CANTON, Ohio -- Emmitt Thomas, who had 58 interceptions for Kansas City, and Marshall Goldberg, a standout two-way player for the Chicago Cardinals in the 1940s, were picked Thursday for the Pro Football Hall of Fame ballot.
The Hall's seniors committee chose them to be among the 17 candidates. The other finalists have not yet been selected.
The bylaws were changed this year to increase from six to seven the number of candidates who can be elected when voting takes place Feb. 2, a day before the Super Bowl.
"I thought there was no way I'd ever get a chance," Thomas said. "Just to be mentioned with these guys who are already in is a great honor. Whatever comes from it, it's still a great honor."
Thomas was a cornerback for the Chiefs for 13 years. He is now the secondary coach for the Atlanta Falcons, and has spent the last 26 seasons as an assistant coach for six NFL teams.
Thomas, signed by Kansas City in 1966 as a free agent from Bishop College, played with the Chiefs when they beat Minnesota 23-7 in the 1970 Super Bowl. That team included Hall of Famers Len Dawson, Buck Buchanan, Willie Lanier, Bobby Bell and Jan Stenerud and was coached by Hall member Hank Stram.
Related news:
Goldberg, a college star at Pitt in the late 1930s, played for the Cardinals for eight seasons and retired in 1948.
In 77 games, he rushed for 1,644 yards and 11 touchdowns, and excelled as a defensive back, intercepting 19 passes. He led the league in kickoff returns in 1941 and 1942 and occasionally returned punts and threw passes.
Goldberg died in 2006 at the age of 88.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
