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Two University of Miami Alumni Named 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame Finalists

A pair of Hurricane greats take another step towards enshrinement

By Matt Washington
Florida State v Miami Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images

Hurricanes making some noise in college football is nothing new. Yet, that phenomena also extends itself to the NFL. On Thursday evening the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced their 15 modern-era finalist for the class of 2019. As you can imagine there were a few Miami Hurricanes that made the cut.

Among those ProCanes named to the finalist list were safety Ed Reed a first time finalist. Reed was the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year, earned nine trips to the pro bowl, five First-Team All-Pros and won a Super Bowl as a member of the Baltimore Ravens. Reed still holds UM’s record for interceptions in a career (21). In 2018, Reed became the eighth Hurricane player to be named to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Edgerrin James is no stranger to the Pro Football Hall of Fame ballot. This will be the former Indianapolis Colts RBs’s third time (2016, 2018) being named a finalist. James played in the league for 11 years rushing for 12,246 yards, compiling 15,610 total yards from scrimmage and 80 TDs. James still holds multiple Indianapolis career rushing records: 9,226 rushing yards, 64 rushing touchdowns, 96.1 rushing yards per game average, 1,709 rushing yards in a season.

Notable Omission

Former Hurricanes head coach Jimmy Johnson did not make it to the final 15. The former head coach of the Hurricanes from 1984-1988 has been named a semifinalist over the past six years. Johnson is a two-time Super Bowl winning coach with the Dallas Cowboys (1989-1993). Under his leadership the Cowboys would go on to form a dynasty in the early 1990’s, helping to earn him a NFL Coach of the Year from the Associated Press in 1990. Johnson also served as the Dolphins head coach from 1996-1999. Johnson has a win-loss record in the NFL of 80-64.

The group of 15 modern-era finalist will be cut down to five members that will make up the class. The final decision on the 2019 class will be announced Saturday, February 2nd, 2019 during Super Bowl weekend. The official enshrinement ceremony will take place August 3rd, 2019 in Canton, Ohio.

IT’S ALWAYS ABOUT THE U!