Former Saints Jahri Evans, Eric Allen are 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame Semifinalists

New Orleans has two former players chosen as semifinalists for the 2023 Pro Football of Hall of Fame.

Author:
Kyle T. Mosley
Updated:
Dec 27, 2023 10:54 PM EST
Original:
Nov 24, 2022

In this story:

New Orleans has two former players chosen as semifinalists for the 2023 Pro Football of Hall of Fame.

Offensive lineman Jahri Evans and cornerback Eric Allen joined twenty-eight modern-era semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2023. Evans is among the five first-year eligible candidates, including Joe Thomas, defensive lineman Dwight Freeney, linebacker James Harrison, and defensive back Darrelle Revis.

JAHRI EVANS

Jahri Evans was a New Orleans Saints Bill Walsh Diversity Coach Fellowship recipient during the summer. He protected Drew Brees and other Saints quarterbacks in eleven seasons with New Orleans. The Saints selected Evans out of Bloomsburg in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft.

The 6-4 and 318-pound offensive lineman started 183 regular season games and became one of the franchise's most respected and decorated Saints players.

The Associated Press voted Evans to five-consecutive All-Pro teams with first-team honors from 2009-12. Fans and players voted him to six-straight Pro Bowls from 2009-14. The late John Madden gave Evans and his offensive line teammates the Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award in 2009 and 2011.

Saints Offensive Linemen - Madden Award — Feb 1, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New Orleans Saints offensive lineman (from left) Zach Strief , Jahri Evans , Brian De La Puente , Carl Nicks , and Jerome Bushrod during a press conference prior to Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

One of his most prestigious honors was when the Pro Football Hall of Fame voters selected Evans to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.

The New Orleans Saints organization chose him for the franchise's All-50th team in 2016. He received enshrinement into the Saints Hall of Fame in 2021 and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.

ERIC ALLEN

Eric Allen was in New Orleans from 1995-87. He was voted to the 1995 Pro Bowl and had five interceptions in three seasons with the Saints. During his fourteen-year career, Allen recorded 54 interceptions, nine defensive touchdowns, and played in six NFL Pro Bowls.

Apr 28, 2021; Canton, Ohio, USA; A sign at the entrance to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Class of 2023 Modern-Era Player Semifinalists

The former NFLers played their final games in 2017. The Hall of Fame considers a former player as "Hall eligible" after five consecutive seasons of active game participation.

According to the Hall of Fame voting process, the twenty-eight semifinalists will be reduced to fifteen finalists before the final voting occurs the night before Super Bowl LVII on February 12, 2023.

Eric Allen, CB – 1988-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2021-23)
Jared Allen, DE – 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2021-23)
Willie Anderson, T – 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2021-23)
Ronde Barber, CB/S – 1997-2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 6 – 2018-2023)
Anquan Boldin, WR – 2003-09 Arizona Cardinals, 2010-12 Baltimore Ravens, 2013-15 San Francisco 49ers, 2016 Detroit Lions | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2022-23)
Henry Ellard, WR – 1983-1993 Los Angeles Rams, 1994-98 Washington Redskins, 1998 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2023)
Jahri Evans, G – 2006-2016 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay Packers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2023)
London Fletcher, LB – 1998-2001 St. Louis Rams, 2002-06 Buffalo Bills, 2007-2013 Washington Redskins | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2023)
Dwight Freeney, DE – 2002-2012 Indianapolis Colts, 2013-14 San Diego Chargers, 2015 Arizona Cardinals, 2016 Atlanta Falcons, 2017 Seattle Seahawks, 2017 Detroit Lions | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2023)
James Harrison, LB – 2002-2012, 2014-17 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2013 Cincinnati Bengals, 2017 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2023)
Rodney Harrison, S – 1994-2002 San Diego Chargers, 2003-08 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2021, 2023)
Devin Hester, PR/KR/WR – 2006-2013 Chicago Bears, 2014-15 Atlanta Falcons, 2016 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2022-23)
Torry Holt, WR – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars | (Times as a Semifinalist: 9 – 2015-2023)
Andre Johnson, WR – 2003-2014 Houston Texans, 2015 Indianapolis Colts, 2016 Tennessee Titans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2022-23)
Albert Lewis, CB – 1983-1993 Kansas City Chiefs, 1994-98 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2013, 2023)
Robert Mathis, DE/LB – 2003-2016 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2022-23)
Darrelle Revis, CB – 2007-2012, 2015-16 New York Jets, 2013 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2014 New England Patriots, 2017 Kansas City Chiefs | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2023)
Steve Smith Sr., WR – 2001-2013 Carolina Panthers, 2014-16 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2022-23)
Fred Taylor, RB – 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2009-2010 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2020-23)
Joe Thomas, T – 2007-2017 Cleveland Browns | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2023)
Zach Thomas, LB – 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2019-2023)
Hines Ward, WR – 1998-2011 Pittsburgh Steelers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 7 – 2017-2023)
DeMarcus Ware, LB/DE – 2005-2013 Dallas Cowboys, 2014-16 Denver Broncos | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2022-23)
Ricky Watters, RB – 1992-94 San Francisco 49ers, 1995-97 Philadelphia Eagles, 1998-2001 Seattle Seahawks | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2020, 2022-23)
Reggie Wayne, WR – 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2020-23)
Vince Wilfork, DT – 2004-2014 New England Patriots, 2015-16 Houston Texans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2022-23)
Patrick Willis, LB – 2007-2014 San Francisco 49ers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2020-23)
Darren Woodson, S – 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist: 7 – 2015, 2017, 2019-2023)

The Hall of Fame voting list will increase to nineteen finalists with four inclusions of the recommended Nominees of the Hall of Fame's Coach/Contributor Committee, Don Coryell, and Seniors Committee, Chuck Howley, Joe Klecko (Jets), and Ken Riley (Bengals).