Two former Packers have been chosen finalists for the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Julius Peppers, a former Green Bay Packers pass rusher, is one of two first-year finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2024.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced their 15 modern-era finalists for the 2024 class on Wednesday. This list of 15 names will be whittled down to five modern-era players who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame next summer in Canton, Ohio. According to a tweet from the Hall of Fame, the 2024 class will be unveiled on February 8th during the league’s awards ceremony, NFL Honors.
Two former Green Bay Packers are among the 15 modern-era finalists: pass-rusher Julius Peppers and guard Jahri Evans. Peppers joined the squad as a free agent in 2014 and started 43 games for the green and gold, accumulating 25 sacks from 2014 to 2016. Evans had only one year with Green Bay after spending the majority of his career with the New Orleans Saints.
The following are the biography written by the Hall of Fame for these two former Packers:
The Julius Peppers
Dominant defensive end who concluded his career fourth all-time in sacks with 159.5… Only player in NFL history to have at least 100 sacks and 10 interceptions… With 52 career forced fumbles, he ranks second all-time… With 266 games played at the time of his retirement, he was rated sixth all-time among defensive players… Carolina Panthers franchise leader in sacks (97), forced fumbles (34), and blocked field goals (8)… One of four players to have ten seasons with ten or more sacks; the other three are Hall of Famers… AP and PFWA named him 2002 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year… In 2006, he led the league with 18 tackles for loss… 719 tackles, 175 tackles for loss, and 186 quarterback hits… Nine Pro Bowl selections… Three first-team All-Pro selections, three second-team selections… Both the 2000s and the 2010s saw him named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team.
Jahri Evans was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round, 108th overall, in the 2006 NFL Draft after playing collegiately at Division II Bloomsburg (Pa.) University… Durable guard who has started all 183 regular-season games in his career… Stepped into the Saints lineup right away, assisting the team win the NFC South Division title and earning a position on the PFWA’s All-Rookie Team in 2006… During his 11 seasons in New Orleans, the Saints topped the NFL in passing yards six times and overall offense six times… Selected to six consecutive Pro Bowls (from 2009 to 2014) and was a four-time AP first-team All-Pro (from 2009 to 2012)… Member of the Saints’ Super Bowl XLIV championship team… Unanimous induction into the Saints Hall of Fame in 2021… In 2016, he was named to the Saints’ 50th Anniversary Team and the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s.
Peppers is in his first year of eligibility and has already been selected a Hall of Fame finalist. Only one other player among the 15 finalists can make that claim: tight end Antonio Gates. Evans is in his second year of eligibility for the Hall of Fame, but he is also a first-time finalist.
The entire list of 15 finalists is as follows:
AD
CB DE Eric Allen OT Jared Allen Jahri Evans DE/OLB Willie Anderson OG TE Dwight Freeney S. Antonio Gates Rodney Harrison is a PR/KR/WR. Devin Hester, Wide Receiver Andre Johnson DE Torry Holt WR RB Julius Peppers WR Fred Taylor LB Reggie Wayne Darren Woodson S Patrick Willis
Which five would you admit to the class of 2024? Make a list in the comments area.
I’d include Jared Allen, Dwight Freeney, Antonio Gates, and Julius Peppers. That final berth is up for grabs between Willie Anderson, who has waited far too long for his chance, and a receiver for me, due to the positional stalemate. I get the case for Devin Hester, who is arguably the best punt returner since Gale Sayers, but kick returns have had a greater impact on NFL history than punt returns, and many “more valuable” kick returners have been passed over by the Hall of Fame.
Leave a Reply