The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced 31 former players who remain in contention for the seniors category for the Class of 2025.
Members of the Hall of Fame’s seniors blue-ribbon committee pared the list from the 60 names they received after a screening committee cast the initial ballots in the selection process.
Each of the 182 former players nominated for election and screened in the opening round of voting last could have appeared in a professional football game in the 1999 season.
The players — 20 offensive and 11 defensive — who remain in consideration for the Class of 2025 are:
QUARTERBACKS (3): Ken Anderson, Charlie Conerly, Jim Plunkett.
RUNNING BACKS (5): Ottis Anderson, Roger Craig, Chuck Foreman, Cecil Isbell, Paul “Tank” Younger.
WIDE RECEIVERS (5): Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, Stanley Morgan, Art Powell, Sterling Sharpe, Otis Taylor.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (7): Ox Emerson, Joe Jacoby, Mike Kenn, Bob Kuechenberg, George Kunz, Jim Tyrer, Al Wistert.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (2): Jim Marshall, Harvey Martin.
LINEBACKERS (5): Carl Banks, Maxie Baughan, Larry Grantham, Clay Matthews Jr., Tommy Nobis.
DEFENSIVE BACKS (4): Lester Hayes, Albert Lewis, Eddie Meador, Everson Walls.
In this step of the process, each committee member voted for 25 players. The top 25 and all other candidates who tied for the 25th position advance to the third phase — the cutdown vote to nine semifinalists. Those results will be determined and announced in about three weeks.
Seniors blue-ribbon committee voters will meet in early December to discuss the playing careers of the nine semifinalists. From the nine, three will advance to the full selection committee as finalists for possible election to the Class of 2025.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 will be announced at NFL Honors in New Orleans in February, the class will be enshrined next August in Canton.
