Pro Football Hall of Fame 2017: Date, Start Time, TV Info and More

With the football world at large gearing up for Super Bowl LI, it's easy to gloss over the fact that the title game isn't the only notable NFL event of the weekend. On Saturday, the league will officially announce which players will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of fame later this year.

For the players entering the Hall of Fame, this is going to be an epic night. Lengthy careers and countless years of hard work have led to this moment.

The list of nominees has been narrowed down to 18. On Saturday, a select group will join the best of the best in NFL history as Hall of Famers.

We're here to examine Saturday's announcements, which will take place during the NFL Honors. We'll run down what you need to know about the upcoming event and the full list of finalists.

2017 NFL Hall of Fame Announcement

When: Saturday, Feb. 4, during NFL Honors

Where: Wortham Theater Center, Houston

Time: 8 p.m. ET

National TV: Fox

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go

The Finalists

Contributors/Senior Member Nominees

Jerry Jones, Owner, Dallas Cowboys

Paul Tagliabue, NFL Commissioner, 1989-2006

Kenny Easley, Safety, Seattle Seahawks, 1981-87

Modern-Era Finalists

LaDainian Tomlinson, Running Back, San Diego Chargers and New York Jets, 2001-11

Terrell Davis, Running Back, Denver Broncos, 1995-2001

Alan Faneca, Guard, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jets and Arizona Cardinals, 1998-2010

Joe Jacoby, Offensive Tackle, Washington Redskins, 1981-93

John Lynch, Safety, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos and New England Patriots, 1993-2008

Terrell Owens, Wide Receiver, Multiple Teams, 1996-2010

Kurt Warner, Quarterback, St. Louis Rams, New York Giants and Cardinals, 1998-2009

Morten Andersen, Kicker, Multiple Teams, 1982-2007

Tony Boselli, Offensive Tackle, Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans, 1995-2002

Don Coryell, Coach, St. Louis Cardinals and Chargers, 1977-86

Brian Dawkins, Safety, Philadelphia Eagles and Broncos, 1996-2011

Ty Law, Cornerback, Multiple Teams, 1995-2009

Jason Taylor, Defensive End, Dolphins, Redskins and Jets, 1997-2011

Isaac Bruce, Rams and 49ers, 1994-2009

Kevin Mawae, Seahawks, Jets and Tennessee Titans, 1994-2009

Odds and Ends

Lovers of NFL nostalgia are going to love the fact that both Kurt Warner and Isaac Bruce are included in this year's list of finalists. The two were key cogs in the offensive juggernaut known as the Greatest Show on Turf. 

Along with wideouts Torry Holt and Az-Zahir Hakim—not to mention running back Marshall Faulk—this offense ran roughshod over opposing defenses from 1999 to 2001.

Warner's story is especially interesting because of the former Green Bay Packers castoff and arena football veteran's route to NFL stardom. He was inserted into the lineup after starter Trent Green was injured in 1999 and never looked back. He helped lead the Rams to two Super Bowls, winning one.

Warner also helped the Arizona Cardinals reach the Super Bowl following the 2008 season. For a franchise that had never before achieved such success, even the ensuing loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers represented a notable achievement.

In a way, both of Warner's career-defining campaigns were unexpected.

"I was never supposed to be a part of this conversation, and I am, so I'm going to enjoy every minute of it and we'll see just how it shakes out," Warner said, per Kent Somers of AZCentral.com.

This is Warner's second time as a finalist.

Interestingly, the Greatest Show on Turf has some connections to the two participants in this year's Super Bowl. This was the group that was defeated by the New England Patriots back in 2001—the first of Tom Brady's four Super Bowl victories.

This year's Atlanta Falcons offense, which racked up 33.8 points per game during the regular season, has drawn comparisons to the Greatest Show on Turf, too, though some traditionalists probably don't want to admit it.

While this is Warner's second time as a HOF finalist, it is the first for legendary San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson. It would be more than a mild surprise if Tomlinson doesn't become a first-ballot Hall of Famer this year.

The 11-year veteran racked up an impressive 13,684 rushing yards during his career. He also added 624 receptions for 4,772 more yards to go with 162 total touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl five times and led the NFL in rushing twice.

In many ways, Tomlinson helped redefine the role of the modern NFL running back. His ability to serve as both a runner and a receiver cannot be overstated. While Tomlinson rightfully belongs in the Hall of Fame, he knows it's a tremendous honor.

"I'm trying to block it out," Tomlinson said, per Jack Wang of the Los Angeles Daily News. "But I'll tell you, as the day gets closer, I find myself thinking about that moment: 'What would it feel like? What would it be like?' You can't get any higher than being a Hall of Famer. You can't be any greater. Your race as a football player is over at that point. You are legendary."

We'll be surprised if Tomlinson isn't directly headed to enshrinement by Saturday evening.