Pro Football Hall of Fame 2020: Complete List of NFL Inductees to Canton

Five modern-era players were chosen for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2020 on Saturday, led by Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu.

Joining Polamalu in Canton, Ohio, are Indianapolis Colts running back Edgerrin James, Denver Broncos safety Steve Atwater, Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams wide receiver Isaac Bruce and Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings offensive guard Steve Hutchinson.

The five players elected Saturday will be part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Centennial Class, which includes 10 senior players, three contributors and two coaches.

The Blue Ribbon Panel chose wide receivers Harold Carmichael and Mac Speedie; offensive tackles Jim Covert, Winston Hill and Duke Slater; defensive end Ed Sprinkle; defensive tackle Alex Karras; safeties Cliff Harris, Donnie Shell and Bobby Dillon; head coaches Bill Cowher and Jimmy Johnson; NFL Films President Steve Sabol; NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue; and NFL general manager George Young as part of the 20-person class.

All 20 members of the 2020 class will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 8 in Canton as part of the Centennial Celebration.

Here is a closer look at the five modern-era player inductees.

Troy Polamalu

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers (2003-14)

Accolades: Eight-time Pro Bowler, four-time first-team All-Pro, two-time Super Bowl champion, 2010 NFL Defensive Player of the Year

In his first year on the ballot, legendary Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu is heading to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The 2003 first-round pick out of USC spent his entire 12-year NFL career with the Steelers, and he was among the defensive leaders on two Super Bowl-winning teams.

In 158 career regular-season games, Polamalu registered 783 combined tackles, 107 passes defended, 32 interceptions, 12 sacks and 14 forced fumbles. He also returned three interceptions and two fumbles for touchdowns.

His best season came in 2010, when he recorded 63 tackles and seven interceptions en route to being named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Polamalu was also a postseason force, with 64 tackles and three interceptions—including one returned for a touchdown—in 15 career playoff games.

While Polamalu's numbers don't rank high on the all-time lists, the totality of his game makes him one of the greatest safeties ever.

Edgerrin James

MICHAEL CONROY/Associated Press

Teams: Indianapolis Colts (1999-2005), Arizona Cardinals (2006-08), Seattle Seahawks (2009)

Accolades: Four-time Pro Bowler, one-time first-team All-Pro, 1999 Offensive Rookie of the Year

Another member of the famed 2000s Indianapolis Colts is set to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Running back Edgerrin James was in his fourth year as a finalist, and he will join former Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison in Canton, with quarterback Peyton Manning soon to follow—likely when he's eligible next year.

James was an instant star after the Colts took him with the No. 4 overall pick in the 1999 NFL draft out of Miami. He was named the 1999 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after he rushed for 1,553 yards and 13 touchdowns, and he followed that with a career-high 1,709 rushing yards in his second season.

James topped 1,000 rushing yards seven times and rushed for 12,246 yards in his career, which ranks 13th on the all-time list. He also ran for 80 touchdowns, which is 20th all-time.

James was a skilled pass-catcher as well, with 433 receptions for 3,364 yards and 11 touchdowns in his career, making him one of the most prolific receiving backs ever. He also had 1,136 total yards and six touchdowns in 13 career postseason games.

James never reached the Super Bowl with the Colts, but he did play in Super Bowl XLIII as a member of the Cardinals, which Arizona lost 27-23 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Steve Atwater

Peter Brouillet/Getty Images

Teams: Denver Broncos (1989-98), New York Jets (1999)

Accolades: Eight-time Pro Bowler, two-time first-team All-Pro, two-time Super Bowl champion

In his third time as a finalist, former Denver Broncos safety Steve Atwater got in.

He missed just five regular-season games in his 10 campaigns with the Broncos and nine overall during his 11-year career. In 167 regular-season contests, Atwater registered 1,188 tackles (36th since 1987) and 24 interceptions as the leader of the secondary and one of the most punishing hitters ever. 

Atwater also played at a high level during the postseason, as he started all 14 playoff games he played in, including a pair of Super Bowls.

While much of the focus was on quarterback John Elway, running back Terrell Davis and the offense during Denver's 1997 and 1998 Super Bowl runs, Atwater was the anchor for a defense that did its part.

Isaac Bruce

JAMES A. FINLEY/Associated Press

Teams: Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams (1994-2007), San Francisco 49ers (2008-09)

Accolades: Four-time Pro Bowler, one-time Super Bowl champion

Isaac Bruce was elected in his fourth try as a finalist.

Longevity and production were key in his nod, as he played 16 NFL seasons with the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and San Francisco 49ers.

He entered the league as a second-round pick of the Rams out of Memphis in 1994, and by his second NFL season, he was already one of the game's top wideouts. He racked up 119 receptions for 1,781 yards and 13 touchdowns during his sophomore campaign, all of which stood as career highs.

Bruce was with the Rams for 14 seasons and is the franchise's all-time leader in receptions, receiving yardage and receiving touchdowns.

In the Rams' 23-16 win over the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV, Bruce caught six passes for 162 yards and a touchdown—a 73-yard, game-winning score from Kurt Warner with 1:54 remaining.

In 223 career regular-season games, Bruce registered 1,024 receptions for 15,208 yards and 91 touchdowns. He ranks 13th all-time in receptions, fifth in receiving yardage and 12th in receiving touchdowns.

Bruce also dominated in the playoffs, with 44 grabs for 759 yards and four touchdowns in just nine career postseason games.

It has become increasingly difficult for wideouts to reach the Hall of Fame in recent years because of the inflated passing numbers of today's game, but there is little doubt Bruce deserved it.

Steve Hutchinson

Tom Dahlin/Getty Images

Teams: Seattle Seahawks (2001-05), Minnesota Vikings (2006-11), Tennessee Titans (2012)

Accolades: Seven-time Pro Bowler, five-time first-team All-Pro

Longtime NFL guard Steve Hutchinson's third year as a finalist yielded his election.

Hutchinson spent 12 seasons in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans from 2001 to 2012.

Seattle took him with the No. 17 pick of the 2001 NFL draft out of Michigan, and he spent the first five seasons of his career with the Seahawks.

Hutchinson then signed with the Vikings and stayed there for six years before finishing his career with a one-year stint in Tennessee.

He was named to the Pro Bowl in seven straight seasons from 2003 to 2009 and was selected as a first-team All-Pro five times during that stretch.

Overall, Hutchinson appeared in and started 169 career regular-season games and eight playoff contests.
Hutchinson reached Super Bowl XL with the Seahawks at the end of the 2005 season, but they fell 21-10 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In 12 NFL campaigns, Hutchinson was called for just 19 penalties during the regular season.
He was selected as part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's All-2000s Team at guard and will have his bust in Canton as well.