The Pro Football Hall of Fame unveiled its 25 modern-era semifinalists for the Class of 2019 on Tuesday.
The list includes three first-time candidates: cornerback Champ Bailey, tight end Tony Gonzalez and safety Ed Reed. The semifinalist group also includes three coaches, 13 defensive players and nine offensive players.
Two others -- coach Tom Flores and linebacker Zach Thomas -- although previously eligible for the Hall of Fame, are semifinalists for the first time. All other individuals on the 2019 list have been a semifinalist in previous years.
The following is the list of 2019 Modern-Era semifinalists, including their positions, years and teams. Also listed are the number of times and years the candidate has been named a semifinalist since this reduction vote was added to the Selection Committee Bylaws in 2004.
Be sure to vote for the 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2019 before they are revealed in January.
Steve Atwater, S -- 1989-1998 Denver Broncos, 1999 New York Jets; (Times as a Semifinalist: 8 -- 2012-19)
Champ Bailey, CB -- 1999-2003 Washington Redskins, 2004-2013 Denver Broncos; (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 -- 2019)
Ronde Barber, CB/S -- 1997-2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers; (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 -- 2018-19)
Tony Boselli, T -- 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002 Houston Texans (injured reserve); (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 -- 2016-19)
Isaac Bruce, WR -- 1994-2007 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 2008-09 San Francisco 49ers; (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 -- 2015-19)
LeRoy Butler, S -- 1990-2001 Green Bay Packers; (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 -- 2018-19)
Don Coryell, Coach -- 1973-77 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San Diego Chargers; (Times as a Semifinalist: 11 -- 2005, 2010-19)
Alan Faneca, G -- 1998-2007 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2008-09 New York Jets, 2010 Arizona Cardinals; (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 -- 2016-19)
Tom Flores, Coach -- 1979-1987 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-94 Seattle Seahawks; (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 -- 2019)
Tony Gonzalez, TE -- 1997-2008 Kansas City Chiefs, 2009-2013 Atlanta Falcons; (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 -- 2019)
Torry Holt, WR -- 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars; (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 -- 2015-19)
Steve Hutchinson, G --2001-05 Seattle Seahawks, 2006-2011 Minnesota Vikings, 2012 Tennessee Titans; (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 -- 2018-19)
Edgerrin James, RB -- 1999-2005 Indianapolis Colts, 2006-08 Arizona Cardinals, 2009 Seattle Seahawks; (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 -- 2015-19)
Jimmy Johnson, Coach -- 1989-1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1996-99 Miami Dolphins; (Times as a Semifinalist: 6 -- 2014-19)
Ty Law, CB --1995-2004 New England Patriots, 2005, 2008 New York Jets, 2006-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2009 Denver Broncos; (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 -- 2015-19)
John Lynch, FS -- 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos; (Times as a Semifinalist: 7 -- 2013-19)
Clay Matthews, LB -- 1978-1993 Cleveland Browns, 1994-96 Atlanta Falcons; (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 -- 2012, 2017, 2019)
Kevin Mawae, C/G -- 1994-97 Seattle Seahawks, 1998-2005 New York Jets, 2006-09 Tennessee Titans; (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 -- 2015-19)
Karl Mecklenburg, LB -- 1983-1994 Denver Broncos; (Times as a Semifinalist: 8 -- 2012-19)
Sam Mills, LB -- 1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers; (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 -- 2016, 2019)
Ed Reed, FS -- 2002-2012 Baltimore Ravens, 2013 New York Jets, 2013 Houston Texans; (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 -- 2019)
Richard Seymour, DE/DT -- 2001-08 New England Patriots, 2009-2012 Oakland Raiders; (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 -- 2018-2019)
Zach Thomas, LB -- 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys; (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 -- 2019)
Hines Ward, WR -- 1998-2011 Pittsburgh Steelers; (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 -- 2017-19)
Darren Woodson, S -- 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys; (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 -- 2015, 2017, 2019)
A total of 91 players and 11 coaches were initially named nominees for the Class of 2019.
The list of semifinalists was reduced from an initial group of 103 nominees announced in September. The next step in the selection process comes on Thursday, Jan. 3 when the semifinalists are trimmed to 15 Modern-Era Finalists. That list increases to 18 finalists with the inclusion of the recommended nominees of the Hall of Fame's Contributors and Seniors Committees. The 2019 Contributor Finalists are Pat Bowlen (Owner -- 1984-Present Denver Broncos) and Gil Brandt (Vice President of Player Personnel -- 1960-1988 Dallas Cowboys; Contributor -- 1995-present NFL.com). The Senior Finalist is Johnny Robinson (S -- 1960-1971 Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs).
The Selection Committee will meet on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019, in Atlanta to elect the Class of 2019. While there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the selection process by-laws provide that between four and eight new members will be selected.
The Senior Finalist and Contributor Finalists are voted "yes" or "no" for election at the annual selection meeting and must receive at least 80 percent support from the Committee to be elected. The Modern-Era Finalists will be trimmed during the meeting from 15 to 10 and then from 10 to 5. The remaining five finalists will be voted on individually, "yes" or "no" and must receive the same 80 percent positive vote as the Senior and Contributors Finalists to earn election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Class of 2019 will be revealed during "NFL Honors" the night before Super Bowl LIII.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2019 will be formally enshrined on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019 in Canton, Ohio.
