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Peyton Manning & John Lynch Named Semifinalists for 2021 Hall of Fame

The Broncos could see two more of their own make their way to Canton after Peyton Manning and John Lynch were named semifinalists.

On Tuesday, 25 semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2021 were announced. Originally, the process started with over 130 candidates to represent this year's class. 

Among the 25 semifinalists announced were Denver Broncos' all-timers Peyton Manning and John Lynch. Current semifinalists featured in their first year of eligibility include Manning, Charles Woodson, and Calvin Johnson.

While it’s not often that a Hall-of-Fame candidate is inducted in his first year, Manning is virtually guaranteed to be immortalized off the bat in Canton, Ohio.

Manning is rightfully in the conversation as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL. He amassed a record five NFL MVP awards, 14 Pro Bowl selections, seven first-team All-Pro selections, a Walter Payton Man of the Year award, and a Comeback Player of the Year award.

Originally selected by the Indianapolis Colts with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1998 NFL draft, Manning turned a losing franchise into a consistent championship contender, leading the team to 11 seasons with double-digit win totals while also delivering Indianapolis its first World Championship in Super Bowl XLI in addition to being named the game’s MVP.

As a free agent in 2012, Manning signed in Denver where he would go on to lead the Broncos to four straight division titles, two AFC Championships, and after winning Super Bowl 50, he rode off into the sunset.

In 2013, Manning set multiple NFL records as a Bronco, including single-season and career records for passing yards (5,477 yards) and (55 touchdowns). That same year, the Broncos set a record for total yards per game (457.3), passing yards per game (340.2), and points per game (37.9) while finishing with the most points in NFL history with 606. 

The countess awards, records, and championships on his resume make Manning one of the most beloved quarterbacks of all-time. In 18 NFL seasons, Manning played in 266 games throwing for 71,940 yards, 539 touchdowns, and retired with a completion percentage of 65.3.

As fate would have it, Manning is joined by defensive back Charles Woodson as a Hall-of-Fame semifinalist. Both men started their NFL careers in the 1998 draft and Woodson played 18 seasons between the Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers. 

At the University of Michigan, Woodson won the 1997 Heisman Trophy over Manning's bid as a Tennessee Volunteer. Naturally, a rivalry exists between Manning and Woodson and to this day, both men are competing to be inducted in the Hall.

The next step in the Hall-of-Fame process comes in January when the committee narrows the list of 25 semifinalists down to 15 finalists. After the 15 candidates have been named, five players will be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the class of 2021.

Players that will be inducted into the Hall will have received at least 80% of votes from the 48-person voting committee.

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The 2021 Hall-of-Fame weekend will feature two enshrinement ceremonies due to the class of 2020's enshrinement being postponed due to the pandemic. The 2020 ceremony is currently scheduled for Sunday, August 8, which is when Steve Atwater will get to speak and officially don his Gold Jacket, while the 2021 ceremony will be held Saturday, August 7. 

Now the general manager of the San Francisco 49ers, Lynch played four years in Denver from 2004-07, earning Pro Bowl nods in each season as a Bronco and helping to lead the team to an AFC Championship appearance in 2005. 

Enshrined in the Broncos' Ring of Fame back in 2016, Lynch is now a nine-time semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is considered a favorite after making it to the list of 15 finalists in seven straight years. Last year, it was Atwater for whom the HoF dam broke so perhaps Lynch will finally get in this time around.

Follow Luke on Twitter @LukePattersonLP and @MileHighHuddle.