
IRVING, Texas - The wait for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame has been a lengthy one for Charles Haley since he retired from the NFL in 1999, 12 years, though not as long for Bill Parcells, the minimum of five.
Saturday, though, will be a long day for both former Cowboys contributors, as the Hall's 44-person Board of Selectors meets in Indianapolis to debate their merits for induction, along with 13 other modern era finalists and two candidates nominated by the Seniors Committee.
For enshrinement in the Canton, Ohio museum of the sport, the finalists need positive votes from at least 80 percent of the selection committee. Although there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the Pro Football Hall of Fame's current ground rules stipulate that between four and seven new members will be selected each year. No more than five modern-era nominees can be elected in a given year and a class of six or seven can only be achieved if one or both senior nominees are elected.
Haley, the only player to win five Super Bowls, was among the 15 modern era finalists in each of the last two years, but was passed over in favor of other pass rushers, Rickey Jackson in 2010 and Richard Dent in 2011. This year, Haley is expected to vie for induction with former Vikings, Falcons and 49ers defensive end Chris Doleman.
Winning two Super Bowl rings with San Francisco from 1986-91, Haley was traded to Dallas just prior to the 1992 season and helped push the team over the top to three titles in the next four years. He finished his career with 100.5 career sacks, and was inducted into the Cowboys' Ring of Honor last November.
In 2003, Parcells came out of a three-year hiatus to coach the Cowboys, pulling the team out of the 5-11 doldrums. Accumulating a record of 34-32 in his four seasons with the club, Parcells' Cowboys made the playoffs in 2003 and 2006 before he stepped away again, leaving the foundation for two NFC East championships.
Parcells had already resurrected three flailing franchises before join the Cowboys. He coached the New York Giants from 1983-90, winning two Super Bowls. He then took over the Patriots in 1993, leading the team to a Super Bowl appearance in 1996 before leaving for the New York Jets, which he led to the AFC Championship in 1998. Retiring from the Jets after the '99 season, he was a finalist for Hall of Fame induction twice before, in 2001 and 2002.
Six Cowboys players have been inducted into the Hall of Fame in the last six years, beginning with Troy Aikman and Rayfield Wright in 2006, Michael Irvin in 2007, Bob Hayes in 2009, Emmitt Smith in 2010 and Deion Sanders last summer.
The complete list of 17 finalists for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
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