Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals: Three with franchise ties Hall of Fame semifinalists

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The Arizona Cardinals were well represented in the Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalists list

The Arizona Cardinals franchise past once again showed on Wednesday just how good it was at times. Three former individuals were named to the list of 26 semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame 2017 class.

Leading the way is former Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner. Warner was a semifinalist for the 2016 class.

Warner played for the St. Louis Rams from 1998-2003, New York Giants in 2004, and Cardinals from 2005-2009. Arguably his best years were in 1999-2002 in St. Louis and 2008-2009 in Arizona.

Also named a semifinalist was former St. Louis Cardinals head coach Don Coryell. Known as “Air Coryell” for his high-flying passing game, coached the Cardinals from 1973-1977. He later coached the San Diego Chargers from 1978-1986. Coryell passed away on July 1, 2010.

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Running back Edgerrin James rounded out the list of players with ties to the Cardinals organization. He played for the Cardinals from 2006-2008 after being traded from the Indianapolis Colts, the team that drafted him in 1999. He finished his career with the Seattle Seahawks in 2009.

The big question is will any of them make the class of 2017? Warner has been close, so there is a good chance he breaks through this year. James may also be a viable candidate to get in. With Coryell, you just don’t know how people are going to vote?

Contrary to popular opinion, a player does not declare nor does the Pro Football Hall of Fame choose which team he represents when he enters. There have been arguments over whether Warner’s best years were in St. Louis or Arizona. I would argue both stand on their own merit and neither franchise would have ended up in the Super Bowl without him.

The list, which includes former players like running backs Terrell Davis and LaDainian Tomlinson, receivers Terrell Owens, Torry Holt, and Issac Bruce, defensive end Jason Taylor, kicker Morten Anderson, and coach Jimmy Johnson, will be cut down to 15 in January. The class will be announced Super Bowl weekend.

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