Three Cowboys finalists for Hall of Fame

Three former Dallas Cowboys – safety Cliff Harris, offensive tackle Rayfield Wright and wide receiver Bob Hayes – are among 15 finalists who are being considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2004.

Both Harris and Wright are members of the NFL all-decade team of the 1970s.

The Hall of Fame’s Seniors Committee selected Hayes and tackle Bob Brown as senior candidates when they held their August 2003 meeting. The Seniors Committee reviews the qualifications of those players, coaches, and contributors whose careers took place more than 25 years ago.

Many people feel that Hayes has been shunned by the Hall because of a drug conviction in 1979. Nevertheless, his contribution to the game is undeniable.

A world-class sprinter who won two gold medals at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Hayes was named the “World’s Fastest Human” when he tied the Olympic record for the 100 meters. His sheer speed meant that nobody in the league at the time could cover Hayes man-to-man. This led to the creation of the zone defense.

Hayes passed away on September 18, 2002 but was there for his enshrinement into the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor on September 23, 2001.

"This feels very similar to the way I felt when Coach Landry announced me as a starter my rookie year," Harris said. "It's that same kind of feeling. It's finally recognizing that there needs to be more Cowboys in there."

The field will be reduced from 15 to six when the Hall’s Board of Directors meet in Houston, Texas, on January 31 – the day before the Super Bowl. Candidates must receive a minimum of 80 percent of the vote from the board for induction.

The other finalists are quarterback John Elway, running back Barry Sanders, wide receiver Art Monk, offensive linemen Bob Kuechenberg and Gary Zimmerman, defensive linemen Richard Dent, Carl Eller and Jim Marshall, linebacker Harry Carson, cornerback Lester Hayes and administrator George Young.