/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67420255/1187690170.jpg.0.jpg)
The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced 130 nominees for its Class of 2021 and five former Indianapolis Colts greats were named including quarterback Peyton Manning, wide receiver Reggie Wayne, tight end Dallas Clark, center Jeff Saturday, and safety Bob Sanders:
BREAKING: The Modern-Era nominees for the Class of 2021 have been unveiled. The list is comprised of 130 players. Among the group are 14 first-year eligible players.
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) September 16, 2020
See all nominees: https://t.co/NlwbZvxoeD#PFHOF21 pic.twitter.com/2oIwVP7PAU
Manning was among the fourteen first-year eligible nominees and is a surefire lock to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer in every sense of the term (likely joining cornerback/safety Charles Woodson in that regard).
Eventually, the list will be narrowed down to fifteen Modern-Era finalists, then ten Modern-Era finalists, before ultimately the incredibly tough cuts are made that will limit it to a group of five Modern-era finalists—each of whom will be individually voted upon (and must receive an 80% positive vote for final induction).
The final (and actual) inductees will be announced on NFL Honors Night on Super Bowl Eve—which is currently scheduled for February 6, 2021.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021 will be enshrined on Sunday, August 8, 2021, where Manning and perhaps Wayne could join Class of 2020 inductee James (who’s enshrinement was postponed a summer due to COVID-19) in what could very well be a highly Colts-centric week in Canton, Ohio.