We’re calling it snubbed, but the news was expected: Cortez Kennedy was not elected to the NFL Hall of Fame on Saturday. In a loaded class of candidates, there was no room for Kennedy this time around, with the class limited to just five non-senior candidates. Instead, Richard Dent, Marshall Faulk, Chris Hanburger, Les Richter, Deion Sanders, Shannon Sharpe and Ed Sabol were elected and will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August.
Big Tez made it through the first round of cuts on Saturday as the list of finalists was narrowed from 15 to 10, but was not among the chosen for enshrinement in the class of 2011. Making that last cut does bode well for Kennedy, it would seem, as his quest for Hall of Fame induction continues for at least another year.
Sanders was a no-brainer choice for induction in his first year on the ballot. Between his superb coverage at corner, his game-breaking ability in the return-game and his versatility, Sanders dazzled fans throughout his career. His athletic ability was unmatched, evidenced by his ability to play at the highest level of both football and baseball during his career.
Between his rushing and receiving, Faulk built himself a strong resume during his 13 years in the NFL. Faulk finished with 136 touchdowns, 100 of which came on the ground, over 12,000 yards on the ground and another 6,875 yards as a receiver out of the backfield. It was that combined effort that earned him enshrinement into the Hall of Fame in the class of 2011.
We’ll be back with more, but check out our 2011 NFL Hall of Fame StoryStream to get caught up on all the events of the day.