Pro Football Hall of Fame: Willie Anderson returns as a nominee

The nominees for the 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame class are out and the Bengals have representation. Former starting right tackle Willie Anderson will make his second attempt at getting into the Hall after an unsuccessful bid last year as a first-year nominee. He didn't make it as a semi-finalist.

A four-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro player ('04, '05, '06), Anderson was a former first-round pick (10th overall) during the 1996 NFL draft.  Anchored at right tackle during Corey Dillon's record-breaking performances (246 in 1997 and 278 in 2000), Anderson was a pros pro, deeply respected in the locker room and established in the NFL. Anderson is one of only two players in Bengals history to earn First-Team All-Pro awards three times or more -- and that "other" player was Hall of Fame offensive tackle Anthony Munoz.

Anderson will be facing five first-year nominees on the offensive line, including offensive tackles Orlando Pace, Jon Jansen, Chris Samuels and Tra Thomas. Interior lineman Kevin Mawae is also a first-year nomination. Being as this is the year of the St. Louis Rams, Kurt Warner, Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt are first-year nominations, as is Jevon Kearse, Ty Law, Shawn Springs and Jason Elam.

Quarterbacks: (4) – Randall Cunningham, Rich Gannon, Phil Simms, Kurt Warner

Wide Receivers: (9) – *Tim Brown (also KR), Isaac Bruce, Gary Clark, Henry Ellard (also PR), *Marvin Harrison, Torry Holt, Sterling Sharpe, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith

Tight End: (1) – Mark Bavaro

Running Backs: (14) – Shaun Alexander, Ottis Anderson, Tiki Barber, *Jerome Bettis, Roger Craig, Stephen Davis, Terrell Davis, Eddie George, Priest Holmes, Edgerrin James, Daryl Johnston, Jamal Lewis, Herschel Walker (also KR), Ricky Watters

Offensive Linemen: (23) – Willie Anderson (T), Tony Boselli (T), Jeff Bostic (C), Lomas Brown (T), Jim Covert (T), Bill Fralic (G/T), Jay Hilgenberg (C), Chris Hinton (G/T), Kent Hull (C), Joe Jacoby (T), Jon Jansen (T), Mike Kenn (T), Jim Lachey (T), Kevin Mawae (C/G), Mark May (G/T/C),Tom Nalen (C), Nate Newton (G), Orlando Pace (T), Chris Samuels (T), Mark Schlereth (G), *Will Shields (G), Tra Thomas (T), Steve Wisniewski (G)

Defensive Linemen: (12) – Al "Bubba" Baker (DE), Jerome Brown (DT), Carl Hairston (DE/DT), *Charles Haley (also LB), Jevon Kearse (DE), Dexter Manley (DE), Charles Mann (DE), Steve McMichael (DT/NT), Fred Smerlas (NT), Greg Townsend (DE), Ted Washington (DT/NT), Bryant Young (DE)

Linebackers: (13) – Cornelius Bennett, Tedy Bruschi, *Kevin Greene (also DE), Ken Harvey, Clay Matthews, Willie McGinest (also DE), Karl Mecklenburg, Matt Millen, Sam Mills, Junior Seau, Chris Spielman, Darryl Talley, Zach Thomas

Defensive Backs: (16) – Eric Allen (CB), Steve Atwater (S), Joey Browner (S), LeRoy Butler (S), Thomas Everett (S), Rodney Harrison (S), Ty Law (CB), Albert Lewis (CB), *John Lynch (S), Terry McDaniel (CB), Tim McDonald (S), Frank Minnifield (CB), Shawn Springs (CB), Troy Vincent (CB/S), Everson Walls (CB), Darren Woodson (S)

Kickers/Punters: (5) – *Morten Andersen (K), Gary Anderson (K), Jason Elam (K), Sean Landeta (P), Nick Lowery (K)

Special Teams/Position Players: (2) – Brian Mitchell (RB/PR/KR), Steve Tasker (also WR)

Coaches: (14) –Don Coryell, Bill Cowher, *Tony Dungy, Tom Flores, Mike Holmgren, Jimmy Johnson, Chuck Knox, Buddy Parker, Richie Petitbon, Dan Reeves, Lou Saban, Marty Schottenheimer, Clark Shaughnessy, Dick Vermeil