Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

The Hall announced its new contributor list cut down to 9. Contributors Blue Ribbon Committee will present and discuss these nine names and vote it down to one. That one will be presented to the full selection committee in a package with one coach and three seniors; voters will elect minimum of one of those five and a max of three, of any combination.

Remaining contributors include 2025 favorite (in my opinion) Robert Kraft, NFL co-founder Ralph Hay and surprise entrant (surprise because of the category) Doug Williams.

Press release: https://www.profootballhof.com/news/202 ... s-of-2025/

The list:

K.S. “Bud” Adams: During his 54 years as founder, owner, Chairman of the Board, president and CEO of the Titans/Oilers franchise, Adams was a pivotal figure in the formation of the AFL and its merger with the NFL.

Ralph Hay: Owned the Canton Bulldogs from 1918-1922 and hosted the NFL’s formational meeting in his automobile dealership in downtown Canton.

Frank “Bucko” Kilroy: Worked in player personnel and scouting for the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys. He was the Patriots’ general manager from 1979 to 1982 and vice president from 1983 to 1993.

Robert Kraft: Owner, chairman and CEO of the New England Patriots since 1994. His teams have won six Super Bowls. Key member of several influential NFL owners’ committees.

Art Modell: Owner of the Cleveland Browns from 1961-1995 and Baltimore Ravens from 1996-2011. Key figure in transformational broadcast deals between NFL and networks.

Art Rooney Jr.: Employed with the Steelers since 1961, from 1964 through 1986, worked in the Steelers’ Scouting Department. Currently a Steelers vice president and member of the Board of Directors.

Seymour Siwoff: Owner and president of Elias Sports Bureau, the official statisticians of the NFL, from 1952-2019.

Doug Williams: Career with Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1978-1982) and Washington Redskins (1986-89) included historic moment as first Black quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl (XXII) with an MVP performance; credited with creating opportunities for future Black athletes.

John Wooten: Director of pro scouting for the Dallas Cowboys from 1975 to 1991. Created player development programs for the NFL in 1991. Vice president/player personnel for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1992 and assistant director of pro/college scouting for the Baltimore Ravens until his retirement in 2002. In 2003, became chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, a position he held until 2019.

I've been keeping an eye on the contributor category for some time with my coverage of officiating. It doesn't surprise me that no officials made it to the shortlist. Again.

But this has to be the worst list they have ever put out for the category. It seems this will just play out as the seniors and maybe the coach finalist squeeze any contributor out. A majority -- five out of nine -- are from the ownership caste. Well discussed here how they are well disgusted by many, so no need to repeat.

Doug Williams' career is not eligible as a player, and the contributor category shouldn't be a back door without significant contributions. His career is eligible for a prominent exhibit in the Hall of Fame.

The category has become a joke, in that owners are dominating and now it's de facto established that a commissioner is automatic. The scouting/player personnel industry wants more in, and of course I represent a group of frustrated and accomplished officials that can't catch a break to get more than one after all of these years, significantly trailing the other Halls of Fame.

I know they are trying to keep the barriers up to artificially limit the number of candidates in the belief that it makes enshrinement more meaningful. I think they should start by looking at who seems to get past the velvet rope, rather than resisting expansion. I think, at least, they should consider that a class could expand by a fixed number of posthumous enshrinees.

65 toss power trap wrote: ↑Wed Oct 30, 2024 6:49 pm I've been keeping an eye on the contributor category for some time with my coverage of officiating. It doesn't surprise me that no officials made it to the shortlist. Again.

But this has to be the worst list they have ever put out for the category. It seems this will just play out as the seniors and maybe the coach finalist squeeze any contributor out. A majority -- five out of nine -- are from the ownership caste. Well discussed here how they are well disgusted by many, so no need to repeat.

Doug Williams' career is not eligible as a player, and the contributor category shouldn't be a back door without significant contributions. His career is eligible for a prominent exhibit in the Hall of Fame.

The category has become a joke, in that owners are dominating and now it's de facto established that a commissioner is automatic. The scouting/player personnel industry wants more in, and of course I represent a group of frustrated and accomplished officials that can't catch a break to get more than one after all of these years, significantly trailing the other Halls of Fame.

I know they are trying to keep the barriers up to artificially limit the number of candidates in the belief that it makes enshrinement more meaningful. I think they should start by looking at who seems to get past the velvet rope, rather than resisting expansion. I think, at least, they should consider that a class could expand by a fixed number of posthumous enshrinees.

Fully agree with you 100% over the years with a few exceptions the contributor spot has become a massive massive joke and needs to be either tweaked or fully eliminated , if that contributor category is drop id rather see that spot given to another senior who is very deserving.

There are three names that could make the senior final 9 that would make the list very very bad like you stated

Carl Banks

Jim Plunkett

Otis Taylor


What other officials do you think belongs in canton along with Art McNally the only one i can think of off my head would be Jim Tunney

Ed Hochuli? Or does it really have to be someone like McNally who was mainly an executive?

And how is Otis Taylor like Banks and Plunkett? A lot of people want him in, actually. I'm neutral.

JameisBrownston wrote: ↑Wed Oct 30, 2024 7:29 pm Ed Hochuli? Or does it really have to be someone like McNally who was mainly an executive?

And how is Otis Taylor like Banks and Plunkett? A lot of people want him in, actually. I'm neutral.

who would be a third worse option than taylor glad we can agree on banks and plunkett id be ok with otis taylor actually 100%

rewing84 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 30, 2024 7:20 pm What other officials do you think belongs in canton along with Art McNally the only one i can think of off my head would be Jim Tunney

So I started this after I started to lobby hard for Art McNally, realizing that there were beat writers that could push their local interest, but there wasn't an equivalent for officials. We've added to the list every year, and here's who we have so far:

• R Jerry Markbreit
  FJ/R Jim Tunney
  HL Burl Toler
  BJ Stan Javie
  HL Jerry Bergman Sr.
  U Ron Botchan
  BJ Tom Kelleher
  LJ Bob Beeks
  U/LJ Ben Montgomery
  R/dir officiating Jerry Seeman
  HL Tony Veteri Sr.
  R Ron Gibbs
  LJ Jack Fette
  FJ/R Norm Schachter
  R Ed Hochuli
  LJ/SJ/BJ Dean Look
  FJ Fritz Graf

We have made the case for all of them on Football Zebras, the most recent was Graf, and there are links to the others from there:
https://www.footballzebras.com/2024/02/ ... ideration/

65 toss power trap wrote: ↑Wed Oct 30, 2024 7:46 pm

rewing84 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 30, 2024 7:20 pm What other officials do you think belongs in canton along with Art McNally the only one i can think of off my head would be Jim Tunney

So I started this after I started to lobby hard for Art McNally, realizing that there were beat writers that could push their local interest, but there wasn't an equivalent for officials. We've added to the list every year, and here's who we have so far:

• R Jerry Markbreit
  FJ/R Jim Tunney
  HL Burl Toler
  BJ Stan Javie
  HL Jerry Bergman Sr.
  U Ron Botchan
  BJ Tom Kelleher
  LJ Bob Beeks
  U/LJ Ben Montgomery
  R/dir officiating Jerry Seeman
  HL Tony Veteri Sr.
  R Ron Gibbs
  LJ Jack Fette
  FJ/R Norm Schachter
  R Ed Hochuli
  LJ/SJ/BJ Dean Look
  FJ Fritz Graf

We have made the case for all of them on Football Zebras, the most recent was Graf, and there are links to the others from there:
https://www.footballzebras.com/2024/02/ ... ideration/

ill take a look at the website when i get a chance appreciate the additional info

rewing84 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 30, 2024 7:34 pm

JameisBrownston wrote: ↑Wed Oct 30, 2024 7:29 pm Ed Hochuli? Or does it really have to be someone like McNally who was mainly an executive?

And how is Otis Taylor like Banks and Plunkett? A lot of people want him in, actually. I'm neutral.

who would be a third worse option than taylor glad we can agree on banks and plunkett id be ok with otis taylor actually 100%

Cecil. Fricking. Isbell. Stanley Morgan would also be very ?!?!

JameisBrownston wrote: ↑Wed Oct 30, 2024 7:49 pm

rewing84 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 30, 2024 7:34 pm

JameisBrownston wrote: ↑Wed Oct 30, 2024 7:29 pm Ed Hochuli? Or does it really have to be someone like McNally who was mainly an executive?

And how is Otis Taylor like Banks and Plunkett? A lot of people want him in, actually. I'm neutral.

who would be a third worse option than taylor glad we can agree on banks and plunkett id be ok with otis taylor actually 100%

Cecil. Fricking. Isbell. Stanley Morgan would also be very ?!?!

I was thinking about how awful isbell would be on that list of 9 that was the name i was thinking of at first but i typed otis taylor instead of isbell my apologies

65 toss power trap wrote: ↑Wed Oct 30, 2024 7:46 pm
We have made the case for all of them on Football Zebras, the most recent was Graf, and there are links to the others from there:
https://www.footballzebras.com/2024/02/ ... ideration/

Fascinating graphic on FZ — thank you! I did not realize the Naismith had elected 16 refs. That surprises me.