For years Eddie DeBartolo Jr. has been close to enshrinement into the Hall of Fame but has always been left out. I thought that his chances of getting in were getting slimmer. He’s been a presenter for some of the inductees and those men have called for his enshrinement as well.

Now as he is a finalist for the contributor category, there is a good chance he gets into the Hall of Fame. He helped lead the 49ers dynasty with five Super Bowl titles and had such a major influence during that time period. When talking about owners in the NFL, DeBartolo is one of the greatest — if not the greatest.

He made major contributions to the league and to the 49ers. The way he handled the team and the success is unmatched and I am still shocked he’s not in. But now with this news, there is a good chance.

DeBartolo doesn’t have to compete with former players for enshrinement. He’s in this separate category and there is a likelihood he will get enough votes.

We won’t count the chickens before they hatch, but all signs point to a very happy Eddie DeBartolo the night before the Super Bowl. I expect it.