Tony Gonzalez, Ed Reed Lead 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class
The 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame class was announced on Saturday night, with Tony Gonzalez and Ed Reed highlighting the list of honorees.
Champ Bailey, Ty Law, Kevin Mawae and Johnny Robinson round out the list of players selected from the modern era class. Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen and former Dallas Cowboys vice president of player personnel Gil Brandt were chosen as contributors.
Bailey, Gonzalez and Reed were all nominated for the 2019 class within their first year of eligibility.
Gonzalez, a 14-time Pro Bowler, played in the NFL for 17 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons. He finished his career with the most receptions (1,325), receiving yards (15,127) and 100-yard receiving games (31) by a tight end in league history. Gonzalez's career receptions are the second-most in NFL history behind Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice's 1,549.
Reed is the first pure safety to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility since Ken Houston in 1986. He spent 11 of his 12 years in the NFL playing for the Baltimore Ravens, where he averaged one interception every 2.5 games. He also won Super Bowl XLVII with the franchise. Reed, selected to nine Pro Bowls, was named the NFL's 2004 defensive player of the year. He finished his career with 64 interceptions and 1,590 interception return yards.
Law heads to Canton after being named among the 15 finalists for the second year in a row. The five-time Pro Bowler spent 10 of his 15 seasons with the New England Patriots, earning three Super Bowls rings with the franchise. The cornerback's 53 career interceptions rank 24th all-time, tied with Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.
This year's class will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 3.
Here's the rest of the modern-era finalists included on the ballot:
• Steve Atwater
• Tony Boselli
• Issac Bruce
• Don Coryell
• Alan Faneca
• Tom Flores
• Steve Hutchinson
• Edgerrin James
• John Lynch
• Richard Seymour
