Hall announces major changes to elections effective class of 2027

[readjack]

I'm dropping my reactions and analysis here:

https://www.youtube.com/@ashotonehlobyj ... 416/shorts

The big question upcoming is the actual voters. That could completely alter who we consider as having momentum. If Geoff Hobson is not a voter this year, for instance, and they also remove a few other people who care a lot about Willie Anderson, does he still have momentum or is he stopped for at least a year?

Voters last year tried to rally the committee to elect Darren Woodson. If his supporters are gone, what happens to him?

These are the questions that will be playing out the next few weeks and beyond.

[conace21]

Change to the Contributors:

The Contributors category has been expanded and now may include tenure as a player and/or coach along with other contributions to the game.

This is to address guys like Clark Shaughnessy and Doug Williams, who have appeared in two different categories in the same year.

Bucko Kilroy is another one who comes to mind. I guess we'll see how seriously the voters take that new criteria.

[SeahawkFever]

Has there been a formal explanation for why the standalone Senior category was removed?

[conace21]

Once again, it feels like the Hall of Fame is playing catch-up and overreacting to a situation. 2 years ago, there was criticism that too many people were getting inducted into Canton, so they have the 3 senior, coach and contributor ostensibly competing for 3 spots, but the mathematics proved they were really competing for one spot. And then it embarrassingly blew up in their face when Belichick didn't make it last year. At least two voters publicly stated that rhey chose to vote for the 3 seniors instead of Belichick. And now the HOF is reacting again.

Personally, I didn't think any of the 2026 Senior candidates were very strong. If I was a voter, I would have voted for Belichick and Kraft. I wouldn't have cast a third vote.

But if Tom Sestak, Al Wistert and Lavvie Dilweg had been the three Senior candidates, I would have faced quite the conundrum.

[Brian wolf]

It wont happen because the HOF committee and voters like to see a cutdown progression, but you will have 25-28 voting members. Eliminate the preliminary round and just select the 50 best player candidates. 35 modern and 15 seniors and see who emerges for election from that number. Keep it low on coaches and contributors as well.

[PaulPFHOF]

correction there will be 25 voters and 3 non-voting alternates (only used if there are missing voters from the 25 selection committee)

pro seniors supporters among the voters lost out to the non seniors advocates among media, voters, Hall staff and ultimately the Hall board-they don't see any value in direct path for seniors which given that the PFHOF is a museum for the history of pro football that view is very shortsighted, PFHOF senior category has been in place since 1972, its loss is a huge blow to the Hall and entire process as PFHOF becomes the only major sports HOF without an consideration for its "earlier" eras and players

[PaulPFHOF]

Change to the Contributors:

The Contributors category has been expanded and now may include tenure as a player and/or coach along with other contributions to the game.

This is to address guys like Clark Shaughnessy and Doug Williams, who have appeared in two different categories in the same year.

Bucko Kilroy is another one who comes to mind. I guess we'll see how seriously the voters take that new criteria.

I think its an interesting change for the better, to widen the definition of contributor, but besides a well known owner do I think any contributor stands a chance on final ballot of 15 competing with 13 players and coach to be among those elected-no

[PaulPFHOF]

Just for fun I played around with the math and looked at recent finalists, added likely 1st ballot contenders and came up with these future election predictions, and yes one can certainly move votes around and also envision different order/sequence of those results over the years as this attempt is far from a perfect science...and as ReadJack pointed out we often look at the established queue of finalists results from the year before (11-15, 8-10, final 7 not elected) as guide to those with best chances for the next election but if many of the new selection committee (25+3 alternates) are different from current 50 members, the 2026 queue might be less useful as a predictor..perhaps there are not the same supporters for Woodson or Suggs or WAnderson, perhaps there are more supporters now for Holt/Wayne? But regardless here is my guesses for 2027 through 2031

Future elections scenarios 2027-31
Updated 9.6.26 per new election rules
25 votes, select 6 out final 7=total votes 150, finalist needs 20 for election (80%)
prediction is based on 6 elected per year (vote estimated)

2027 Gronk (24)/AP(22)/Suggs (22)/WAnderson(22)/Yanda(20)/BBelichick (24)

2028 Brady(25)/Watt(25)/Woodson(22)/Holt(22)/RSherman(20)/MShanahan (23)

2029 JKelce (22)/BenR(22)/Witten(22)/JEvans(22)/KWilliams(20)/MHolmgren (22)

2030 ZMartin (22)/Eli (21)/PPeterson(22)/Gore(22)/RHarrison(22)/TCoughlin (23)

2031 BWagner(24)/Jjones(23)/Wayne(20)/JPeters(20)/SGilmore(20)/AReid (24)

[PaulPFHOF]

Paul Kuharsky (PFHOF voter) announced on social media that he was not selected for the smaller (25+3 alternates) PFHOF selection committee of voters, expect more changes in coming weeks and eventual new list released by the Hall, its likely for many long time voters their service has ended

[PaulPFHOF]

more updates...purge of voters is underway while Hall website no longer has 50 voters listed but is updated to 28 with blank spots to add their names, and states "selectors are active members of media, persons intricately involved in professional football and/or PFHOFers"...heard of another long time voter no longer serving and indications are the vocal and/or more public plus old time serving voters are ones getting removed...we should likely see updated list released by Hall very soon