HOF Announces 2024 Semifinalists -- Antonio Gates, Julius Peppers 1st year nominees

CANTON, OHIO – Two first-year eligible nominees are among the 25 Modern-Era Player Semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024.

 The list of candidates for election into the Hall of Fame, which will occur early next year, also includes 18 players who were Semifinalists for the Class of 2023.

 Modern-Era Players making the cut to Semifinalist in their first year of eligibility are tight end Antonio Gates and defensive end Julius Peppers. Both last played in the 2018 season.

 To be considered for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a nominated individual must not have participated as an active player for five consecutive seasons.

 One other player reached the Semifinalist stage for the first time: Tiki Barber, who retired following the 2006 season.

 The 25 Semifinalists will be reduced again – to 15 Finalists – before the final voting process for the Class of 2024.

        Antonio Gates                                             Julius Peppers

CLASS OF 2024 MODERN-ERA PLAYER SEMIFINALISTS

The following is the list of 2024 Modern-Era Player Semifinalists, including their positions, years and teams. Also listed are the number of times and years the candidate has been named a Semifinalist since this reduction vote was added to the Hall’s bylaws in 2004. (NOTE: The bylaws state the number of Semifinalists shall be 25 – or a larger number if players tie for the 25th position.)

 ·       Eric Allen, CB – 1988-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2021-24)

 ·       Jared Allen, DE – 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2021-24)

 ·       Willie Anderson, T – 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2021-24)

 ·       Tiki Barber, RB – 1997-2006 New York Giants | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2024)

 ·       Anquan Boldin, WR – 2003-09 Arizona Cardinals, 2010-12 Baltimore Ravens, 2013-15 San Francisco 49ers, 2016 Detroit Lions | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2022-24)

 ·       Jahri Evans, G – 2006-2016 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay Packers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2023-24)

 ·       London Fletcher, LB – 1998-2001 St. Louis Rams, 2002-06 Buffalo Bills, 2007-2013 Washington Redskins | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2023-24)

 ·       Dwight Freeney, DE – 2002-2012 Indianapolis Colts, 2013-14 San Diego Chargers, 2015 Arizona Cardinals, 2016 Atlanta Falcons, 2017 Seattle Seahawks, 2017 Detroit Lions | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2023-24)

 ·       Antonio Gates, TE – 2003-2018 San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2024)

 ·       Eddie George, RB – 1996-2003 Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Titans, 2004 Dallas Cowboys (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2022, 2024)

 ·       James Harrison, LB – 2002-2012, 2014-17 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2013 Cincinnati Bengals, 2017 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2023-24)

 ·       Rodney Harrison, S – 1994-2002 San Diego Chargers, 2003-08 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2021, 2023-24)

 ·       Devin Hester, PR/KR/WR – 2006-2013 Chicago Bears, 2014-15 Atlanta Falcons, 2016 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2022-24)

 ·       Torry Holt, WR – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars | (Times as a Semifinalist: 10 – 2015-2024)

 ·       Andre Johnson, WR – 2003-2014 Houston Texans, 2015 Indianapolis Colts, 2016 Tennessee Titans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2022-24)

 ·       Robert Mathis, DE/LB – 2003-2016 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2022-24)

 ·       Julius Peppers, DE – 2002-09, 2017-18 Carolina Panthers, 2010-13 Chicago Bears, 2014-15 Green Bay Packers (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2024)

 ·       Steve Smith Sr., WR – 2001-2013 Carolina Panthers, 2014-16 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2022-24)

 ·       Fred Taylor, RB – 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2009-2010 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2020-24)

 ·       Hines Ward, WR – 1998-2011 Pittsburgh Steelers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 8 – 2017-2024)

 ·       Ricky Watters, RB – 1992-94 San Francisco 49ers, 1995-97 Philadelphia Eagles, 1998-2001 Seattle Seahawks | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2020, 2022-24)

 ·       Reggie Wayne, WR – 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2020-24)

 ·       Vince Wilfork, DT – 2004-2014 New England Patriots, 2015-16 Houston Texans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2022-24)

 ·       Patrick Willis, LB – 2007-2014 San Francisco 49ers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2020-24)

 ·       Darren Woodson, S – 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist: 8 – 2015, 2017, 2019-2024)

 The list of Semifinalists, which was announced live today (Nov. 18) on NFL Network, was reduced from an initial group of 173 nominees announced in September.

 The next step in the selection process comes when the list is trimmed further – to 15 Modern-Era Player Finalists. That list increases to 19 Finalists overall with the inclusion of the recommended Nominees of the Hall of Fame’s Coach/Contributor Committee, Buddy Parker; and its Seniors Committee, Randy Gradishar, Steve McMichael and Art Powell.

 The Hall of Fame’s 50-person Selection Committee will select the Class of 2024 in advance of Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. The class will be announced live on the “NFL Honors” telecast scheduled to air Feb. 8. While there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the bylaws for the Selection Committee provide that between four and nine new members will be selected.

 The Coach/Contributor and Seniors Finalists are voted “yes” or “no” for election at the annual selection meeting and must receive at least 80% support from the Committee to be elected. The Modern-Era Player Finalists will be trimmed during the meeting from 15 to 10, then from 10 to five. The remaining five finalists will be voted on individually, “yes” or “no,” and must receive the same 80% positive vote as the Coach/Contributor and Seniors Finalists to earn election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

 The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024 will be enshrined next August (anticipated date: Aug. 3) in Canton as part of the 2024 Enshrinement Week. Other events include the Hall of Fame Game (teams to be determined) and the Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner. For more information, visit https://www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement/.

 The selection process aligns with Hall of Fame’s important Mission to “Honor the Greatest of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values and Celebrate Excellence Together.”

  This step in the selection process for the Class of 2024 was completed with oversight from the firm Ernst & Young, LLP, a Hall partner since 2019. EY’s Agreed-Upon Procedures for this stage of the process included validating the completeness of the ballots and tabulating the ballots in accordance with the bylaws established by the Hall of Fame’s Board of Trustees

                           MODERN-ERA PLAYER SEMIFINALISTS BREAKDOWN

OFFENSE  --13

 RB (4): Tiki Barber, Eddie George Fred Taylor, Ricky Watters

WR (6): Anquan Boldin, Torry Holt, Andre Johnson, Steve Smith Sr., Hines Ward, Reggie Wayne

TE (1): Antonio Gates

OL (2): Willie Anderson, Jahri Evans

DB (3): Eric Allen, Rodney Harrison, Darren Woodson

LB (3): London Fletcher, James Harrison, Patrick Willis

DL (5): Jared Allen, Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis (also LB), Julius Peppers, Vince Wilfork

SPECIAL TEAMS – 1 Devin Hester (also WR)