Steelers outside linebacker coach Joey Porter and former wide receiver Hines Ward are among nominees who are first-time eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2017.
Porter and Ward join former Steelers guard Alan Faneca, who was a finalist in 2016, as well as linebacker Levon Kirkland, kicker Gary Anderson, coaches Bill Cowher and Buddy Parker, as Modern Era nominees for the Class of 2017.
The complete list of Modern Era nominees includes a total of 94 individuals. The Modern Era nominees will be trimmed to 25 semifinalists in November and to 15 finalists in January.
The Hall of Fame Selection Committee will hold their annual meeting on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017 in Houston, Texas, the site of Super Bowl LI. The finalists will go from 15 to 10, and then down to five. The Class of 2017 will be announced during the "NFL Honors" show that evening.
The 2017 Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony will be held in Canton, Ohio on Sat., Aug. 5.
The Steelers have been well represented in the Pro Football Hall of Fame the last few years, with Jerome Bettis a member of the Class of 2015 and Kevin Greene a member of the Class of 2016. The Steelers currently have 24 individuals in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Steelers in the Hall of Fame.
