Former Patriots star Richard Seymour will be inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame

The long wait to be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame is finally over for several deserving candidates.

In a year with no sure-fire first-ballot candidates, the panel of voters opted to choose five players who have waited years — or even decades — for the honor with offensive lineman Tony Boselli, linebacker Sam Mills, defensive back LeRoy Butler, and defensive linemen Bryant Young and Richard Seymour all getting the nod in results announced Thursday night.

The five had all come up short as finalists in previous years and been out of the game for between the last nine and 24 seasons but that didn’t diminish their remarkable accomplishments that will send them to Canton for induction this summer.

Seymour had the shortest wait of that group, having retired following the 2012 season and being in his fifth year of eligibility. He joins Ty Law as the only players on the Patriots’ first three title teams in 2001, ‘03 and ‘04 to get voted in so far with others like Tom Brady and Bill Belichick sure to follow.

Seymour was a rookie on that first team and was an integral part of the New England defense for eight seasons before being traded to Oakland. Seymour was a first-team All-Pro from 2003-05, had 57 1/2 career sacks and was member the 2000s all-decade team.

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