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INDIANAPOLIS – It is finally time that Edgerrin James earns the call into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
A 4-time finalist and in his 6th year of being eligible, James’ candidacy should earn him induction into Canton this weekend.
That is when Hall of Fame voters will meet to decide the 5 modern-era inductees for the 2020 Class.
James is the only running back on this year’s list of 15 finalists. The 2020 finalists doesn’t include a lot of obvious names worthy of a no brainer induction, with just two first-timers (Reggie Wayne and Troy Polamalu) on the ballot.
In 11 NFL seasons (148 games), James rushed for 12,246 yards, which places him 13th on the all-time rushing list. All 11 members ahead of James on that list, that are Hall of Fame eligible, have already been inducted into the HOF, and there are more than 20 other running backs below James that are also in Canton.
James rushed for more than 1,500 yards 4 times and he was voted All-Pro three times. He was selected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2000s.
The candidacy for James is the stronger of the two Colts’ finalists here in 2020.
Reggie Wayne’s first-year resume does have an impressive postseason section: 93 receptions (3rd all-time), 1,254 yards (5th all-time).
The regular season numbers for Wayne are notable as well: 1,070 catches (10th all-time), 14,345 yards (10th all-time) and 82 touchdowns (24th all-time).
He recorded 8 1,000-yard seasons and hauled in 100 catches on 4 different occasions.
Wayne was a 6-time Pro Bowler after playing 14 seasons (211 games).
It would be a surprise if Wayne received first-ballot induction this weekend.
2020 Modern-Era Pro Football Hall of Fame Finalists
S-Steve Atwater
OT-Tony Boselli
WR-Isaac Bruce
S-LeRoy Butler
OG-Alan Faneca
WR-Torry Holt
G-Steve Hutchinson
RB-Edgerrin James
FS-John Lynch
LB-Sam Mills
S-Troy Polamalu
DL-Richard Seymour
LB-Zach Thomas
WR-Reggie Wayne
DT-Bryan Young
