The announcement of the 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Thursday comes with mixed emotions for the 49ers.
Former 49ers defensive tackle Bryant Young and team general manager John Lynch were voted as finalists, while the omission of legendary linebacker Patrick Willis was a shocking development.
Two linebackers made the final 15, but Willis was not among them.
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Sam Mills and Zach Thomas advanced as first-time finalists. Mills, who died in 2005, is in his 18th year of eligibility, while Thomas is in his seventh year of eligibility.
Willis was eligible this year for the first time after retiring following the 2014 season.
Safety Troy Polamalu and wide receiver Reggie Wayne are the only first-time eligible candidates named as finalists on Thursday.
Willis played seven full NFL seasons, during which time he was named to seven Pro Bowl teams and was a five-time first-team All-Pro. He was the 2007 Defensive Rookie of the Year and twice led the NFL in tackles.
San Francisco 49ers
He appeared in just six games before going on injured reserve due to a foot injury during the 2014 season. The next March, he announced his retirement from the NFL at the age of 30. He entered the NFL in 2007 as a first-round draft pick from Ole Miss.
Willis has not second-guessed his decision to retire due to chronic foot pain, calling it "the right time."
The 48-member Hall of Fame board of selectors will meet on the eve of Super Bowl 54 in Miami to elect the five modern-era inductees who will join 15 additional individuals chosen by a blue-ribbon panel as part of the NFL’s centennial enshrinement class.
The panel will meet this month to determine the 10 seniors, three contributors and two coaches that will become part of the Hall of Fame’s one-time expanded class.
Former 49ers running back Roger Craig is one of 20 finalists for 10 spots to be made available for players whose playing careers ended at least 25 years ago.
Young, in his eighth year of eligibility, joins a group of modern-era finalists that includes Lynch, a seven-time Hall of Fame finalist in his eight years of eligibility. Lynch was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection at the safety position in his 15 NFL seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Denver Broncos.
Lynch is one of four safeties to advance to the finalist stage, joining first-time eligible Troy Polamalu, as well as Steve Atwater and LeRoy Butler.
The Stanford alum has served as 49ers general manager for the past three seasons. He is a strong candidate for NFL Executive of the Year, as he built the team's roster into NFC West champions this season with a 13-3 record.
Young and Richard Seymour, formerly of the New England Patriots and Raiders, are the only defensive tackles.
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Wide receiver Isaac Bruce is a finalist for the fourth time in his six years of eligibility. He played his final two NFL seasons with the 49ers in 2008 and ’09.
The group of modern-era players along with contributors and coaches will be formally enshrined on Saturday, Aug. 8, in Canton, Ohio. The 10 seniors will be inducted during Centennial Celebration in Canton on Sept. 16-19.
Here are the 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2020:
Steve Atwater, Safety – 1989-1998 Denver Broncos, 1999 New York Jets
Tony Boselli, Tackle – 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars
Isaac Bruce, Wide Receiver – 1994-2007 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 2008-09 San Francisco 49ers
LeRoy Butler, Safety – 1990-2001 Green Bay Packers
Alan Faneca, Guard – 1998-2007 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2008-09 New York Jets, 2010 Arizona Cardinals
Torry Holt, Wide Receiver – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars
Steve Hutchinson, Guard – 2001-05 Seattle Seahawks, 2006-2011 Minnesota Vikings, 2012 Tennessee Titans
Edgerrin James, Running Back – 1999-2005 Indianapolis Colts, 2006-08 Arizona Cardinals, 2009 Seattle Seahawks
John Lynch, Free Safety – 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos
Sam Mills, Linebacker – 1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers
Troy Polamalu, Safety – 2003-2014 Pittsburgh Steelers
Richard Seymour, Defensive End/Defensive Tackle – 2001-08 New England Patriots, 2009-2012 Oakland Raiders
Zach Thomas, Linebacker – 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys
Reggie Wayne, Wide Receiver – 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts
Bryant Young, Defensive Tackle – 1994-2007 San Francisco 49ers
Editor’s note: Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors.