Contributor, coach and senior finalists announced for Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025

Five individuals have reached the finalist stage in three categories for possible election to the 2025 Class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame presented by Visual Edge IT.

Ralph Hay (contributor), Mike Holmgren (coach), and Maxie Baughan, Sterling Sharpe and Jim Tyrer (seniors) are one step away from being accepted into the next class of Enshrinees. The remaining hurdle still needs to be overcome: approval from at least 80% of the full selection committee members at its annual meeting next year before the class’ unveiling during Super Bowl LIX week in New Orleans, La.

For the first time, finalists from these categories will compete head-to-head as part of the selection process under the bylaws approved by the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Directors earlier this year. Revamping the process will help ensure the exclusivity of inclusion into the game’s most elite community.

Each member of the selection committee may only vote for three of the five finalists. With the revision of the statutes, a maximum of three (3) of this year’s finalists can be chosen. If none of the five people receive 80% support, the person who receives the most support will be elected to the Class of 2025.

Contributing Finalist (1): Ralph Hay

Hay, a car dealer and owner of the Canton Bulldogs from 1918 to 1922, is credited with organizing professional football team owners out of his Canton showroom in 1920 and founding a club that was renamed the National Football League two years later. His supporters said that of all the major professional sports, only football has not yet inducted the person(s) responsible for founding its dominant league(s) into the Hall of Fame.

The other eight semifinalists in the Contributor category this year were KS “Bud” Adams, Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, Robert Kraft, Art Modell, Art Rooney Jr., Seymour Siwoff, Doug Williams and John Wooten.

Coach Finalist (1): Mike Holmgren

Holmgren was head coach in Green Bay from 1992 to 1998 and led the Packers to the playoffs six times in those seven seasons, including with the Seattle Seahawks (1999 to 2008). His overall record of 174-122 includes winning Super Bowl XXXI with the Packers, ending the franchise’s 29-year title drought. He also reached Super Bowl XL after winning the NFC Championship with the Seahawks.

As an assistant, Holmgren also won two Super Bowl rings with the San Francisco 49ers.

The eight other semifinalists in the Coach category this year were Bill Arnsparger, Tom Coughlin, Chuck Knox, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, George Seifert, Mike Shanahan and Clark Shaughnessy.

Senior Finalists (3): Maxie Baughan, Sterling Sharpe, Jim Tyrer

Baughan, an outside linebacker, played from 1960 to 1970 and came out of retirement in 1974 to provide a veteran presence in Washington under longtime mentor George Allen. A nine-time Pro-Bowler, Baughan won an NFL championship with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he played from 1960 to 1965 before moving to the Los Angeles Rams (1966 to 1970).

Sharpe made five Pro Bowls and three first-team All-Pro squads during his seven-year career (1988–94) with the Green Bay Packers, which was cut short due to a neck injury. His 18 touchdown receptions in his final season are still good for third-best in league history. His career record includes 595 receptions for 8,134 yards and 65 touchdowns.

Tyrer was considered one of the dominant offensive players of his time. He was selected as a member of the AFL’s 1960s All-Decade Team and, like Baughan, played in nine AFL All-Star games during his 13-year career with the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs (1961-1973). – a season in Washington (1974). He won a ring as a member of the Super Bowl IV champion Chiefs and was part of three AFL championship teams with the Texans/Chiefs.

Also making it to the semifinals were Ken Anderson, Lester Hayes, Bob Kuechenberg, Albert Lewis, Stanley Morgan and Al Wistert. Players in this category could last have appeared in a professional game in the 1999 season.

Reduction votes also occurred for modern-era players whose careers ended after the 2000 season, with that category currently in the semifinals.

The 25 players still being considered for the Class of 2025 are: quarterback Eli Manning; running backs Fred Taylor and Ricky Watters; wide receivers Anquan Boldin, Torry Holt, Steve Smith Sr., Hines Ward and Reggie Wayne; tight end Antonio Gates; offensive linemen Willie Anderson, Jahri Evans, Richmond Webb, Steve Wisniewski and Marshal Yanda; defense attorneys Eric Allen, Rodney Harrison, Earl Thomas and Darren Woodson; linebackers James Harrison, Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs; defensive linemen Jared Allen, Robert Mathis and Vince Wilfork; and kicker Adam Vinatieri.

The selection will reduce the number to 15 finalists. These names will be announced on December 28th at the Hall of Fame and on NFL Network.

When the Selection Committee meets to select the Class of 2025, a minimum of three and a maximum of five modern-era players, along with finalists (one, two, or three) from the coach/contributor/senior pool will constitute the new class of candidates.

This year’s reduction vote will be conducted via online platforms under the supervision of Ernst & Young LLP. EY’s agreed-upon procedures included validating ballot completeness and tabulating ballots in accordance with bylaws established by the Hall of Fame Board of Directors.

EY has overseen the Hall’s selection process since the Centennial Class of 2020.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2025 graduating class will be announced during the NFL Honors show on Feb. 6 at the Saenger Theater in New Orleans and awarded in August in Canton.