We at Notinhalloffame.com love that November is the peak of “Hall of Fame Season,” where debates run wild and cut-downs amp up.
Less than 48 hours after the Baseball Hall of Fame unveiled its official 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the Semi-Finalists for the Class of 2025.
Two months ago, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the 167 Preliminary Modern candidates for the Class of 2025, and this year, a special committee was tasked with reducing this group to 50 for the first vote. These are the 25 Semi-Finalists.
*Means they were a Finalist last year
**Means they are eligible for the first time.
Let’s examine this group by position.
Quarterbacks (1):
**Eli Manning: NYG 2005-19. Manning went to two Super Bowls and won them, as did the Super Bowl MVPs. A four-time Pro Bowl and Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, Manning passed for 57,023 Yards and 366 Touchdowns.
It is no shock to see Manning here as the lone Quarterback, but his candidacy has some flaws. Manning was never considered among the best three at QB in any year, and his overall record is .500. If Eli makes the Finals, look for his name to be the hottest debated. Ranked #99 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Running Backs (2):
*Fred Taylor: JAX 1998-2008 & NWE 2009-10. Taylor was a Pro Bowl Selection in 2007, and he accumulated 14,079 Yards from Scrimmage with 11,695 yards on the ground. He also had 74 Touchdowns. Ranked #167 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ricky Watters: SFO 1992-01, SFO, PHI, SEA. Watters was a Super Bowl Champion with the 49ers and would go to the Pro Bowl in his first five years in the NFL. He would lead the NFL in Yards from Scrimmage in 1996 and would have 14,891 in total. Ranked #47 on Notinhalloffame.com.
It was a mild shock not to see Marshawn Lynch make it as a semi-finalist. Tiki Barber and Eddie George also fell off, which was surprising, as they were semi-finalists last year, and it is rare that someone falls off that tier.
Wide Receivers (5)
Anquan Boldin: ARI 2003-09, BAL 2010-12 & SFO 2014-15 & DET 2016. A three-time Pro Bowl Selection and AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, Boldin had seven 1,000 Yard Receiving seasons, tallying 13,779 in total with 82 Touchdowns. He is also a past winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Year (2015) and Alan Page Community Award. Ranked #83 on Notinhalloffame.com.
**Torry Holt: STL 1999-2008 & JAX 2009. A Super Bowl Champion with the St. Louis Rams, Holt went to seven Pro Bowls and led the NFL in Receiving Yards twice (2000 & 2003). The one-time First Team All-Pro finished his career with 13,382 Yards and 74 TDs. Holt has been a multi-time Finalist. Ranked #6 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Steve Smith Sr.: 2001-16, CAR, BAL. Smith led the NFL in Receptions (103), Receiving Yards (1,563), and Receiving Touchdowns (12) in 2005, and he was a two-time First Team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler. Smith accumulated 14,731 Yards with 81 TDs and was a previous Semi-Finalist. Ranked #24 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Hines Ward: PIT 1998-2011. Ward won two Super Bowls with the Steelers and was the MVP in one of them. A multi-time Semi-Finalist, he has four consecutive Pro Bowls (2001-04), 85 Touchdowns, and 12,083 Yards on his resume. Ranked #45 on Notinhalloffame.com.
**Reggie Wayne: IND 2001-12. Wayne was a career Colt, winning a Super Bowl there while earning six Pro Bowls and a First Team All-Pro. He led the NFL in Receiving Yards in 2007 (1,510) and has significantly more Yards (14,345) than any other Preliminary candidate. He also has 82 Touchdowns. Ranked #11 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Tight Ends (1)
*Antonio Gates: SDG 2003-16 & LAC 2017-18. Gates went to the Pro Bowl every year from 2004 to 2011 and was a three-time First Team All-Pro. A Finalist last year, he had 116 Touchdowns and 11,841 Yards. It was a mild surprise that he was not inducted in the previous year. Ranked #1 on Norinhalloffame.com.
Offensive Lineman (5):
*Willie Anderson (T): CIN 1996-2007 & BAL 2008. Anderson was chosen for four Pro Bowls in a row (2003-06), with his last three being First Team All-Pro worthy. Anderson has been a Finalist for the previous two years. Ranked #115 on Notinhalloffame.com.
*Jahri Evans (G): NOR 2006-16 & GNB 2017. Evans went to six consecutive Pro Bowls (2009-14) and was a First Team All-Pro in the first four. He is also a Super Bowl Champion with the Saints. Ranked #33 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Richmond Webb (T): MIA 1990-2000 & CIN 2001-02. Webb was a Pro Bowl Selection in his first seven seasons, with two earning First Team All-Pro nods. He was also named the Sporting News and the UPI Rookie of the Year. Ranked #48 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Steve Wisniewski (G): EAI 1989-94 & OAK 1995-2001. A previous Semi-Finalist, Wisniewski played his entire career with the Raiders, and he was an eight-time Pro Bowl and two-time First Team All-Pro. Ranked #21 on Notinhalloffame.com.
*Marshal Yanda (G): BAL 2007-19. A Super Bowl Champion with Baltimore, Yanda went to eight Pro Bowls with two First Team and five Second Team All-Pros. Ranked #3 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Defensive Linemen (3)
**Jared Allen (DE): KAN 2004-07, MIN 2008-13, CHI 2014-15, CAR 2015. Allen twice led the NFL in Sacks (2007 & 2011) and would have 136.0 in total. Allen also was the 2011 runner-up for the AP Defensive Player of the Year, though he did win the Sporting News DPOY. In his first four years of eligibility, Allen was a Finalist, a five-time Pro Bowler, and a First Team All-Pro in four of those years. Ranked #18 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Robert Mathis (DE, Also LB): IND 2003-16. Mathis won a Super Bowl with the Colts, thrice led the NFL in Forced Fumbles, and is the all-time leader in that category with 54. He had 123 career Sacks, leading the NFL in that category in 2013 with 19, and also earning his only First-Team All-Pro with a second-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Mathis went to five Pro Bowls. Ranked #108 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Vince Wilfork (DT/NT): NWE 2002-14, HOU 2015-16. A prior semi-finalist, Wilfork won two Super Bowls with the Patriots while individually earning five Pro Bowls and one First Team All-Pro. Ranked #140 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Linebackers: (3)
James Harrison: PIT 2002, 2003-12 & 2017 -17, CIN 2013, NWE 2017. Harrison won two Super Bowls with the Steelers and had a five-year streak of Pro Bowls from 2007 to 2011. The two-time First Team All-Pro won the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year Award and is a previous Semi-Finalist. Ranked #42 on Notinhalloffame.com.
**Luke Kucchly: CAR 2012-19. Kuechly is a strong contender to enter Canton on his first year of eligibility as he is a former Defensive Rookie of the Year (2012) and Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. A two-time leader in Combined Tackles, Kuechly was a seven-time Pro Bowl and five-time First Team All-Pro. Ranked #2 on Notinhalloffame.com.
*Terrell Suggs (Also DE): BAL 2003-18, ARI 2019 & KAN 2019. Suggs was the 2003 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, and eight years later, he was the consensus Defensive Player of the Year. He went to seven Pro Bowls, was a one-time First Team All-Pro, and compiled 139 Sacks, 202 Tackles for Loss, and 200 Quarterback Hits. He was also a huge part of Baltimore’s second Super Bowl, and as a veteran, he retired, winning a second one with Kansas City. Ranked #13 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Defensive Backs: (4)
*Eric Allen (CB): 1988-01, PHI, NOR, OAK. Allen secured 54 Interceptions and 787 Tackles and would have six Pro Bowl Seasons, with one earning a First Team All-Pro Selection and a UPI Defensive Player of the Year Award. He was a Finalist last year. Ranked #46 on Notinhalloffame.com.
*Rodney Harrison (S): SFG 1994-2002 & NWE 2003-08. Harrison won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and was a Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro twice. He would have 34 career Interceptions, 30.5 Sacks, and 1,206 Combined Tackles. Ranked #150 on Notinhalloffame.com.
**Earl Thomas (S): SEA 2010-18 & BAL 2019. A seven-time Pro Bowler, Thomas was selected for three straight First Team All-Pros (2012-14) and won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks. The Safety had 30 Interceptions and 713 Tackles. Ranked #8 on Notinhalloffame.com.
*Darren Woodson (S): DAL 1992-03. Woodson was part of the Cowboys’ three Super Bowl Titles in the early 90s, a five-time Pro Bowl and three-time First Team All-Pro. He has been a Semi-Finalist multiple times before and has 23 career Interceptions with 11 Sacks and 967 Combined Tackles. Ranked #70 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Special Teams: (1)
**Adam Vinatieri PK: NWE 1996-2005 & IND 2006-19. Entering his first year on the ballot, Vinatieri was a clutch performer who won four Super Bowls and was a three-time First Team All-Pro. He is the all-time leader in Points Scored (2,673) and Field Goals Made (599). Ranked #93 on Notinhalloffame.com.
The following players failed to advance from 50 to 25.
QB. Steve McNair: HOU 1995-97, TEN 1997-2005 & BAL 2006-07. In 1999, Steve McNair quarterbacked the Tennessee Titans to their first Super Bowl appearance, and in 2003, he was the AP MVP. A three-time Pro Bowler, McNair threw for 31,204 Yards and 174 Touchdowns and rushed for 3,590 Yards and 37 TDs. Ranked #125 on Notinhalloffame.com.
RB. Shaun Alexander: SEA 2000-08 & WAS 2008. Alexander went to three straight Pro Bowls (2003-05), and in the last one, he won the Rushing Title (1,880) and was named the consensus MVP. Alexander twice led the NFL in Rushing Touchdowns and retired with 10,973 Yards From Scrimmage and 112 Touchdowns. Ranked #81 on Notinhalloffame.com.
RB. Tiki Barber: NYG 1997-06. Barber played the entirety of his career with the Giants, where he went to the Pro Bowl in his final three seasons. He led the NFL in Yards from Scrimmage twice, and in the second of those years (2005), he was a First Team All-Pro and fourth in AP MVP voting. Barber rushed for 10,449 Yards and had 5,183 Receiving Yards with 67 TDs from Scrimmage. Ranked #153 on Notinhalloffame.com.
RB. Eddie George: HOU 1996, TEN 1997-2003 & DAL 2004. George went to four straight Pro Bowls (1997-2000) and was a First Team All-Pro in 2000. He would rush for 10,441 Yards and had 12,688 Yards from Scrimmage with 78 TDs. Ranked #174 on Notinhalloffame.com.
**RB. Marshawn Lynch: BUF 2007-10, SEA 2011-15 & 2019 & OAK 2018. Lynch propelled Seattle to a Super Bowl and was a two-time leader in Rushing Touchdowns. “Beast Mode” went to five Pro Bowls, earned a First Team All-Pro, and had 12,627 Yards from Scrimmage with 94 TDs. Ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
WR. Jimmy Smith: DAL 1992, JAX 1995-2005. Smith was chosen for five consecutive Pro Bowls (1997-01), and in 1999, he led the NFL in Receptions (116). He would retire with 12,287 Receiving Yards and 67 Touchdowns. Ranked #165 on Notinhalloffame.com.
TE. Ben Coates: NWE 1991-99 & BAL 2000. Coates was a Pro Bowler for five straight years from 1994 to 1998 and was a two-time First Team All-Pro. He would accumulate 5,555 Yards with 50 Touchdowns. Ranked #106 on Notinhalloffame.com.
OL. Lomas Brown (T): DET 1985-95 ARI 1996-98, CLE 1999, NYG 2000-01 & TAM 2002. Brown had seven straight Pro Bowls (1990-96), and in his last season in the NFL, he would win a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay. Ranked #152 on Notinhalloffame.com.
OL. Ruben Brown (G): BUF 1995-2003 & CHI 2004-07. Brown was a nine-time Pro Bowl Selection who started his 181 Games. Ranked #119 on Notinhalloffame.com.
OL. Olin Kreutz (C): CHI 1998-2010 & NOR 2011. Kreutz went to six straight Pro Bowls (2001-06) and was a one-time First Team All-Pro. Ranked #109 on Notinhalloffame.com.
OL. Logan Mankins (G): NWE 2005-13 & TAM.2014-15 A seven-time Pro Bowler, Mankins started all of his 161 Games at. Left Guard. Ranked #78 on Notinhalloffame.com.
OL. Jeff Saturday (C): IND 1999-2011 & GNB 2012. Jeff Saturday won a Super Bowl with the Colts and was a six-time Pro Bowl and two-time First Team All-Pro. Ranked #75 on Notinhalloffame.com.
**OL. Joe Staley (T): SFO 2007-19 Staley started all 181 Games as a Left Tackle with San Francisco, where he went to the Pro Bowls. Ranked #111 on Notinhalloffame.com.
OL. Erik Williams (T): DAL 1991-2000 & BAL 2001. Williams won three Super Bowls with Dallas and went to four Pro Bowls. He was also twice named a First Team All-Pro.
DL. John Abraham (DE, also LB): NYJ 2000-05, ATL 2006-12 & ARI 2013-14. Recording 133.5 Sacks and 148 Tackles for Loss, Abraham was a five-time Pro Bowl and two-time First Team All-Pro. Ranked #62 on Notinhalloffame.com.
*DL. Haloti Ngata (DT): BAL 2006-14, DET 2015-17 &, PHI 2018. Ngata won a Super Bowl with Baltimore, where he went to five straight Pro Bowls (2009-13) and earned two First Team All-Pro Selections. Ranked #39 on Notinhalloffame.com.
DL. Simeon Rice (DE): ARI 1996-2000, TAM 2001-06, DEN 2007 & IND 2007. Rice won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers and was a three-time Pro Bowler. He would have 122.0 Sacks over his career. Ranked #135 on Notinhalloffame.com.
DL. Neil Smith (DE): KAN 1988-96, DEN 1997-99 & SDG 2000. Smith would go to six Pro Bowls and was also a First Team All-Pro in 1993 when he was the league leader in Sacks (15). He would also win two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos and had 104.5 career Sacks. Ranked #32 on Notinhalloffame.com.
DL. Kevin Williams (DT/DE): MIN 2003-13, SEA 2014 & NOR 2015. Williams had six Pro Bowls and five First Team All-Pros in a career spent mainly in Minnesota. He recorded 63 Sacks and 113 Tackles for Loss. Ranked #25 on Notinhalloffame.com.
LB. Cornelius Bennett: 1987-00, BUF, ATL, IND. Bennett would go to five Pro Bowls and was a First Team All-Pro in 1988. The two-time UPI Defensive Player of the Year helped Buffalo win four AFC Championships, and he had 71.5 Sacks and 1,190 Combined Tackles. Ranked #95 on Notinhalloffame.com.
*LB. London Fletcher: STL 1998-2001, BUF 2002-06 & WAS 2007-13. A previous Semi-Finalist. Fletcher would win a Super Bowl early in his career with the Rams, and later on in his career, he would make the Pro Bowl four years in a row (2009-12) as a Redskin. He accumulated 2,039 Combined Tackles over his career, 23 Interceptions, and 39 Sacks. Ranked #55 on Notinhalloffame.com.
DB. Kam Chancellor (S): SEA 2010-17. Chancellor won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks while going to do four Pro Bowls over his career. He compiled 12 Interceptions with 607 Tackles. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
DB. Troy Vincent (CB): MIA 1992-95, PHI 1996-2003, BUF 2004-05 & WAS 2006. Vincent’s five Pro Bowls would all come consecutively (1999-2003) when he was with the Eagles. He earned First Team All-Pro honors in 2002 and had 47 Interceptions and 893 Combined Tackles. In 2002 he also won the Walter Payton Man of the Year and Alan Page Community Award. Ranked #259 on Notinhalloffame.com.
PK. Gary Anderson PK: PIT 1982-94, PHI 1995-06, SFO 1997, MIN 1998-2002 & TEN 2003-04. Anderson went to four Pro Bowls and was the all-time leader in Points Scored and Field Goals Made at the time of his retirement. A member of the 1980s and 1990s All-Decade Team, Anderson is currently third all-time in Points (2,434). Ranked #206 on Notinhalloffame.com.
PR/KR. Brian Mitchell (Also RB): WAS 1990-99, PHI 2000-02, NYG 2003. Mitchell was a one-time Pro Bowl recipient and a four-time leader in All-Purpose Yards. He totaled 23,330 in APY and is second all-time in that statistic. He also won a Super Bowl with Washington. Ranked #151 on Notinhalloffame.com.
This group will be cut down to 15 Finalists later this year.
We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate this group of former players who made it to this stage.
Comments powered by CComment