Former Broncos Steve Atwater and John Lynch took the next step toward induction in the Pro Football Hall of Fame when they were named Modern-Era semifinalists for the Class of 2020 on Tuesday.

The Hall of Fame will narrow the list of 25 semifinalists to 15 finalists in early January. The Hall of Fame's selection committee will then select five Modern-Era players on Feb.1 for induction into the Hall. Those five men will comprise a portion of a special 20-person Centennial Class, which includes 10 senior players, three contributors and two coaches.

Atwater, a nine-time semifinalist and two-time finalist, and Lynch, an eight-time semifinalist and six-time finalist, were both finalists for the Class of 2019.