FOXBORO - A record-setting tight end. A dominating fullback from an era when fullbacks still ran the football. The anchor of an offensive line who earned accolades throughout his career.

It's now in the hands of New England Patriots' fans everywhere to determine which of these three players will be enshrined in the Patriots Hall of Fame this September.

The names (in alphabetical order) of tight end Ben Coates, center Jon Morris and fullback Jim Nance are on the online ballot to determine which will become the 13th member of the Patriots Hall of Fame. Voting at the Patriots' Web site (www.patriots.com) began Thursday and will continue through July 4.

"I thought it was a good cross-section," Patriots' owner Robert Kraft said Thursday at Gillette Stadium of the work of the 23-member nominating committee that chose the three finalists by secret ballot. "I thought these were three great candidates, and it will be interesting to see how the polls come out."

A panel consisting of present and past newspaper and broadcast reporters, team personnel and former players met last month to nominate players or coaches from among those that had been out of the NFL for at least four years, discuss their merits and eventually vote for the three they believed most worthy to proceed to the next step in the selection process. The Patriots' vice president for media relations, Stacey James, tallied the votes and announced the three finalists on Thursday. The Hall at Patriot Place, which has recently added a corporate sponsor in Raytheon, is expected to be ready for a "re-enshrinement" ceremony for all of the Hall of Fame members in September. The shrine adjacent to Gillette Stadium will be filled with state-of-the-art, interactive exhibits featuring not only the enshrined players, but also all things football in New England.

As Kraft said, the nominees span different eras of the franchise's history.

Coates, one of last year's three finalists, played for the Patriots for nine seasons, appearing in 142 games from 1991-99. His 50 total touchdowns rank second in team history, his 490 receptions rank third, and his 5,471 receiving yards are fourth-best. He was also the Patriots' leading receiver five times in a six-year span from 1993-98, and his 96 catches in 1994 set a team record at the time.

Coates was selected to five consecutive Pro Bowls from 1994-98, quite a feat after having been chosen in the fifth round of the 1991 NFL Draft (124th overall) out of tiny Livingstone (S.C.) College.

Morris played for the Patriots for 11 seasons, appearing in 130 games from 1964-74. He earned seven consecutive American Football League All-Star appearances from 1964-70, ranking him second in Patriots' history behind Pro Football Hall of Fame member John Hannah (nine) for postseason all-star appearances. He was selected by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 1964 American Football League draft out of Holy Cross, and continued to excel when he moved to the Detroit Lions in 1975. He retired with the Chicago Bears in 1978.

Morris helped open many of the holes that made Nance such a feared runner in the Patriots' AFL days. Nance, a 19th-round draft pick out of Syracuse in 1965, was the American Football League's Most Valuable Player in 1966, leading the league with 1,458 rushing yards, the highest single-season total in the AFL's 10-year history and a mark that stood as the Patriots' record for 20 years. He was the AFL's leading rusher again in 1967, totaling 1,216 yards.

Nance, who died in 1992, played for the Patriots for seven seasons, appearing in 94 games from 1965-71. His 45 rushing touchdowns are a franchise record, while his 5,323 rushing yards place him second in team history.

As was the case last year, fans will be limited to one vote per registered e-mail address. Wide receiver Stanley Morgan outpolled Coates and running back Ron Burton to become the 12th member of the Hall of Fame in the first season of fan voting.

The winner will join a star-studded lineup of Patriot greats that includes Hannah (inducted in 1991), tackle Bruce Armstrong (2001), linebacker Nick Buoniconti (1992), wide receiver-kicker Gino Cappelletti (1992), defensive end Bob Dee (1993), quarterback Steve Grogan (1995), cornerback Mike Haynes (1994), defensive tackle Jim Lee Hunt (1993), linebacker Steve Nelson (1993), quarterback Vito "Babe" Parilli (1993), linebacker Andre Tippett (1999) and Morgan.

Tippett will become the fourth of those players, and the second to have played his entire career as a Patriot, to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this August. MARK FARINELLA may be reached at 508-236-0315 or via e-mail at mfarinel@thesunchronicle.com