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The NFL tonight announced the 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2016, and the list includes three prominent Colts: wide receiver Marvin Harrison, running back Edgerrin James, and head coach Tony Dungy. James and Dungy have both been finalists the past two seasons as well, while this is James' first time as a finalist (he was a semi-finalist last year in his first year of eligibility). The 15 finalists will be discussed and voted upon the day before the Super Bowl, with the Hall of Fame Class of 2016 announced shortly thereafter, with no more than five being selected from the group of 15 modern-era finalists.
Joining Harrison, James, and Dungy as finalists, quarterback Brett Favre, quarterback Kurt Warner, running back Terrell Davis, wide receiver Terrell Owens, offensive lineman Alen Faneca, offensive lineman Orlando Pace, offensive lineman Joe Jacoby, linebacker Kevin Greene, safety Steve Atwater, safety John Lynch, kicker Morten Anderson, and coach Don Coryell.
Marvin Harrison played for the Colts from 1996 through 2008 and finished with an incredibly impressive resume - one deserving of a first-ballot selection. He caught 1,102 passes (third most all-time) for 14,580 yards (seventh most all-time) and 128 touchdowns (fifth most all-time), holding most significant receiving records for the Colts' franchise. He caught a pass in every single game he ever played in and still holds the NFL record for most receptions in a season with 143. The most impressive part of Harrison's career, however, was his consistency in producing at a high level, as he recorded at least 1,000 yards and 10+ touchdowns in eight straight seasons (1999-2006) - an insane streak of elite play. Harrison was an eight-time Pro Bowler and a three-time first team All-Pro. He is a finalist for the third straight year (every year he has been eligible) and it's likely that this will finally be the time he gets in, albeit too late.
Edgerrin James played with the Colts from 1999-2005, then with the Cardinals from 2006-2008 and lastly with the Seahawks in 2009. In his career, James rushed for 12,246 yards (11th most all-time) and 80 touchdowns (19th most all-time), averaging four yards per rush. He also caught 433 passes for 3,364 yards and 11 touchdowns, racking up 15,610 total yards from scrimmage (13th most all-time) and 91 total touchdowns. James was named to four Pro Bowls and made one first team All-Pro team as he had six seasons of 1,000 or more rushing yards and two seasons of 2,000 or more total yards from scrimmage.
Tony Dungy was the head coach of the Colts from 2002-2008 and before that was the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996-2001, compiling a 139-69 record (.688), ranking 12th all-time in career win percentage. His teams made the playoffs in 11 of his 13 seasons and he won a Super Bowl with the Colts in 2006. His 10.7 wins per season as a head coach ranks first in NFL history among coaches with at least five years of experience. He took one of the worst teams in the NFL to being a contender in Tampa Bay and then came to Indianapolis and helped them get to and win the championship. During his seven years in Indy, Dungy went 85-27 (.759) and made the playoffs in every single season, winning 12+ games in six of the seven years. He won five division titles, an AFC championship, and Super Bowl XLI. He was the first African American head coach to win a Super Bowl and also the first coach to defeat all 32 teams. He is just the third person in league history to win a Super Bowl as both a player and a coach.
Harrison, James, and Dungy are all members of the Colts' Ring of Honor and were crucial components to an incredible run of success that the Colts enjoyed during the 2000s. They were three of the most important and best pieces and are all deserving of the Hall of Fame. The fact that all three are finalists is a good sign that they all might get in at some point, but we'll see how many of them (if any) are inducted this year.