Weeks ago, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the 162 Preliminary Senior Candidates for the Class of 2026, which they then reduced to 52.  The step after was a reduction to 32, and now, a week before the announcement of the Modern Semi-Finalists, we have the nine men who are the official Senior Semi-Finalists for the class of 2026.

The Semi-Finalists are:

Ken Anderson: Quarterback, CIN 1971-86.  Anderson was the consensus MVP in 1981, and the four-time Pro Bowl would pass for 32,838 Yards and 197 Touchdowns.  He was also the 1975 Walter Payton Man of the Year and, historically, led the Cincinnati Bengals to their first Super Bowl.  Anderson was a Modern Finalist in 1996 and 1998.  Ranked #8 on notinhalloffame.com. 

Roger Craig:  Running Back, SFO 1983-90, RAI 1991 & MIN 1992-93.  The first player to accumulate 1,000 Yards Rushing and Receiving, Craig won three Super Bowls, was the Offensive Player of the Year, earned four Pro Bowls, and was a First Team All-Pro.  From Scrimmage, he had 73 Touchdowns and 13,100 Yards.  Craig was a Modern Finalist in 2010 and a Senior Finalist in 2020.  Ranked #15 on notinhalloffame.com.

Henry Ellard: Wide Receiver, RAM 1983-93, WAS 1994-98 & NWE 1998.  Ellard compiled 13,777 Yards and 65 Touchdowns in a career that included leading the NFL in Receiving Yards.  He is also a three-time Pro Bowl and one-time First Team All-Pro.  Ellard has never been a Finalist.  Ranked #64 on notinhalloffame.com.

L.C. Greenwood:  Defensive End, PIT 1969-81.  Greenwood was a vital member of the Steelers' 1970s dynasty that won four Super Bowls.  A six-time Prowl and two-time First Team All-Pro, Greenwood accumulated 78 Sacks, and was a six-time modern Finalist (1991, 1995, 1996, 2002, 2005 & 2006).  Ranked #5 on notinhalloffame.com.

Joe Jacoby: Offensive Lineman, WAS 1981-93.  A famed member of the Hogs, Jacoby was part of all three of Washington’s Super Bowl wins and was a four-time Pro Bowl and two-time First Team All-Pro.  Jacoby is a three-time Finalist (2016, 2017 & 2018).  Ranked #33 on notinhalloffame.com.

Eddie Meador: RAM 1959-70.  Meador is one of the most prolific Defensive Backs in RMS history and was a six-time Pro Bowl and two-time First Team All-Pro.  He amassed a franchise record of 46 Interceptions.  Meador has never been a Finalist.  Ranked #68 on notinhalloffame.com.

Stanley Morgan: NWE 1977-89 & IND 1990.  A four-time Pro Bowl Selection, Stanley Morgan compiled 72 Touchdowns with 10,716 Receiving Yards.  He was also a three-time leader in Yards per Reception.  Morgan has never been a Finalist.  Ranked #266 on notinhalloffame.com.

Steve Tasker: HOU 1985-86 & BUF 1986-97.  Tasker went to four Super Bowls with Buffalo and was a seven-time Pro Bowl Selection.  He has never been a Finalist.  Ranked #144 on notinhalloffame.com.

Otis Taylor: KAN 1965-75. Taylor won two AFL Championships and a Super Bowl with Kansas City, who had 60 TDs and 7,467 Yards From Scrimmage.  He was also a two-time First Team All-Pro.  Taylor has never been a Finalist.  Ranked #32 on notinhalloffame.com.

The group of 32 who did not make it as Semi-Finalists were Dick Anderson (DB), Carl Banks (LB), Maxie Baughan (LB), Bobby Boyd (DB), Charlie Conerly (QB), Isaac Curtis (WR), Lavvie Dilweg (E), Chuck Foreman (RB), Roman Gabriel (QB), Larry Grantham (LB), Cecil Isbel (RB), Harold Jackson (WR),  Lee Roy Jordan (LB), Mike Kenn (OL),  Bob Kuechenberg (OL), Albert Lewis (DB), Jim Marshall (DL), Clay Matthews Jr. (LB),  Tommy Nobis (LB),  Lemar Parrish (DB), Art Powell (SE), Jim Tyrer (OL), Everson Alls (DB), Al Wistert (OL), & Paul “Tank” Younger (FB).

Of note, Maxie Baughan and Jim Tyrer were Finalists last year and were unable to break the Semis this year.  Also, all players who played before 1959 were cut.

We here at notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the candidates who have reached this stage.

The problem with running a Hall of Fame-related website is that many of the big ones we cover all have announcements within months of each other.  The backbone of what we do is list-related, resulting in a long push to revise what we already have, specifically now with our Football and Basketball Lists.

At present, we have a minor update as we have completed the next twenty-five of the 2024 Football List, which you can comment on and vote on:

The new 276 to 300:

276. Keith Millard
277. Derrick Johnson
278. Stanley Morgan
279. Leon Gray
280. David Akers
281. Buster Ramsey
282. Beattie Feathers
283. Russ Francis
284. Carson Palmer
285. Keith Brooking
286. Dennis Smith
287. Frank Cope
288. Charles Mann
289. Ed “Too Tall” Jones
290. Rich Gannon
291. Seth Joyner
292. E.J. Holub
293. Mel Gray
294. Bart Oates
295. Fred Arbanas
296. Michael Vick
297. Bill Stanfill
298. George Svendsen
299. Hanford Dixon
300. Mike Quick 

*Denotes First Year of Eligibility.

Rankings are impacted annually based on your comments and votes.

Thank you all for your patience. We will soon unveil more changes to the football and basketball lists.

A multi-faceted offensive player at Tennessee, Stanley Morgan was taken by the New England Patriots in the First Round of the 1977 Draft and was a prime offensive threat for the Pats for over a decade.

Originally used more as a returner as a rookie, the “Stanley Steamer” emerged as one of the top deep threats in football by his third season.  Quick as lightning, Morgan led the NFL three years in a row in Yards per Reception (1979-81), and was the league-leader in Touchdown Receptions with 12 in 1979.  Excellent in short and long routes, Morgan consistently displayed excellent yardage after first being touched.  Although he helped the Patriots reach the Super Bowl against the untouchable 1985’ Chicago Bears team, Morgan did not have a lot of great players around him to relieve the load, which hampered his overall touches.  Following the Super Bowl loss, Morgan had his third Pro Bowl and fourth Pro Bowl, and remained with the Patriots until 1989.  He retired after a final season as an Indianapolis Colt, leaving with 10,716 yards and 72 TDs.

As of this writing, no player with over 500 Receptions has a higher Yards per Reception than Stanley Morgan.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Season has begun as they have announced the Semi-Finalists for the Senior and Coaches/Contributor categories for the Class of 2024.

The 12-Person Senior Committee named 31 Semi-Finalists.

The 12-Person Coach/Contributor Committee named 29 Semi-Finalists.

The results of these committees will be revealed on July 27.

Here are the nominees:

Senior Committee Nominees:

Ken Anderson: Quarterback, CIN 1971-86: Ranked #8 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Ottis Anderson: Running Back, STL 1979-86 & NYG 1986-92. Ranked #54 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Carl Banks: Linebacker, NYG 1984-92, WAS 1993, CLE 1994-95. Ranked #253 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Maxie Baughan: Linebacker, PHI 1960-65, LAR 1966-70 & WAS 1972. Ranked #14 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Larry Brown: Running Back, WAS 1969-76. Ranked #109 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Mark Clayton: Wide Receiver, MIA 1983-92 & GNB 1993: Ranked #222 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Charlie Conerly: Quarterback, NYG 1948-61: Ranked #23 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Roger Craig: Running Back, SF 1983-90, RAI 1991 & MIN 1992-93: Ranked #7 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Henry Ellard: Wide Receiver, RAM 1983-93, WAS 1994-98 & NWE 1998: Ranked #71 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Randy Gradishar: Linebacker, DEN 1974-83. Ranked #2 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Lester Hayes: Cornerback, OAK/RAI 1977-86. Ranked #15 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Chris Hinton: Offensive Lineman, BAL/IND 1983-89, ATL 1990-03 & MIN 1994-95. Ranked #152 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Cecil Isbell: Tailback, GNB 1938-42: Ranked #59 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Joe Jacoby: Offensive Lineman, WAS 1981-93: Ranked #41 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Billy “White Shoes” Johnson: Wide Receiver & Returner, HOU 1974-80, ATL 1982-87 & WAS 1988: Ranked #110 on Notinhalloffame.com

Mike Kenn: Offensive Lineman, ATL 1978-94. Ranked #85 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Bob Kuechenberg: Offensive Lineman, MIA 1970-83: Ranked #35 on Notinhalloffame.com.

George Kunz: Offensive Lineman, ATL 1969-74 & BAL 1975-80: Ranked #98 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Albert Lewis: Cornerback, KAN 1983-93 & RAI/OAK 1994-98: Ranked #129 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Jim Marshall: Defensive End, MIN 1960-79: Ranked #21 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Clay Matthews Jr.: Linebacker, CLE 1978-93 & ATL 1994-96: Ranked #99 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Steve McMichael: Defensive Tackle & Nose Tackle, NWE 1980, CHI 1981-93 & GNB 1994: Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com

Eddie Meador: Cornerback & Safety, RAM 1959-70. Ranked #81 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Stanley Morgan: Wide Receiver, NWE 1977-89 & NO 1990: Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com

Tommy Nobis: Linebacker, ATL 1966-76, Ranked #27 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Art Powell: Split End, Defensive Back & Wide Receiver, PHI 1959, NYT 1960-62, OAK 1963-66, BUF 1967 & MIN 1968: Ranked #171 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Sterling Sharpe: Wide Receiver, GNB 1988-94: Ranked #28 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Steve Tasker: Special Teams, HOU 1985-86 & BUF 1986-97: Ranked #112 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Otis Taylor: Wide Receiver & Flanker, KAN 1965-75: Ranked #13 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Everson Walls: Cornerback, DAL 1981-89, NYG 1990-92 & CLE 1992-93: Ranked #88 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Al Wistert: Tackle, Guard & Defensive End, 1943-51: Ranked #38 on Notinhalloffame.com.

The Coach/Contributor Finalists are:

Bud Adams Jr.

Roone Arledge

C.O. Brocato

Tom Coughlin

Alex Gibbs

Ralph Hay

Mike Holmgren

Bucko Kilroy

Eddie Kotal

Robert Kraft

Elmer Layden

Jerry Markbreit

Virginia McCaskey

Rich McKay

John McVay

Art Modell

Buddy Parker

Carl Peterson

Dan Reeves

Art Rooney Jr.

Marty Schoenheimer

Jerry Seeman

George Seifert

Mike Shanahan

Clark Shaughnessy

Seymour Siwoff

Jim Tunney

Lloyd Wells

John Wooten

Stanley Morgan was a stud offensive skill player at the University of Tennessee, where he was used mostly as a rusher.  The New England Patriots knew they had something special in Morgan when they used the 25^thOverall Pick in 1977 to land him, but they found that he would be better served as a Wide Receiver.