The NFL announced the potential candidates for 2012 Hall of Fame class Wednesday night.

The list of first-time eligible players includes Keyshawn Johnson, Tiki Barber, Rod Smith, Will Shields, Drew Bledsoe, Troy Vincent, Mike Vanderjagt and Stephen Davis. Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher is also eligible for the first time. Other coaches eligible include Bill Parcells and Marty Shottenheimer.

In total, there are 103 former players and coaches eligible for the 2012 Hall of Fame Class. Voting will take place the day before the Super Bowl in February. The selection committee will pick 25 semifinalists from the original list in November. That list will go down to 15 modern-era finalists by early January.

There will be between four and seven enshrinees chosen on February 4, and they will be officially inducted in Canton, Ohio in August during the annual Hall of Fame Game to kickoff the preseason.

Players and coaches must be retired from the league for five years to be eligible for enshrinement in the Hall of Fame.

Contact Terrance Harris at terrancefharris@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @Terranceharris

(Photos, from left:  Bryan Bedder/Getty Images, Michael Buckner/Getty Images)