Alan Faneca has been selected as one of 15 finalists for the 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame, the committee announced Tuesday night.
This will be Faneca’s third straight time as a finalist. The final voting will take place Saturday, February 3rd. Each player needs at least 80% of the votes to get into the Hall of Fame. Ed Bouchette will again state his case for Faneca when it comes time to decide.
Faneca, who played for the Steelers from 1998 to 2007, and then spent another three years in the league, was named to nine Pro Bowls and six All-Pro teams. He started a career 201 games, 153 of those in Pittsburgh, and is one of the best offensive linemen in franchise history. He’s best remembered for the block he had on Willie Parker’s then-record setting 75 yard touchdown in Super Bowl 40.
Faneca is one of several offensive linemen on the finalist list, making it a tough group to crack.
It’s likely only two of them end up inducted this time around.
Sure to disappoint Steelers’ Nation, Hines Ward was not among the 15 finalists to get in. Another tough group, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, and Issac Bruce all made the cut over him. It’s been historically tough for receivers to make it into the Hall and is another reminder that while Ward is an all-time Steelers great, his path to Canton is going to be very difficult.
