Steelers Guard Alan Faneca Voted into Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2021

Steelers offensive line great Alan Faneca has been selected as part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021, Hall of Fame president David Baker revealed on the NFL Honors show Saturday night.

Faneca, 44, was a finalist for the sixth time. He is the 25th player, coach or contributor primarily associated with the Pittsburgh Steelers to be selected to the Hall of Fame.

Faneca played guard for the Steelers from 1998-2007 after being selected by the team in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft out of LSU.

Faneca was one of the most dominant offensive linemen of his era, and was chosen to participate in nine Pro Bowls and was an eight-time All-Pro. He is a member of the NFL’s 2000s All-Decade Team and won Super Bowl XL with the Steelers.

Longtime Steelers beat writer Ed Bouchette of The Athletic made the case for Faneca’s enshrinement to the 48-member voting committee.

“Not only was his career long, but it was dominant,” Bouchette said.

The voting committee is made up of one media representative from each pro football city and 16 at-large members. Finalists must have received at least 80 percent of the vote to be selected.

Faneca was among six Steelers players nominated in the class. Wide receiver Hines Ward was a semifinalist, but did not make the cut to finalist. Kicker Gary Anderson, nose tackle Casey Hampton, tight end Heath Miller and outside linebacker Joey Porter did not advance to the second round of the process, as the 130 nominees were trimmed to 25 semifinalists.

Former Steelers scout Bill Nunn was selected as the contributor finalist in the class and was also voted in. The Class of 2021 will be enshrined at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio on Aug. 8, 2021.

Former Steelers coach Bill Cowher and safeties Troy Polamalu and Shell will also be enshrined this August as members of the Class of 2020, whose enshrinement was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.