© Kyle Terada | 2016 Dec 11
Talk about a mixed bag.
The 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2020 were announced Thursday morning, and include two notable 49ers and one even more notable omission.
Former 49ers defensive tackle Bryant Young and current General Manager John Lynch both made the final 15 which will be cut down to five inductees by the 48-member Hall of Fame board of selectors on the eve of Super Bowl 54. Surprisingly, former linebacker Patrick Willis did not make the cut in his first year of eligibility.
Despite retiring after just eight NFL seasons (2007-2014), all with the 49ers, Willis made the Pro Bowl seven times (2007–2013) and was named to All-Pro team six times, five times as a first teamer (2007, 2009–2012). Willis was also named as the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2007.
Two linebackers, Zach Thomas and Sam Mills, made the final 15. Thomas has similar credentials despite playing in 13 seasons, as a seven-time Pro Bowler and seven-time All-Pro (five-time first teamer). Mills played for 12 seasons and made fewer Pro Bowls than Willis (five) and fewer All-Pro teams (three).
The only other first-time finalists were safty Troy Polamalu and wide receiver Reggie Wayne.
Young also played his entire 14-year career with the 49ers, after being selected seventh overall in 1994. Young was a member of the 49ers’ Super Bowl winning team that season and was named the NFC Rookie of the Year by United Press International (UPI). Young was selected to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams four times, was selected for the NFL’s 1990s All-Decade team and was named as the league’s Comeback Player of the Year in 1999 after recovering from a broken leg the previous season.
Young is the 49ers’ all-time leader with 89.5 sacks. This is Young’s eighth year of eligibility.
Former 49ers running back Rickey Waters also didn’t make the cut.