HOUSTON -- Former Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson, a four-time first-team All-Pro selection in a career that saw him rush for 13,684 yards, was one of five modern-era players voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Joining Tomlinson were two-time MVP quarterback Kurt Warner, longtime Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor, Broncos all-time leading rusher Terrell Davis and five-time All-Pro kicker Morten Andersen.
Making it as a contributor was Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, and going in as a seniors committee candidate was Kenny Easley, the hard-hitting, versatile safety for the Seahawks during the 1980s.
The class of 2017 will be enshrined Aug. 5 in Canton, Ohio.
The five-modern era selections were chosen from a list of 15 finalists. A panel of 46 media members and two current Hall of Famers, James Lofton and Dan Fouts, trimmed that list to 10 and then five Saturday. The last five were then voted in on a yes-or-no basis to determine enshrinement.
Editor's Picks
'Best pure running back' LaDainian Tomlinson to enter Hall of Fame
LaDainian Tomlinson, the NFL's fifth-leading rusher who was "almost impossible to defend," reached the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
QB Kurt Warner came out of nowhere to make Hall of Fame
Kurt Warner stocked shelves at a grocery and played in the Arena League and NFL Europe, but once he got his NFL chance at age 28, he made history.
Terrell Davis' Hall of Fame career was launched without the ball
RB Terrell Davis' Hall of Fame career started with an eye-opening preseason play -- on special teams, without a football in his hands.
LaDainian Tomlinson, the NFL's fifth-leading rusher who was "almost impossible to defend," reached the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
Kurt Warner stocked shelves at a grocery and played in the Arena League and NFL Europe, but once he got his NFL chance at age 28, he made history.
RB Terrell Davis' Hall of Fame career started with an eye-opening preseason play -- on special teams, without a football in his hands.
Among those not to make the final cut were receivers Isaac Bruce and Terrell Owens (who later took to Twitter to vent about the process); tackles Joe Jacoby and Tony Boselli; center Kevin Mawae; guard Alan Faneca; cornerback Ty Law; and safety John Lynch, the new general manager of the 49ers.
Former commissioner Paul Tagliabue, a polarizing candidate due in part to controversial comments he made about concussions in 1994, also had been nominated as a contributor but did not receive enough votes for enshrinement.
In nine years with the Chargers, then two with the Jets, the 5-foot-10 Tomlinson reset the template for what had been known as a scatback, proving someone of his size and speed could be a game changer, not merely a change of pace. As dangerous catching the ball (4,772 career yards) as he was running it (13,684), in 2003, LT became the first player to rush for 1,000 yards and catch 100 passes.
He was hard to keep out of the end zone, too. His 31 touchdowns scored in 2006 are still the record. He finished his career with 145 TDs, not counting the seven he threw on halfback options.
Warner's heyday was 1999-2001 with the Rams, whose offense was known as "The Greatest Show on Turf.'' Warner quit his job bagging groceries, first for a stint in the Arena League, then landing in the NFL after getting a tryout with St. Louis. An injury to Trent Green put Warner in the lineup for 1999. Sharing the backfield with future Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk, and throwing to Torry Holt and Bruce, Warner won two overall MVPs and one at the Super Bowl to close the 1999 season, when the Rams captured their only Lombardi Trophy. The 1999 and 2000 teams are still among the top 10 in most points scored in league history.
Davis was a sixth-round pick out of Georgia in 1995 who caught Broncos coach Mike Shanahan's eye with a big hit on special teams in a preseason game. Davis became the starting tailback, and from 1996 to '98 he complemented John Elway, helping the Broncos to 45 victories and finally pushing Elway over the top with two Super Bowl titles. In 1998, Davis became the fourth runner to surpass 2,000 yards, with 2008.
Congrats, @Terrell_Davis, on your selection to the @ProFootballHOF!! Couldn't have happened to a better teammate, player or person!! pic.twitter.com/3gA0IH334C
— John Elway (@johnelway) February 5, 2017
Davis suffered a career-changing knee injury in 1999 while making a tackle after an interception, and played only 17 more games before retiring in 2001. His 78 career games spanned seven seasons, meaning Davis lasted the same number of years as Hall of Fame runner Gale Sayers, who is often held up as Exhibit A when voters are debating short bursts of greatness versus longevity.
On the other end of the spectrum was Andersen, the kicker who lasted 25 seasons, played in 382 games and scored 2,544 points for five teams. He is the all-time leading scorer for both the Saints and the Falcons and was among the first to make the 50-plus-yard field goal routine. His 40 kicks of 50-yards plus were the most in NFL history at his retirement.
Taylor was Defensive Player of the Year in 2006 with 13 1/2 sacks and finished his 15-year career, most of them with the Dolphins, with 139 1/2 sacks, eight interceptions and 29 fumble recoveries.
Easley was a five-time Pro Bowl selection whose career lasted only seven seasons because of kidney issues. He was the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year in 1984.
Jones' $1.2 billion stadium, dubbed "Jerry World,'' set the standard for stadiums to follow it in New Jersey, the Bay Area, Minneapolis, Atlanta and, eventually, Los Angeles. He brokered TV and marketing deals that have helped turn the league into a $13 billion-a-year business, all the while keeping a steady -- and some might agree, entertaining -- presence in front of the TV cameras.
Jones' Cowboys have won three Super Bowls in his tenure and he has been a driving voice in the league's marketing efforts and growth since he purchased the team in 1989.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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