Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2013: Warren Sapp, Cris Carter, Larry Allen among inductees

On the evening before the Super Bowl, the NFL announced the finalists, and eventually the official Pro Football Hall of Fame: Class of 2013.

Of the highly regarded names excluded from this year's class were Art Modell, Eddie DeBartolo Jr. and Michael Strahan. Modell and DeBartolo were long shots as owners, even though they were two of the best. Strahan is one of the all-time leading sack artists in league history, currently holding the record for most QB takedowns in a single-season (22.5).

The seven men to be inducted were:

Larry Allen, OL

Jonathan Ogden, OL

Warren Sapp, DL

Cris Carter, WR

Curley Culp, OL/DL

Dave Robinson, LB/PK

Bill Parcells, Head Coach

Allen and Ogden were easily two of the best players at their position for the duration of their careers. They were consistent, dominant football players who truly mastered their craft. The Hall continued to tip their hat to the men in the trenches by admitting Sapp and Culp into their prestigious society.

This was one of the most competitive Hall of Fame votes in recent memory, and with some legendary figures not getting in this year, the 2014 class should be even more difficult to decide.