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John Elway, the NFL's second all-time leading passer, and Barry Sanders, the third all-time leading rusher, head the list of 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2004.
The finalists were chosen Wednesday by the Hall of Fame's board of selectors from a list of 25 semifinalists.
Former New York Giants linebacker Harry Carson and late Giants general manager George Young are automatic finalists because they finished in the top-six in voting last year.
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Both Elway and Sanders are in their first year of eligibility. Tickets
Elway is synonymous with the Denver Broncos, playing 16 years with the franchise and passing for 51,475 yards and 300 touchdowns, which is fourth all time. Elway's passing yards are second only to Dan Marino's total of 61,361.
Elway and Marino headed the famed quarterback class of 1983. Elway retired after the Broncos won the second of two straight Super Bowls in 1998.
Sanders appeared to be on his way to becoming the NFL's all-time leading rusher, recording 15,269 yards and 99 touchdowns in 10 years with the Detroit Lions. However, he retired after the 1998 season and is third on the all-time list behind Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton.
The other finalists are Bob Brown, Richard Dent, Carl Eller, Cliff Harris, Bob Hayes, Lester Hayes, Bob Kuechenberg, Jim Marshall, Art Monk, Rayfield Wright and Gary Zimmerman.
Brown and Bob Hayes are Senior Committee nominees.
Among the semifinalists who did not make the cut were owners Ralph Wilson and Art Modell.
The voting for the Class of 2004 will be held on Saturday, January 31, the day before Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston.
The selectors first will narrow the list to six candidates. At least three candidates must be selected but the final field cannot be more than six. To be elected, a finalist must be named on at least 80 percent of the ballots.