Seniors Finalists (3): Ken Anderson, Roger Craig, LC Greenwood
A third-round pick (67th overall) out of tiny Augustana (Ill.) College in the 1971 NFL Draft, Anderson started four games at quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals as a rookie before becoming their full-time starter in his sophomore season. He played exclusively for the Bengals, totaling 192 games through the 1986 season, and finished his career with four Pro Bowl nods, a League MVP award for the 1981 season, and 32,838 passing yards with 197 touchdowns.
Craig may be best known as the first player in the National Football League to rush for and receive 1,000 yards in the same season (1985), a feat accomplished by only two other players over the next 40 seasons (Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk and Christian McCaffrey). Craig won three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers, where he spent eight seasons a year ago with the Los Angeles Raiders and two with the Minnesota Vikings. For his career, he totaled 13,100 yards from scrimmage and scored 73 touchdowns. He was named the league’s Offensive Player of the Year in 1988, when he also finished third in MVP voting.
Greenwood, a member of the famed “Steel Curtain” defensive unit of the 1970s, played his entire 170-game career over 13 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Drafted in the 10th round (pick 238 overall) of the 1969 NFL Draft out of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Greenwood won four Super Bowl rings, was a first-team All-Pro defensive selection twice and was selected to play in six Pro Bowls. He had 78 sacks (unofficial career stats) and 14 fumble recoveries.
Henry Ellard, Joe Jacoby, Eddie Meador, Stanley Morgan, Steve Tasker and Otis Taylor also advanced to the semi-finals in the Seniors category. Players in this group could have last appeared in a professional game in 2000.