The Pro Football Hall of Fame has trimmed its 25 semifinalists to 15 finalists and San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch, along with wide receiver Isaac Bruce remain on the list. They have one more selection period to go through before they can be granted entry into the Hall of Fame.
Lynch and Bruce began in a pool of 103 nominees including players connected to the 49ers— Jeff Garcia, Ricky Waters, Brent Jones, Tim McDonald, Bryant Young, and Takeo Spikes—whom did not make it as semi-finalists. The selection committee will meet once more on Saturday, February 2, the day before Super Bowl LIII to make their final selections. The inductions will happen the weekend of the Hall of Fame game in the 2019 season.
To be selected, finalists must get a minium 80 percent positive vote by the selection committee during the final meeting in February.
This is the sixth time Lynch has been named a finalist. If selected, he would go into the Hall as a free safety but still has some tough competition. Sometimes voters only vote one person/position to go into the Hall per year for whatever the reason. Lynch is up against the likes of Ed Reed and Steve Atwater.
His third time as a finalist, Bruce was better known as a wide receiver of the Los Angeles—later turned turned St. Louis—Rams, but finished out his final years in professional football with the 49ers. In the twilight of his career, Bruce still managed to be productive, finishing his first of two seasons with the 49ers with 835 receiving yards. Bruce is the only wide receiver named as a finalist for 2019.