012 and became one of the most prestigious players to switch teams in the era of free agency. The Colts had 11 seasons with at least 10 wins with Manning as a passer and won Super Bowl XLI, of which Manning was named the Most Valuable Player.

The passer retired with several season and career records, including his 5,477 yards per pass and 55 touchdowns in 2013.

Woodson, who was nine times in the Pro Bowl and finished his 18-year career tied (with Ken Riley) in fifth place in interceptions in NFL history at 65, was the NFL leader in that category with nine with the Green Bay Packers in 2009 and won a Super Bowl ring with the Packers the following season.

The safety-turned corner also forced 33 loose balls in his career, totaling 20 catches and three seasons with 90 tackles, including 113 with the Oakland Las Vegas Raiders at 38 years old.

Johnson played nine seasons for the Detroit Lions before retiring abruptly after the 2015 season, in which he added 88 receptions for 1,124 yards and nine touchdowns. He had five campaigns with at least 1,200 yards per reception and ranks 31st in that category in league history.

Due to the Lions’ problems, something he later acknowledged had to do with his decision to retire, Johnson only played in two postseason seasons and in his first appearance, he finished with 211 yards for receptions and two scores in what was a 45-28 loss to the New Orleans Saints in the 2011 Wildcard Round.

For his part, Allen, who ranks 12th on the historic catch list, played for four teams in his 13-year career and was the NFL leader in that category in 2007 with 15.5 and in 2011 with 22.

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