Joe Thomas, Darrelle Revis and Dwight Freeney are finalists for the 2023 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The 15 players from the modern era will be considered this month by the selection committee. The list includes previous year’s finales DeMarcus Ware, Patrick Willis, Zach Thomas and Andre Johnson.
Six other past finalists were announced Wednesday. Jared Allen, Willie Anderson, Ronde Barber, Devin Hester, Torry Holt, and Reggie Wayne return for this stage.
Defensive backs Albert Lewis and Darren Woodson reach this stage for the first time, after Lewis reaching the semifinals in 2013 and Woodson six times.
A maximum of five former players from the modern era will be chosen for the ceremony in August in Canton, Ohio. The class will be announced Feb. 9 on NFL Honors, the all-star television show on which The Associated Press reveals the individual awards for the 2022 season.
The committee will consider former Chargers and Cardinals coach Don Coryell in the coaching category and three senior candidates: Super Bowl V MVP Chuck Howley and All-Pro defensive backs Joe Klecko and Ken Riley.
Joe Thomas was one of the best tackles in the league in a durable 11-year career that saw him made six first-team All-Pros and two second-team All-Pros. He had a consecutive 10,363 snap snap streak with the Browns in his entire career.
Revis, who was also drafted in 2007, moved further around the league, spending time with the Jets, Tampa Bay, New England and Kansas City.
His best stint was with New York when he was first-team All-Pro from 2009-11 and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2009 by stopping receivers and sending them to “Revis Island.”
Revis spent a year with New England and helped the Patriots win the Super Bowl in the 2014 season.
Freeney spent nearly his entire 16-year career with Indianapolis, using his speed and commanding spin to finish with 125 1/2 sacks. He anchored a defense that was complemented by the Peyton Manning-led offense to help the Colts win the Super Bowl in 2006.