Linebacker London Fletcher and wide receiver Henry Ellard have both been named semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023.
Fletcher and Ellard are part of a group that consists of 28 "Modern-era" players.
Fletcher had a highly successful NFL career but had some of his best seasons with the Burgundy & Gold. He was selected to four straight Pro Bowls from 2009-12 and paced the league with 166 tackles in 2011. Fletcher recorded at least 100 tackles in 14 of his 16 seasons and played in 256 consecutive games, including 215 consecutive starts, which is the most for a linebacker in NFL history.
For his career, Fletcher recorded 2,039 tackles, which is the second-most in NFL history, 39 sacks, 12 fumble recoveries, 19 forced fumbles, 96 pass breakups and 23 interceptions. In addition to his Pro Bowls, Fletcher was a two-time Second Team All-Pro (2011, 2012). His name was added to the team's Ring of Fame 2019, and he was recently added to the franchise's list of Greatest Players.
Fletcher finished his time in Washington with 956 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 26 quarterback hits and 12 interceptions in 112 games, all of which were starts.
Ellard was a second-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 1983 and joined Washington in 1994, playing in 65 games with 58 starts.
Ellard had three straight 1,000-yard seasons for Washington and remains the last wideout to accomplish the feat for the team. He averaged 18.2 yards per catch during his time in Washington and led the league in the category in 1996 with an average of 19.5.
Despite only spending four full seasons with the franchise (he started the 1998 season with Washington and ended the year with the New England Patriots), Ellard left a lasting impression on the team. He is 12th in receiving yards (3,930), 19th in receptions (216), eighth in targets (429) and 22nd in receiving touchdowns (17).
The list of 28 semifinalists will be reduced to 15 finalists.
Fans can start vote to predict the five Modern-Era Players who will be elected to the Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2023, HERE. (This fan vote is for entertainment purposes only and does not factor into the overall results for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.)
Fans who vote automatically become eligible for sweepstakes prizes, including a Grand Prize trip to the 2023 Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls in Canton, Ohio.
