A pair of former Chargers are among the seniors who advance in the voting process for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026.
Walt Sweeney and Jack Kemp were named as 52 seniors who have advanced to potentially be among the three finalists.
Sweeney, the No. 2 overall pick in 1963 AFL Draft out of Syracuse, played guard for the Chargers from 1963 to 1973.
An AFL champion as a rookie, Sweeney was a two-time First-Team All-AFL selection in 1967 and 1968, and was a two-time Second-Team All-AFL selection in 1965 and 1969.
A six-time AFL All-Star, Sweeney was also a three-time Pro Bowler who was named to the Second-Team AFL All-Time Team. He is also a member of the Chargers Hall of Fame and was on the Chargers 50th Anniversary Team.
Kemp played quarterback for the Bolts in 1960 and 1961, leading the team to a division title in each season.
He threw for 5,996 yards and 37 touchdowns in 30 total games (28 starts) for the Chargers.
The class will be reduce to 25 later this year in another round of voting.
In terms of Modern-Era nominees, Philip Rivers and Drew Brees are among those eligible for the Class of 2026.
