The Pro Football Hall of Fame is inching closer to knocking on the door of a select few and welcoming them to immortality. On Wednesday, the Hall announced that it had reduced its list of prospective candidates for the Class of 2025 to 25 modern-era player semifinalists. That group includes six former players in their first year of eligibility and also features 17 players who were semifinalists for the Class of 2024.
Here’s the quick rundown of which modern-era players are still in the running to possibly don a gold jacket and punch their ticket to Canton: Eric Allen (CB), Jared Allen (DE), Willie Anderson (OT), Anquan Boldin (WR), Jahri Evans (OG), Antonio Gates (TE), James Harrison (LB), Rodney Harrison (S), Torry Holt (WR), Luke Kuechly (LB), Eli Manning (QB), Robert Mathis (DE/LB), Steve Smith Sr. (WR), Terrell Suggs (LB/DE), Fred Taylor (RB), Earl Thomas (DB), Adam Vinatieri (PK), Hines Ward (WR), Ricky Watters (RB), Reggie Wayne (WR), Richmond Webb (T), Vince Wilfork (DT), Steve Wisniewski (OG), Darren Woodson (S), and Marshal Yanda (OL).
Kuechly, Manning, Suggs, Thomas, Vinatieri, and Yanda are the six players who have been named semifinalists in their first year of eligibility, with each of them playing their final game in 2019. Meanwhile, Webb is a first-time semifinalist after retiring from the NFL after the 2002 season. Wisniewski is a semifinalist for the second time after last playing in 2001. The last time he reached this stage was when he was bidding to join the Class of 2014.
This group was reduced from an initial group of 167 nominees who were announced back in September. With this stage of the process complete, the Selection Committee will whittle down this group again to 15 finalists, who will be announced in December. In all, 20 finalists (15 modern-era players, three seniors, one coach, and one contributor) will be presented to the committee in the lead-up to Super Bowl LIX.
There is no set number for a given Hall of Fame class, but the bylaws do stipulate that between four and eight new members will be selected. They will be revealed as the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 at this year’s “NFL Honors” in New Orleans.
