Donald Driver and Steve McNair nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame
The busts of two legendary former Alcorn State University Braves football standouts could become the first Alcornites to grace the halls of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton in 2018.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced its 2018 nominees, and Donald Driver ’99 and Steve McNair ’95 are amongst several standout NFL players, coaches and who are eligible for election. The nominations are significant in that they are the first time in which two modern-era nominees from the same HBCU appear on the same ballot.
Driver, a former seventh-round pick in 1999 who went on to become the Green Bay Packers’ all-time leading receiver, was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in July. He caught 743 passes for 10, 137 yards and 61 touchdowns over 205 games in his historic fourteen-year professional career with the same team. Driver was also a member of the Packers team who defeated the Pittsburg Steelers in Super Bowl XLV (45) in 2011. This is Driver’s first year being nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
McNair, who had a stellar career with the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens and is making his sixth appearance on the Pro Football Hall of Fame ballot, led the Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV (34). He is the Titans’ all-time leading passer with 31,304 yards. He was selected to the NFL Pro Bowl three times and was the 2003 NFL Co-Most Valuable Player. He was drafted third overall in the 1995 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. He was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame during its 50th Anniversary Induction Banquet in June 2016.
This year’s Pro Hall of Fame ballot includes 108 modern-era nominees. The list will be decreased to 25 semifinalists in November and 15 finalists in January.
