Today, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the 12 Finalists in both the Senior and Coach/Contributor categories. The Senior Players were reduced from 31 Semi-Finalists and 29 in the Coach/Contributor category.
The Senior Finalists are:
Ken Anderson: Quarterback, CIN 1971-86: Ranked #8 on Notinhalloffame.com. Anderson is a Finalist once again, and seeks to become the third Bengal to gain enshrinement. He brought the Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance and was the consensus MVP in 1981. Anderson went to four Pro Bowls, was a one-time First Team All-Pro, and also won the coveted Walter Payton Man of the Year. Statistically, he threw for 32,838 Yards, 197 Touchdowns, led the NFL in Passing Yards twice, and Pass Completion Percentage three times.
Maxie Baughan: Linebacker, PHI 1960-65, LAR 1966-70 & WAS 1972. Ranked #14 on Notinhalloffame.com. Baughan went to nine out of 10 Pro Bowls throughout the 1960s, and was also chosen for one First Team All-Pro and five Second Team All-Pros.
Roger Craig: Running Back, SF 1983-90, RAI 1991 & MIN 1992-93: Ranked #7 on Notinhalloffame.com. A three-time Super Bowl Champion with San Francisco, Craig made history as the game’s first player to obtain for 1,000 Rushing Yards and 1,000 Receiving Yards in the same season. He is a four-time Pro Bowl, one-time First Team All-Pro and was the 1988 Offensive Player of the Year.
Randy Gradishar: Linebacker, DEN 1974-83. Ranked #2 on Notinhalloffame.com. Gradishar was the 1978 Defensive Player of the Year and would collect seven Pro Bowls. He is also a two-time First Tea All-Pro.
Joe Jacoby: Offensive Lineman, WAS 1981-93: Ranked #41 on Notinhalloffame.com. Jacoby won three Super Bowls and was a four-time Pro Bowl and two-time First Team All-Pro.
Albert Lewis: Cornerback, KAN 1983-93 & RAI/OAK 1994-98: Ranked #129 on Notinhalloffame.com. Lewis was a Finalist for the first time in his last year on the modern ballot, and is here on his first Senior ballot. The Defensive Back had 42 Interceptions, four Pro Bowls and two First Team All-Pros.
Steve McMichael: Defensive Tackle & Nose Tackle, NWE 1980, CHI 1981-93 & GNB 1994: Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. McMichael is a surprise here, as he was not a Semi-Finalist last year. He won a Super Bowl with Chicago and was a two-time Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro.
Eddie Meador: Cornerback & Safety, RAM 1959-70. Ranked #81 on Notinhalloffame.com. Meador recorded 46 Interceptions and went to six Pro Bowls in the 1960s along with obtaining two First Team All-Pros.
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. Twice leading the AFL in rushing, Powell was a five-time AFL All-Star and two-time First Team All-Pro.
Sterling Sharpe: Wide Receiver, GNB 1988-94: Ranked #28 on Notinhalloffame.com. Sharpe’s career was cut short due to injury, but still managed five Pro Bowls, three First Team All-Pros and twice led the NFL in Receptions. He also once led the NFL in Touchdown Receptions.
Otis Taylor: Wide Receiver & Flanker, KAN 1965-75: Ranked #13 on Notinhalloffame.com. Taylor is a Super Bowl Champion with the Chiefs and he has an AFL All-Star and two Pro Bowls on his ledger. He was also the NFL’s leading receiver in Yards in 1971.
Al Wistert: Tackle, Guard & Defensive End, 1943-51: Ranked #38 on Notinhalloffame.com. Wistert won two NFL Championships with the Eagles and was honored with four First Team All-Pro Selections.
This means that the following did not advance:
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.
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.
Henry Ellard: Wide Receiver, RAM 1983-93, WAS 1994-98 & NWE 1998: Ranked #71 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.
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.
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.
Stanley Morgan: Wide Receiver, NWE 1977-89 & NO 1990: Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com
Tommy Nobis: Linebacker, ATL 1966-76, Ranked #27 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Steve Tasker: Special Teams, HOU 1985-86 & BUF 1986-97: Ranked #112 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Everson Walls: Cornerback, DAL 1981-89, NYG 1990-92 & CLE 1992-93: Ranked #88 on Notinhalloffame.com.
The Coach/Contributor Finalists are:
Tom Coughlin: Coughlin won a Super Bowl with the Giants as an Assistant Coach, and was later Jacksonville’s first Head Coach. After taking the Jaguars to two AFC Championship Games, he would become the Giants Head Coach in 2004, and would win two Super Bowls. He had an overall coaching record of 170-150.
Mike Holmgren: Holmgren coached the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1998 and would lead them to a Super Bowl Championship. He later served as Seattle’s Head Coach from 1999 to 2008 and lead them to a Super Bowl Appearance. Holmgren also has two Super Bowl Rings as an Assistant Coach and has an overall record of 151-111.
Bucko Kilroy: Kilroy won three Super Bowls as an executive with New England, and before that he was a scout in the 1960s, helping Philadelphia, Washington and Dallas find talent.
Robert Kraft: Kraft is the long-time owner of the New England Patriots, having bought the team in 1994. Since his acquisition, the Patriots became one of the most successful franchises in Football, winning six Super Bowls.
Buddy Parker: Parker was Detroit’s Head Coach from 1951 to 1955, where he led them to two NFL Championships. He was also Pittsburgh’s Head Coach from 1957 to 1964 and had an overall record of 104-75-9.
Dan Reeves: Reeves was the Head Coach for Denver from 1981 to 1992, and brought them to three Super Bowls, though they were unable to defeat their NFC opponents. He was later the Giants Head Coach (1993-96) and then took over in Atlanta (1997-03) and brought them to their first Super Bowl, though he lost to his former team, Denver. His overall record was 190-165-2.
Art Rooney Jr.: A member of the legendary Rooney family that has always owned the Pittsburgh Steelers, Rooney Jr. is the current Vice President and former Personnel Director.
Marty Schottenheimer: Schottenheimer was the Head Coach for four different teams (Cleveland 1984-88, Kansas City 1989-96, Washington 2001 & San Diego (2002-06), and had an overall record of 200-126-1.
Mike Shanahan: Shanahan was Denver’s Head Coach from 1995 to 2006, and it was under his watch that the Broncos won their first two Super Bowls. He also has a Super Bowl Ring as an Assistant Coach with San Francisco. His overall record was 170-138.
Clark Shaughnessy: Shaughnessy had a long career in both College and the pro ranks, the latter where he was an Assistant Coach and Consultant for Washington, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Lloyd Wells: Wells was football’s first full-time African-American Scout and he focused on HBCUs in a career with the Kansas City Chiefs.
John Wooten: Wooten won two Super Bowls; one with Dallas and one with Baltimore, for his roles as a scouting executive.
This means that Bud Adams Jr., Roone Arledge, C.O. Brocato, Alex Gibbs, Ralph Hay, Eddie Kotal, Elmer Layden, Jerry Markbreit, Virginia McCaskey, Rich McKay, John McVay, Art Modell, Carl Peterson, Jerry Seeman, George Seifert, Seymour Siwoff and Jim Tunney did not advance.
The respective committees will meet next month, and announce their Finalists at a date to be determined.
We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate all the Finalists for the 2024 Class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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