Four Former Rams Reach Next Round of Hall of Fame Voting

There were four former Rams among the 15 finalists announced on Thursday night for the 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. Quarterback Kurt Warner and left tackle Orlando Pace, both of whom had the greatest highlights of their careers in St. Louis with the “Greatest Show on Turf” Rams who won the Super Bowl for the 1999 season and dominated the early 2000s, were among the group.

Running back Jerome Bettis, who was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 1993 and spent one season in St. Louis after the team’s move before being dealt to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1996, was also on the list, as was pass rusher Kevin Greene, who spent the first eight seasons of his 15-year NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams. Greene, who will be a finalist for the ninth straight year, also has a connection to St. Louis in that he attended Granite City South High School, which was just over the bridge outside of St. Louis.

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Two Rams who had been among the initial candidates, wide receivers Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, did not make the cut to 15. Wideouts Marvin Harrison and Tim Brown, who have already been waiting their turn on the ballot as voters slowly give recognition to the slew of successful receivers who put up big numbers in the late 1990s and early 2000s, were the two receivers to advance to the group of 15. It’s very possible that Bruce, who is fourth all-time in NFL career receiving yardage, and Holt, who is 13th, will get in at some point, but with players like Brown and Harrison having already waited and players near the top of the all-time receiving list, including Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, and Tony Gonzalez, getting onto the ballot eventually, it may be a while for the duo.

Don Coryell, who also created to St. Louis by coaching the football Cardinals from 1973 to 1977, was also among the finalists.

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