Nine individuals who contributed to the sport of professional football in varied ways have been named as Semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2025 presented by Visual Edge IT.
Members of the Contributor Blue-Ribbon Committee made their selections from a field of 25 in their most recent reduction vote. The committee will discuss the Semifinalists at length when it meets virtually Nov. 12 to select one Finalist for the full Selection Committee to consider for possible election with the new class of enshrinees.
The nine Semifinalists in the Contributor category this year are: K.S. "Bud" Adams, Ralph Hay, Frank "Bucko" Kilroy, Robert Kraft, Art Modell, Art Rooney Jr., Seymour Siwoff, Doug Williams and John Wooten.
Kilroy, Kraft, Rooney and Wooten reached this point in the selection process last year, when coaches and contributors were in the same category. The Hall of Fame's Board of Directors voted earlier this year to separate the groups and send one Finalist from each through to the annual selection meeting to determine the new class.
Here are brief bios on the nine Semifinalists:
- K.S. "Bud" Adams: During his 54 years as founder, owner, Chairman of the Board, president and CEO of the Titans/Oilers franchise, Adams was a pivotal figure in the formation of the AFL and its merger with the NFL.
- Ralph Hay: Owned the Canton Bulldogs from 1918-1922 and hosted the NFL's formational meeting in his automobile dealership in downtown Canton.
- Frank "Bucko" Kilroy: Worked in player personnel and scouting for the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys. He was the Patriots' general manager from 1979 to 1982 and vice president from 1983 to 1993.
- Robert Kraft: Owner, chairman and CEO of the New England Patriots since 1994. His teams have won six Super Bowls. Key member of several influential NFL owners' committees.
- Art Modell: Owner of the Cleveland Browns from 1961-1995 and Baltimore Ravens from 1996-2011. Key figure in transformational broadcast deals between NFL and networks.
- Art Rooney Jr.: Employed with the Steelers since 1961, from 1964 through 1986, worked in the Steelers' Scouting Department. Currently a Steelers vice president and member of the Board of Directors.
- Seymour Siwoff: Owner and president of Elias Sports Bureau, the official statisticians of the NFL, from 1952-2019.
- Doug Williams: Career with Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1978-1982) and Washington Redskins (1986-89) included historic moment as first Black quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl (XXII) with an MVP performance; credited with creating opportunities for future Black athletes.
- John Wooten: Director of pro scouting for the Dallas Cowboys from 1975 to 1991. Created player development programs for the NFL in 1991. Vice president/player personnel for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1992 and assistant director of pro/college scouting for the Baltimore Ravens until his retirement in 2002. In 2003, became chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, a position he held until 2019.
Reduction votes also are occurring in the Modern-Era Players, Seniors and Coach 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.
