There was an announcement out of Canton over the holiday weekend which may affect some of us but, unfortunately, not all of us.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame disclosed changes to its selection process for voting candidates into the Hall.
The most significant changes affecting player alumni are:
- All player alumni will compete for election from a single Players pool. (However, the traditional five-year retirement waiting period still will be in effect.)
- There no longer will be Modern-Era and Senior categories. (The latter was a category for players who had stopped playing in the league 25 or more years ago.)
- Going forward, the number of final candidates changes from 15 Modern Era and 3 Senior players to just 13 players (plus one coach and one Contributor).
- There no longer will a maximum of three Seniors considered on the final ballot. New rules are that ALL players will be considered together in a SINGLE pool regardless how long they have been retired.
- A previous provision stated that candidates, who reached the Final Seven but were not elected one year, would automatically return as Finalists the following year. That provision now has been eliminated.
- The Hall is returning to an in-person meeting for its final selections. It had moved away from in-person meetings six years ago due to Covid-related issues. The final Selection Committee for future in-person meetings has been reduced to 28 selectors, down from the 50 selectors in recent years.
“The Hall of Fame’s selection process has always been guided by integrity, thoughtful deliberation, and a commitment to honoring those most deserving of football’s highest honor,” says Hall President & CEO Jim Porter. “We believe these changes both augment what has worked well while addressing opportunities to further strengthen a tradition that means so much to the game and everyone who loves it.”
