(Photo via YouTube)
Longtime Pittsburgh radio host Stan Sarvan and former Steelers running back Merril Hoge have been going over the nominations for the Steelers Hall of Honor Class of 2021 from each decade recently on Steelers.com.
Fans have the opportunity to share who they think should make up the newest class and can submit their nomination now through April 9 on Steelers.com. You can select a former player, coach or contributor, with the following guidelines:
Former players must be retired for at least three seasons and have played for the team for at least three seasons while possessing noteworthy career highlights, records and achievements.
Former coaches and contributors must have been significant contributors to the team.
Since its inception in 2017, 41 individuals have been chosen for the Hall of Honor in four years. The first class included Steelers who were members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame at that time, and since then all other Hall of Famers have been included in the classes.
Each class includes four members. The Class of 2020, which includes James Farrior, Greg Lloyd, Troy Polamalu, Mike Wagner and Dwight White, have yet to be "formally inducted" because of the COVID-19 pandemic
In the 1970s so far, fans have nominated offensive tackle Jon Kolb, guard Gerry "Moon" Mollins and famous broadcaster and creator of the Terrible Towel Myron Cope. In the 1980s, nominations have included wide receiver Louis Lipps, outside linebacker Mike Merriweather, cornerback Dwayne Woodruff and defensive lineman Keith Willis. In the 1990s, linebacker Levon Kirkland, safety/cornerback Carnell Lake and outside linebacker Jason Gildon have been nominated. And then lastly in the 2000s, nose tackle Casey Hampton, defensive end Aaron Smith and outside linebacker Joey Porter have been nominated by the fans so far. Submissions end on April 9.
The Hall of Honor selection committee will have the final say on who the four members of the Steelers 2021 Hall of Honor Class include. The committee is made up of six members --Steelers president Art Rooney II, former team executives Joe Gordon and Tony Quatrini, reporter Bob Labriola of Steelers.com and local media personalities Savran and Andrew Stockey in making the selections.
Every player voted into the Hall of Honor will receive a replica of the solid steel football given to Art Rooney Sr. by the United States Steel Corporation and United Steel Workers in 1982. They will also be represented in the FedEx Great Hall at Heinz Field.
(Photo via KDKA)
All of the nominations by the fans from each decade are well-deserving of being inducted into the Steelers Hall of Honor. All of them probably eventually will make it, but it's just a matter of when. However, I'd say Cope should be a lock to make it this year. He was such a big personality in Pittsburgh during the 1970s when the team won four Super Bowls and he was the creator of the Terrible Towel, which is an iconic symbolization for the organization. The rest is really a toss-up as they're all just so deserving. If I had to pick, I'd say Kolb, Mullins and Lipps would be the other nominations.