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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. –** Nine former Broncos, including former Head Coach Dan Reeves, have been named Modern-Era candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2015.
Receiver Rod Smith, running back Terrell Davis, center Tom Nalen, guard Mark Schlereth, linebacker Karl Mecklenburg, safeties Steve Atwater and John Lynch, and kicker Jason Elam are eight of the 99 players who have been nominated. Modern-Era candidates, both coaches and players, must be retired for at least five consecutive seasons to be eligible for consideration.
This is Elam's first year of eligibility as a candidate for the 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class. Elam was a three-time Pro Bowler and ranks eighth in career points scored with 1,983. He also has the eighth-most career total field goals made with 436, including 31 in 2001, tops in the league in that season.
John Lynch is on the list of nominees again after making one of the last cuts last year a finalist for 2014's Hall of Fame Class.
The complete list of Modern-Era candidates for the Class of 2015 consists of 113 nominees. From that list, 25 will advance as semifinalist nominees that will be announced in November. The 15 Modern-Era finalists will be announced in early January.
The final voting will occur at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee's annual meeting in Arizona on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015, the day before Super Bowl XLIX. Those selected will be announced that evening.
