The Pro Football Hall of Fame last year made a significant change to its selection process, and its intent to limit the number of annual inductees — thus making it more of an elite honor — immediately took effect.

The number of Pro Football Hall of Fame members who played at Alabama high schools and colleges will remain at 16 as cornerback Eric Allen, defensive end Jared Allen, tight end Antonio Gates and wide receiver Sterling Sharpe enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Shannon, who became the 267th Hall of Famer, propelled by the three Super Bowl rings he won with the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens, went on to urge the Hall of Fame’s selection committee to take up the case for his brother.