NEW ORLEANS, LA (WGNO) — He went from winning the Super Bowl to pleading guilty to drugging and sexually assaulting women.
Despite his crimes, former Saints safety Darren Sharper has been nominated for the NFL Hall of Fame’s class of 2017.
He is one of 94 players and coaches in all, who are up for consideration next year.
Last month, as part of a plea deal, a federal judge sentenced Sharper to more than 18 years behind bars on drug and rape charges.
Sharper’s accomplices, Brandon Licciardi and Eric Nunez, also struck deals in Federal Court.
They’re set to be sentenced in October.
Modern-era nominees for Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2017
*Finalist in 2016 (Players and coaches must have last played or coached at least five full seasons ago to be eligible for nomination. Therefore, any individual who last played or coached in 2011 is eligible for the first time in 2017).
QUARTERBACKS: Drew Bledsoe, Randall Cunningham, Doug Flutie, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair, Phil Simms, *Kurt Warner
RUNNING BACKS: Shaun Alexander, Ottis Anderson, Tiki Barber, Larry Centers, Roger Craig, *Terrell Davis, Eddie George, *Edgerrin James, Daryl Johnston, Eric Metcalf (also WR/PR/KR), LaDainian Tomlinson, Herschel Walker (also KR), Ricky Watters
WIDE RECEIVERS: Isaac Bruce, Henry Ellard (also PR), Torry Holt, Chad Johnson, Derrick Mason (also KR/PR), *Terrell Owens, Sterling Sharpe, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Hines Ward
TIGHT END: Mark Bavaro
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Tony Boselli (T), Ray Donaldson (C), *Alan Faneca (G), Jay Hilgenberg (C), Chris Hinton (G/T), Kent Hull (C), *Joe Jacoby (T), Mike Kenn (T), Olin Kreutz (C), Jim Lachey (T), Kevin Mawae (C/G), Tom Nalen (C), Nate Newton (G), Steve Wisniewski (G)
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Leslie O’Neal (DE), Simeon Rice (DE), Fred Smerlas (NT), Jason Taylor (DE), Bryant Young (DT)
LINEBACKERS: Carl Banks, Cornelius Bennett, Tedy Bruschi, Seth Joyner, Levon Kirkland, Clay Matthews, Willie McGinest (also DE), Karl Mecklenburg, Sam Mills, Joey Porter, Zach Thomas
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Eric Allen (CB), *Steve Atwater (S), Joey Browner (S), LeRoy Butler (S), Brian Dawkins (SS), Rodney Harrison (S), Ty Law (CB), Albert Lewis (CB), *John Lynch (S), Frank Minnifield (CB), Bob Sanders (SS), Darren Sharper (FS), Dennis Smith (SS), Troy Vincent (S), Everson Walls (CB), Darren Woodson (S)
KICKERS/PUNTER: *Morten Andersen (K), Gary Anderson (K), Sean Landeta (P), Nick Lowery (K)
SPECIAL TEAMS: Brian Mitchell (KR/PR, also RB), Steve Tasker (ST, also WR)
COACHES: *Don Coryell, Bill Cowher, Tom Flores, Mike Holmgren, Jimmy Johnson, Chuck Knox, Buddy Parker, Richie Petitbon, Dan Reeves, Clark Shaughnessy, Dick Vermeil
