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ST. LOUIS -- For the second consecutive year, a trio of former Rams have landed spots as modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Defensive back Aeneas Williams, running back Jerome Bettis and linebacker Kevin Greene made the list of 15, which was whittled from 25. Williams, Bettis and Greene spent varying parts of their careers with the Rams. While none are exactly remembered in the big picture for their time with the team, all made valuable contributions to the organization at some point.
Williams is probably the most familiar to Rams fans after he came to St. Louis in a trade in 2001. He promptly moved to safety and served as a veteran leader of a defense which helped the Rams reach Super Bowl XXXVI. Williams still lives in St. Louis and is active in the community. He spent most of his career in relative anonymity in Arizona, but was long regarded as one of the team's best cover corners. His time is probably coming in Canton, but this year might not be the one.
Bettis spent just one season in St. Louis after his first two came with the team in Los Angeles. He was traded to Pittsburgh in 1996 and went on to become the fifth most accomplished rusher in league history. Of this group, Bettis probably has the best chance to break through this season.
Greene never played a down for the St. Louis version of the Rams, but he played for the Los Angeles edition from 1985-1992. Greene also has local ties as he hails from nearby Granite City, Ill. Like Bettis, Greene is probably more renowned for his time with the Steelers. He finished with 160 sacks, which ranked third all time at the time of his retirement. Much like Williams, Greene's day is probably going to come, but it might not happen right away.
The competition to make it to Canton this year figures to be difficult. First-ballot candidates such as Seattle offensive tackle Walter Jones, Indianapolis wide receiver Marvin Harrison and Tampa Bay linebacker Derrick Brooks look to have strong cases to earn a nod this year. Giants end Michael Strahan, defensive end Charles Haley, Buffalo receiver Andre Reed and guard Will Shields are among the others with a shot to get in.
This year's crop of Rams candidates will pale in comparison to what the team figures to have in the next couple of years. Receiver Isaac Bruce, tackle Orlando Pace and quarterback Kurt Warner are due for Hall of Fame eligibility for the class of 2015, followed by receiver Torry Holt the following year.
ST. LOUIS -- For the second consecutive year, a trio of former Rams have landed spots as modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Defensive back Aeneas Williams, running back Jerome Bettis and linebacker Kevin Greene made the list of 15, which was whittled from 25. Williams, Bettis and Greene spent varying parts of their careers with the Rams. While none are exactly remembered in the big picture for their time with the team, all made valuable contributions to the organization at some point.
Williams is probably the most familiar to Rams fans after he came to St. Louis in a trade in 2001. He promptly moved to safety and served as a veteran leader of a defense which helped the Rams reach Super Bowl XXXVI. Williams still lives in St. Louis and is active in the community. He spent most of his career in relative anonymity in Arizona, but was long regarded as one of the team's best cover corners. His time is probably coming in Canton, but this year might not be the one.
Bettis spent just one season in St. Louis after his first two came with the team in Los Angeles. He was traded to Pittsburgh in 1996 and went on to become the fifth most accomplished rusher in league history. Of this group, Bettis probably has the best chance to break through this season.
Greene never played a down for the St. Louis version of the Rams, but he played for the Los Angeles edition from 1985-1992. Greene also has local ties as he hails from nearby Granite City, Ill. Like Bettis, Greene is probably more renowned for his time with the Steelers. He finished with 160 sacks, which ranked third all time at the time of his retirement. Much like Williams, Greene's day is probably going to come, but it might not happen right away.
The competition to make it to Canton this year figures to be difficult. First-ballot candidates such as Seattle offensive tackle Walter Jones, Indianapolis wide receiver Marvin Harrison and Tampa Bay linebacker Derrick Brooks look to have strong cases to earn a nod this year. Giants end Michael Strahan, defensive end Charles Haley, Buffalo receiver Andre Reed and guard Will Shields are among the others with a shot to get in.
This year's crop of Rams candidates will pale in comparison to what the team figures to have in the next couple of years. Receiver Isaac Bruce, tackle Orlando Pace and quarterback Kurt Warner are due for Hall of Fame eligibility for the class of 2015, followed by receiver Torry Holt the following year.
