Eli Manning, Luke Kuechly, and Earl Thomas are among the prominent figures leading the charge as first-year eligible candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2025. This exciting announcement was made on Wednesday, highlighting the impressive careers of these athletes.
In addition to Manning, the list of first-year semifinalists includes linebacker Luke Kuechly, pass-rusher Terrell Suggs, safety Earl Thomas, kicker Adam Vinatieri, and offensive lineman Marshal Yanda. These six athletes are joined by Richmond Webb, marking their first time reaching this semifinalist stage.
The modern-era candidates list also features 18 players who have been semifinalists in previous years. These include notable names like Eric Allen, Jared Allen, Willie Anderson, Anquan Boldin, and many others. The diverse group consists of 14 offensive players, 10 defensive players, and one special teams player, Vinatieri.
The selection process began with an initial pool of 167 nominees announced in September. From this larger group, 25 semifinalists were chosen, which will be narrowed down to 15 finalists in December. Additionally, five candidates will be selected from the seniors, coaches, and contributors categories.
The final 20 candidates will be presented during the selection committee’s annual meeting in January. The Hall of Fame’s guidelines stipulate that between four and eight new members will be inducted each year.
The announcement of the 2025 Hall of Fame class will take place during the NFL Honors event in New Orleans, coinciding with Super Bowl week in February. The new inductees will then be honored in August during the enshrinement ceremony in Canton.
Here’s the complete list of semifinalists:
Eric Allen, CB – 1988-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2021-25)
Jared Allen, DE – 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2021-25)
Jahri Evans, G – 2006-2016 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay Packers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2023-25)
Antonio Gates, TE – 2003-2018 San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2024-25)
James Harrison, LB – 2002-2012, 2014-17 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2013 Cincinnati Bengals, 2017 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2023-25)
Rodney Harrison, S – 1994-2002 San Diego Chargers, 2003-08 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2021, 2023-25)
Torry Holt, WR – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars | (Times as a Semifinalist: 11 – 2015-2025)
Luke Kuechly, LB – 2012-19 Carolina Panthers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2025)
Eli Manning, QB – 2004-2019 New York Giants | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2025)
Robert Mathis, DE/LB – 2003-2016 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2022-25)
Fred Taylor, RB – 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2009-2010 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 6 – 2020-25)
Adam Vinatieri, PK – 1996-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-2019 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2025)
Hines Ward, WR – 1998-2011 Pittsburgh Steelers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 9 – 2017-2025)
Ricky Watters, RB – 1992-94 San Francisco 49ers, 1995-97 Philadelphia Eagles, 1998-2001 Seattle Seahawks | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2020, 2022-25)
Reggie Wayne, WR – 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 6 – 2020-25)
Richmond Webb, T – 1990-2000 Miami Dolphins, 2001-02 Cincinnati Bengals | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2025)
Vince Wilfork, DT – 2004-2014 New England Patriots, 2015-16 Houston Texans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2022-25)
Steve Wisniewski, G – 1989-2001 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2014, 2025)
Darren Woodson, S – 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist: 9 – 2015, 2017, 2019-2025)
