NFL Hall of Fame class 2023: Joe Thomas, Darrelle Revis, Ronde Barber, Zach Thomas lead 2023 HOF class

The NFL is announcing the 2023 class of entrants into the Pro Football Hall of Fame at its annual NFL Honors program on Thursday night. The awards show will begin at 9 p.m. ET and will air on NBC, Peacock and NFL Network.

The process of electing the modern-era class for 2023 began with 129 nominees. That group was trimmed down to 28 players in November and included three first-year players. In January, that number was further cut down and a list of 15 people. These 15 players are joined by three senior finalists, Chuck Howley, Joe Klecko and Ken Riley, who were nominated by the Seniors Committee and Don Coryell as a coach/contributor finalist.

Here's a look at the HOF Class of 2023.

LT Joe Thomas

This election comes as no surprise. Thomas was selected with the third overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. He played for the franchise his entire 11-year career and endured a lot of down years with the team. Still, even as the quarterback room rotated, Thomas was a staple of consistency. He nearly made it an entire career of never missing a snap. He finished with an NFL record of 10,363 consecutive snaps played, which ended when he suffered a torn tricep in 2017. Thomas made the Pro Bowl in all but his final season and was named a First-Team All-Pro six different times.

CB Darrelle Revis

Given how much the term “Revis Island” has been thrown around in football, Revis is a legend and deserving of his admittance to the HoF. He finished with 497 total tackles, 29 interceptions and 139 pass deflections in his career. He was drafted with the 14th overall pick in 2007 by the New York Jets and finished out his rookie deal with the team. Revis then bounced around the league with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, Jets again and Kansas City Chiefs until his retirement in 2017. Revis was a seven-time Pro Bowler and was named a First-Team All-Pro four times.

LB DeMarcus Ware

Ware was drafted with the 11th pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. He played the first nine seasons of his career with the Dallas Cowboys before playing the final three years with the Denver Broncos. He led the NFL in sacks in both 2008 and 2010. A linebacker, Ware won the Butkus Award in both 2008 and 2011. He was named to the Pro Bowl nine times and won Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos. Ware is a four-time first-team All-Pro. In his career, he tallied 654 total tackles with 138.5 sacks, 35 forced fumbles and three interceptions.

DB Ronde Barber

A third-round pick in the 1997 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Barber made the Pro Bowl five times while being named to either the first or second All-Pro team five times. The shutdown corner – and identical twin to New York Giants legend Tiki Barber – was one of the premier players on the Buccaneers' stingy defense that helped Tampa win Super Bowl XXXVII. He finished his career with 47 interceptions, 15 forced fumbles and 14 touchdowns.

LB Zach Thomas

Thomas was selected in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. He spent 12 years with the franchise before playing his final season in 2008 with the Dallas Cowboys. Despite being a later-round pick out of Texas Tech, he won the AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year Award in 1996. He lead the league in tackles in both 2002 and 2006. Thomas was named to the Pro Bowl seven times and was named a First-Team All-Pro five total times. He finished with 1,720 tackles in 184 career games with 20.5 sacks and 17 interceptions.

Joe Klecko

Klecko played defensive end and defensive tackle in the 80s. He joined the NFL in 1977 and played for the New York Jets until 1987. Klecko ended his career in 1988, playing his final season with the Indianapolis Colts. He was the NFL sack leader in 1981 and was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Klecko was a four-time Pro Bowler and was named a First-Team All-Pro twice in his career.

Chuck Howley

Ken Riley

Don Coryell

Here's the full list of players who were finalists for this year's Hall of Fame class, along with Howley, Klecko, Riley and Coryell:

DE Jared Allen
OT Willie Anderson
DB Ronde Barber
DE Dwight Freeney
PR/KR/WR Devin Hester
WR Torry Holt
WR Andre Johnson
CB Albert Lewis
CB Darrelle Revis
LT Joe Thomas
LB Zach Thomas
LB DeMarcus Ware
WR Reggie Wayne
LB Patrick Willis
S Darren Woodson

  
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