CANTON, Ohio — First-time eligible candidates Troy Polamalu and Patrick Willis are among 122 modern-era nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2020.
The newly eligible players have a heavy defensive emphasis. Joining the Steelers’ hard-hitting safety and 49ers’ bone-crunching linebacker for consideration are linemen Justin Smith and John Abraham, and linebacker Lance Briggs. The other two in their initial year of eligibility are receiver Reggie Wayne and running back Maurice Jones-Drew.
Finalists from 2019 who didn’t get enough support to be among the five modern-era players selected are receiver Isaac Bruce; running back Edgerrin James; offensive linemen Alan Faneca, Tony Boselli and Steve Hutchinson; defensive lineman Richard Seymour; and safeties John Lynch and Steve Atwater.
The nominees include 63 offensive players, 43 defensive players and 16 special teamers.
The class of 2020 will be selected Feb. 1, 2020, the day before the Super Bowl.
BROWNS: Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. accused former Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams of getting him injured in a preseason game two years ago.
Beckham, who was with the New York Giants in 2017, said he’s been told by current Cleveland players that Williams instructed them to hurt him. Williams was the Browns’ interim coach last season and is now the Jets’ defensive coordinator.
In that game, Beckham suffered a severe ankle sprain when former Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun dived at his legs.
WASHINGTON: Running back Derrius Guice had right knee surgery that Coach Jay Gruden called a “minor procedure.”
The operation reportedly was to fix a torn meniscus. Guice was injured Sunday in a season-opening loss at Philadelphia when he rushed for 18 yards on 10 carries and underwent an MRI the morning after.
Gruden said he isn’t sure how long Guice might be out and no decision has been made on whether to place him on injured reserve.
BILLS: The NFL suspended rookie linebacker Tyrel Dodson for six games as a result of an alleged altercation with his girlfriend at a nightclub in Scottsdale, Arizona.
An NFL investigation ruled Dodson violated the league’s personal conduct policy. Dodson spent the offseason practicing with the team before being placed on the reserve/commissioner’s exempt list Aug. 31, when the Bills made their final cuts to establish their regular-season roster.
Dodson was an undrafted rookie free agent out of Texas A&M, and signed May 9 with Buffalo.
JETS: Second-year quarterback Sam Darnold has mononucleosis and will miss at least the Monday night game against Cleveland.
Trevor Siemian will start in Darnold’s place and could be the starter until Darnold recovers. The Jets have a game at New England in Week 3 before they have a bye-week break, then games at Philadelphia, at home against Dallas and New England, and an Oct. 27 game at Jacksonville to cap a rough opening stretch.
Darnold was sent home by the team Wednesday with what Gase said was “strep throat or something.” Team doctors later told Gase that antibiotics weren’t working as quickly as expected, leading to the diagnosis.
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