Exactly 50 Modern-Era Players have advanced in the voting process for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 presented by Visual Edge IT. Candidates for the Hall in this category last could have appeared in a professional football game in the 2019 season.
Each member of the Modern-Era Players Screening Committee, a new entity created this year to add additional input around the overall selection process, cast a ballot for 50 individuals from a list of 167 nominees consisting of 94 offensive players, 56 defensive players and 17 special teamers. If any player(s) had tied for the 50th position, he would have remained eligible for the Class of 2025, but that did not occur this year.
The 50 Modern-Era Players who remain eligible for election with the Class of 2025 are:
(Italics indicate Finalist for the Class of 2024. Bold indicates first year of eligibility.)
- QUARTERBACKS (2): Eli Manning, Steve McNair
- RUNNING BACKS (6): Shaun Alexander, Tiki Barber, Eddie George, Marshawn Lynch, Fred Taylor, Ricky Watters
- WIDE RECEIVERS (6): Anquan Boldin, Torry Holt, Jimmy Smith, Steve Smith Sr., Hines Ward, Reggie Wayne
- TIGHT ENDS (2): Ben Coates, Antonio Gates
- OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (12): Willie Anderson (T), Lomas Brown (T), Ruben Brown (G), Jahri Evans (G), Olin Kreutz (C), Logan Mankins (G), Jeff Saturday (C), Joe Staley (T), Richmond Webb (T), Erik Williams (T), Steve Wisniewski (G), Marshal Yanda (G)
- DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (8): John Abraham (DE also LB), Jared Allen (DE), Robert Mathis (DE), Haloti Ngata (DT), Simeon Rice (DE), Neil Smith (DE), Vince Wilfork (DT/NT), Kevin Williams (DT)
- LINEBACKERS (5): Cornelius Bennett, London Fletcher, James Harrison, Luke Kuechly, Terrell Suggs
- DEFENSIVE BACKS (6): Eric Allen (CB), Kam Chancellor (S), Rodney Harrison (S), Earl Thomas (S), Troy Vincent (CB), Darren Woodson (S)
- SPECIAL TEAMS (3): Gary Anderson (K), Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB), Adam Vinatieri (K)
In the next step of the process, each member of the Hall of Fame’s full Selection Committee will review the above list and cast a vote for the 25 nominees each believes should advance to the Semifinalist stage. The names of the 25 Semifinalists (plus ties if any for the 25th position) will be announced in about four weeks.
Reduction votes also are occurring in the Seniors, Coach and Contributor categories. Eventually, 20 Finalists will be presented at the Selection Committee’s annual meeting next year in advance of Super Bowl LIX: 15 Modern-Era Players, three Seniors, one Coach and one Contributor.
While there is no set number for any class of Enshrinees, the Hall of Fame’s selection process bylaws stipulate that between four and eight new members will be selected.
This year's reduction voting is being completed via online platforms with oversight from the firm Ernst & Young LLP. EY’s Agreed-Upon Procedures included validating the completeness of the ballots and tabulating the ballots in accordance with the bylaws established by the Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors.
EY has overseen the Hall’s selection process since the Centennial Class of 2020.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 will be announced at “NFL Honors” in New Orleans, La., in February and enshrined in August in Canton.