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9/20/22

2 min read

Joe Thomas, Ronde Barber, Eddie George Named HOF Semifinalists

Joe Thomas

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced its nominees for its 2023 class on Tuesday, and on the list were some familiar names to The 33rd Team.

Analysts Joe Thomas, Ronde Barber and Eddie George were among the 129 modern-era semifinalists announced. While Thomas became a semifinalist in his first year of eligibility and Barber was a finalist for the 2022 class, George made the list for the first time in 13 years of eligibility.

"It's amazing, such an honor to be considered for the NFL Hall of Fame," George told NFL Network on Tuesday. "It's something that's completely out of your control, and you try not to think about it. But to be considered for this, a semifinalist, is tremendous. I'm just truly floored and honored."

 

Thomas played for the Cleveland Browns for 11 seasons, earning All-Pro honors in eight of them. He started all 167 games he played, was named to 10 Pro Bowls, and earned All-Decade team honors. Thomas achieved all of these accolades while playing in an NFL-record 10,363 consecutive snaps, earning the title of NFL Ironman.

Barber, an All-Pro cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was a defensive centerpiece for the team's Super Bowl XXXVII title run. He spent 16 years in the NFL, all with the Buccaneers, and earned five All-Pro nominations. Barber also earned All-Decade team honors and was named to the league's All-2000s team.

George, an All-Pro running back who spent the first eight years in the NFL with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans, rushed for 10,441 yards in his nine-year career and found the end zone 78 times. A reliable offensive star, George started every game (128) in his Oilers/Titans career.

The 33rd Team already has five Pro Football Hall of Famers on its roster of analysts, including Bill Parcells, Bill Polian, Bill Cowher, Brett Favre and Rod Woodson.


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