By By Sean Fraser Jan 7, 2012 in Sports Canton - 17 of the National Football League's all-time best have been named finalists for the Hall of Fame Class of 2012, including a legendary coach, the former owner of one of the most storied franchises, and a slew of on-field greats. Two-time Super Bowl winning head coach Another non-player on the finalist list is Among the other 15 finalists are linebackers Chris Doleman, Kevin Greene, and Charles Haley, defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, and cornerbacks Aeneas Williams and Jack Butler. Offensive linemen Will Shields, Willie Roaf, Dermontti Dawson, and Dick Stanfel represent the big guys who spent their careers in the trenches. Also on the list are modern era running backs Curtis Martin and Jerome Bettis. The list is rounded out by wide receivers Cris Carter, Andre Reed, and Tim Brown. The official Class of 2012 will be announced before Super Bowl XLVI. Every year at playoff time, the NFL announces who they are considering inducting into the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH, and based on the list of this year's finalists, this class will be one of the best.Two-time Super Bowl winning head coach Bill Parcells is among the two first time eligible finalists, along with former Kansas City Chief guard Will Shields. Parcells won his titles as the head coach of the New York Giants, and also coached the Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, and New York Jets. He finished his 22 year career with a win/loss record of 172-130 with one tie, including 13 winning seasons.Another non-player on the finalist list is Edward DeBartolo, Jr. , who bought the San Francisco 49ers in 1977. He went on to build a team that dominated the 1980s, winning four Super Bowls in the decade.Among the other 15 finalists are linebackers Chris Doleman, Kevin Greene, and Charles Haley, defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, and cornerbacks Aeneas Williams and Jack Butler. Offensive linemen Will Shields, Willie Roaf, Dermontti Dawson, and Dick Stanfel represent the big guys who spent their careers in the trenches. Also on the list are modern era running backs Curtis Martin and Jerome Bettis. The list is rounded out by wide receivers Cris Carter, Andre Reed, and Tim Brown.The official Class of 2012 will be announced before Super Bowl XLVI. More about NFL, NFL Hall of fame, finalists, nfl history NFL NFL Hall of fame finalists nfl history