NFL Hall of Fame 2013 finalists: Sapp, Strahan and Ogden highlight 17 finalists

The Pro Football Hall of Fame has cut its list of finalists down to 17, from which the class of 2013's inductees will come from. First-time nominees Warren Sapp, Michael Strahan and Jonathan Ogden lead the group of players, while Bill Parcells is also on the list.

Sapp, Strahan and Ogden are all expected to be voted in on their first attempt. Sapp had 96.5 sacks, the second most ever by a defensive tackle, was a seven-time Pro Bowler and was named 1999 Defensive Player of the Year. Strahan was also a seven-time Pro Bowler and won Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2001 when he set the single-season sack record. Ogden was a 11-time Pro Bowler, nine-time All-Pro and is considered to be one of the best offensive tackles in NFL history.

Parcells is on the only coach to be named a finalist after winning two Super Bowls with the New York Giants and helping turn a couple other teams, the New England Patriots and New York Jets, from laughingstocks into contenders. The New Jersey native was named NFL Coach of the Year in 1986 and 1994 and was named the best coach of the 1990's.

Larry Allen is another contender to be inducted after his standout career at tackle. Tim Brown, Cris Carder and Andre Reed could also join them, although they appear to be longer shots after missing out in recent years.

A maximum of five modern day people can be inducted into the Hall of Fame per year. Senior finalists Dave Robinson and Curly Culp can be inducted without counting towards the five-man maximum.

The list of 15 will be whittled down to 10 in a vote and then further, down to five. Once cut down to five, the voters will say yes or no to each candidate, with 80 percent of the vote in favor inducting a player into the Hall of Fame and anything less leaving them out.

Finalists

Warren Sapp (DL)
Michael Strahan (DL)
Jonathan Ogden (OL)
Larry Allen (OL)
Tim Brown (WR)
Cris Carter (WR)
Andre Reed (WR)
Jerome Bettis (RB)
Wil Shields (OL)
Bill Parcells (Coach)
Kevin Greene (LB)
Charles Haley (DE/LB)
Dave Robinson (LB)
Curley Culp (DT)
Aeneas Williams (CB/S)
Edward DeBartolo, Jr. (Owner)
Art Modell (Owner)