Joe Thomas, Darrelle Revis, Dwight Freeney lead first-year eligible 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame nominees

Six-time All-Pro offensive lineman Joe Thomas, shutdown cornerback Darrelle Revis and speedy pass rusher Dwight Freeney headline the list of nine first-year eligible players picked among the 129 nominees for the 2023 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The other first-year eligibles are running back Chris Johnson, offensive lineman Jahri Evans, linebackers NaVorro Bowman and James Harrison; defensive back Kam Chancellor and punter Shane Lechler.

The nine new candidates combined for 52 Pro Bowl berths, 30 first-team All-Pro selections, with five of the nine winning Super Bowls and five making an all-decade team. Johnson also won an Offensive Player of the Year award in 2009 and Harrison was picked as top defensive player in 2008.

Thomas was one of the top tackles in the league over a durable 11-year career that saw him selected first-team All-Pro six times and second team two other times. He had a streak of 10,363 consecutive plays while playing for the Browns his entire career.

Revis, who also came out in the 2007 draft, moved around much more, spending time with the Jets, Tampa Bay, New England and Kansas City.

His best play came in New York where he was a first-team All-Pro from 2009-11 and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2009 when he repeatedly shut down top receivers by sending them to «Revis Island.»

Revis spent one year in New England, helping the Patriots win the Super Bowl in the 2014 season.

Freeney spent most of his 16-year career in Indianapolis where his speed off the edge and dominant spin move led to 125 1/2 career sacks. He anchored a defense that complemented a high-powered offense led by Peyton Manning and helped the Colts win the Super Bowl following the 2006 season.

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