He is one of 17 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2009. The list, announced Tuesday, will be trimmed to a minimum of four and a maximum of seven players or contributors at the Board of Selectors meeting Jan. 31 in Tampa, Fla. At most, five modern-era players can be chosen to go with a maximum of two seniors nominees.

"I'll say it, I was very nervous," Sharpe said. "I'm excited, kind of like the lottery. You can't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket, so this is the last step before the final step. At least I have a one in (17) chance to be one of the guys.

"It's a huge accomplishment just to be on the list, a lot of hard work, it's amazing to be at this point, something my family would be excited about if I were to get that call."

Former Broncos running back Terrell Davis had made the list of 25 semifinalists but did not receive enough votes to make the list of finalists. Davis has been a semifinalist three times.

Sharpe, in his first year of eligibility, joins a marquee list of finalists that includes two other first-time eligibles, cornerback Rod Woodson and defensive end Bruce Smith.

"Rod and I played two years together in Baltimore and when I told him I was thinking about hanging it up the same year he was, we were joking like, 'Wouldn't it be cool to go in the Hall of Fame together?' " Sharpe said. "But that was just joking, I really didn't think about it at all until this year. When I went to (Gary Zimmerman's induction ceremony in August), it hit me. When I went to John's it really didn't dawn on me; I was kind of like finishing up when John (Elway) was going in."

Sharpe, who joined the Broncos in 1990, retired in 2003 as the all-time leader at his position in touchdown catches (62), receiving yards (10,060) and receptions (815). All three records since have been broken by Kansas City tight end Tony Gonzalez.

But in the mid-1990s, Sharpe was considered to be the player who redefined the position with three 1,000-yard receiving seasons in a four-year span.

During the 2008 season, now-former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said of Sharpe: "I'd be shocked if he's not a first-year-

eligible pick. Look it up. Look at the Super Bowls. Look at the stats. Look at wins. Everything you want in a tight end, he's already accomplished."

Sharpe was part of two Super Bowl winners with the Broncos before playing on the Ravens team that won the Super Bowl to close the 2000 season. Sharpe also was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection.

"Right now you really try not to think too much about it, but it can be hard not to think about it once you start," Sharpe said. "There's really nothing you can do, though, you just hope - it's kind of like finishing a class, you've taken the test you hope in the end you've got good enough grades."

Also among the finalists are receiver Cris Carter, center Dermontti Dawson, defensive end Richard Dent, guard Russ Grimm, defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, guard Bob Kuechenberg, guard Randall McDaniel, defensive tackle John Randle, wide receiver Andre Reed, former commissioner Paul Tagliabue, linebacker Derrick Thomas and Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson.

The two senior nominees are receiver Bob Hayes and defensive end Claude Humphrey.

INFOBOX

Comparison shopping

How Shannon Sharpe's career totals - 815 catches, 10,060 yards and 62 touchdowns - compare to tight ends already in the Hall of Fame:

Hall of Famer Catches Yards TDs

Dave Casper 378 5,216 52

Mike Ditka 427 5,812 43

John Mackey 331 5,236 38

Ozzie Newsome 662 7,980 47

Charlie Sanders 336 4,817 31

Jackie Smith 480 7,918 40

Kellen Winslow 541 6,741 45