The Browns did well for themselves in the first unveiling of spots on the NFL’s All-Time Team, and they could very well add a few more Friday.
Cleveland has two finalists vying for one of the 14 spots that will be named Friday at 8 p.m. on NFL Network. Bill Willis and Len Ford, both of whom starred for the Browns during their championship runs of the 1940s and 50s, are among the 33 defensive line finalists.
The Browns did not have any finalists for the 12 linebacker spots that also will be revealed Friday.
Willis, a 1977 Hall of Fame inductee and one of the NFL's first African-American players, was a member of the original Browns in 1946 and played with the team until 1953. He was named All-AAFC in three straight seasons from 1946-1948, first-team All-Pro from 1951-1953 and made Pro Bowls in each of his first four NFL seasons in 1950-1953. Willis' tackle of Gene Roberts in the 1950 NFL Championship helped clinch the game for the Browns.
Ford, a 1976 Hall of Fame inductee, played for the Browns from 1950-57 after beginning his career with the Los Angeles Dons. He collected first-team All-Pro honors four times from 1951-1954 and played in four Pro Bowls. Ford won three NFL Championships in Cleveland and was a star in the 1954 title game with two interceptions.
Last week, the Browns accounted for two of the 12 running backs -- Jim Brown and Marion Motley -- to make the All-Time team. Legendary coach Paul Brown and former coach Bill Belichick were the first two of 10 coaches named to the team.
Here's the competition Ford and Willis will face on the defensive line.
Doug Atkins
Willie Davis
Carl Eller
Bill Hewitt
Deacon Jones
Howie Long
Gino Marchetti
Julius Peppers
Andy Robustelli
Lee Roy Selmon
Bruce Smith
Michael Strahan
DeMarcus Ware
J.J. Watt
Reggie White
Jack Youngblood
Junious "Buck" Buchanan
Curley Culp
Art Donovan
Joe Greene
Cortez Kennedy
Bob Lilly
Gene "Big Daddy" Lipscomb
Leo Nomellini
Merlin Olsen
Alan Page
John Randle
Warren Sapp
Tom Sestak
Ernie Stautner
Randy White
