Eli Manning, Antonio Gates and Jared Allen headline the 25 semifinalists for football Hall of Fame

 

[November 21, 2024]  By JOSH DUBOW

Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, prolific tight end Antonio Gates and dominant pass rusher Jared Allen are among the 25 modern-era candidates for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

The Hall announced the semifinalists on Wednesday after the selection committee cut down a list of 50 nominees made by a newly created screening committee. The list includes six players in their first year of eligibility and 10 players who were finalists last year.

The full selection committee will reduce the list of candidates to 15 finalists who will be voted on at the annual meeting before the Super Bowl that will produce the new class. Players must get 80% of votes to make the Hall, with between three and five players getting in as modern-era candidates.

There also will be votes for three seniors candidates, one contributor and one coach, with between one and three people from that group getting into the Hall.

Leading the group of candidates in their first year of eligibility were Manning, former Defensive Players of the Year Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs; postseason kicking hero Adam Vinatieri; three-time Pro Bowl safety Earl Thomas; and two-time All-Pro guard Marshal Yanda.

Gates and Allen headline the group of returning finalists from last year, along with receivers Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne; offensive linemen Willie Anderson and Jahri Evans; defensive backs Darren Woodson, Eric Allen and Rodney Harrison; and running back Fred Taylor also advancing.

The returning semifinalists are receivers Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith and Hines Ward; defensive lineman Robert Mathis and Vince Wilfork; linebacker James Harrison; and running back Ricky Watters.

Offensive lineman Richmond Webb, who retired following the 2002 season, made it to the semifinal stage for the first time. Guard Steve Wisniewski is a semifinalist for the second time, having reached the stage in voting for the class of 2014.

Manning will look to follow his brother Peyton into the Hall following a standout career with the New York Giants. Manning was picked first overall in the 2004 draft and spent his entire career in New York. He led the Giants to an upset win over the undefeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl following the 2007 season, throwing a game-winning TD pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute.

He led another late TD drive to upset Tom Brady and the Patriots four years later. Manning is one of 13 QBs to win multiple Super Bowls, with eight of the nine who are eligible for the Hall getting inducted.

Only Jim Plunkett has not been inducted, along with more recent players such as Brady, Ben Roethlisberger and Patrick Mahomes, who aren’t yet eligible.

Manning was a four-time Pro Bowler but never made All-Pro or led the league in a major statistical category in a season. He finished his career with 57,023 yards passing and 366 TDs.

Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen gestures during the first half an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, in Minneapolis, Sept. 25, 2011. (AP Photo/Genevieve Ross, File)

His best moments came during those two postseason runs. Manning joined Brady (five), Mahomes (three), Joe Montana (three), Bart Starr (two) and Terry Bradshaw (two) as the only multiple winners of Super Bowl MVP awards.

Gates played only basketball in college before turning into one of the NFL’s top tight ends after being drafted by the Chargers. He became an All-Pro in just his second season in 2004. He was an All-Pro again the next two seasons and went on to have a 16-year career with the team.

Gates finished with 955 catches for 11,841 yards and an NFL record for tight ends with 116 touchdown receptions.

Allen was a four-time All-Pro who finished his career with 136 sacks, including a league-leading 22 in 2011 for Minnesota.

Kuechly and Suggs were among the top defensive players of their era, with Kuechly selected as the top defensive player in 2013 and Suggs in 2011.

Kuechly’s career was brief but impactful. The first-round pick by Carolina in 2012 was an All-Pro five times, with seven Pro Bowl nods and a Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Over his eight-year career, Kuechly led all linebackers in the NFL in tackles (1,090), takeaways (26), interceptions (18) and passes defensed (66).

Suggs was one of the top pass rushers in the league over his 17-year career, with his 139 sacks ranking eighth best since they became an official stat in 1982.

Suggs had seven double-digit sack seasons in his 16 seasons with Baltimore, including 14 in 2011 when he was selected as the top defensive player in the league and led the NFL with seven forced fumbles.

Vinatieri was one of the most clutch kickers in NFL history, making the game-winning field goals in the first two Super Bowl titles during New England’s dynasty.

He helped launch the run with one of the game’s greatest kicks — a 45-yarder in the snow to force overtime in the “Tuck Rule” game against the Raiders in the 2001 divisional round. He made the game-winning kick in OT to win that game and then hit a 48-yarder on the final play of a 20-17 win in the Super Bowl against the Rams.

Vinatieri is the NFL’s career leader in points (2,673) and made field goals (599) over a 24-year career with New England and Indianapolis. He also leads all players with 56 field goals and 238 points in the postseason.

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