Seven first-year eligible players, including Andre Johnson and DeMarcus Ware, were among the 26 modern era semifinalists named for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2022.
The semifinalists, 26 in all because of a tie in the voting, will be trimmed to 15 finalists next month. The Class of '22, which can include up to five modern-era players, will be formally announced on Feb. 10 during NFL Honors.
Johnson, a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, and Ware, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection, each played their last game in 2016 and were in their first year of eligibility.