The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced their list of finalists for the 2012 class and former owner Eddie DeBartolo has made the cut. It is the first time he has made it through to the final round. Former outside linebacker/defensive end Charles Haley made the list of finalists as well. Roger Craig was not able to get enough votes to move past the semifinalist stage. The selection committee will meet on February 4 to determine the class and announce it before the Super Bowl.
Kevin Greene and Chris Doleman are finalists as well and spent modest amounts of time with the 49ers. My favorite memory of Kevin Greene was him head-butting Jim Druckenmiller while Druckenmiller was wearing and helmet and Kevin Greene was not. Unfortunately I cannot find a picture of the headbutt, but I've got to think some of you remember it. I think it was when the 49ers played the Rams.
Here are the 17 finalists (*-denotes senior nominee):
" Jerome Bettis, RB -- 1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers
" Tim Brown, WR/KR -- 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
" *Jack Butler, CB -- (1951-59 Pittsburgh Steelers)
" Cris Carter, WR -- 1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles, 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings, 2002 Miami Dolphins
" Dermontti Dawson, C -- 1988-2000 Pittsburgh Steelers
" Edward DeBartolo, Jr., Owner -- 1979-2000 San Francisco 49ers
" Chris Doleman, DE/LB -- 1985-1993, 1999 Minnesota Vikings, 1994-95 Atlanta Falcons, 1996-98 San Francisco 49ers
" Kevin Greene, LB/DE -- 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-99Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers
" Charles Haley, DE/LB -- 1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys
" Cortez Kennedy, DT -- 1990-2000 Seattle Seahawks
" Curtis Martin, RB -- 1995-97 New England Patriots, 1998-2005 New York Jets
" Bill Parcells, Coach -- 1983-1990 New York Giants, 1993-96 New England Patriots, 1997-99 New York Jets, 2003-06 Dallas Cowboys
" Andre Reed, WR -- 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins
" Willie Roaf, T -- 1993-2001 New Orleans Saints, 2002-05 Kansas City Chiefs
" Will Shields, G -- 1993-2006 Kansas City Chiefs
" *Dick Stanfel, G -- (1952-55 Detroit Lions, 1956-58 Washington Redskins)
" Aeneas Williams, CB/S -- 1991-2000 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, 2001-04 St. Louis Rams