CANTON, Ohio — St. Xavier High School graduate Luke Kuechly and former Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Willie Anderson are among 25 modern-era players who have reached the semifinalist stage for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025.
Kuechly, a former Carolina Panthers star linebacker and 2009 St. X graduate, is one of six first-year eligible candidates on the list.
The other modern-era players making the cut in their first year of eligibility are Eli Manning, Terrell Suggs, Earl Thomas, Adam Vinatieri and Marshal Yanda. Each last played a professional football game in the 2019 season.
Anderson, a 2024 finalist, is also on the nomination list again after being a finalist in 2023 and 2022. A member of the Bengals Ring of Honor, Anderson played for Cincinnati from 1996 to 2007. He played for the Baltimore Ravens in 2008.
The list of semifinalists, which was announced live this morning on NFL Network's “Good Morning Football,” was reduced from an initial group of 167 nominees announced in September. The next step in the Modern-Era Players category will be a cut to 15 finalists late this year.
Reduction voting also occurs in the Seniors, Coach and Contributor categories. Former Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson is among 31 candidates in the Seniors category.
Eventually, 20 finalists will be presented at the selection committee’s annual meeting next year in advance of Super Bowl LIX: 15 modern-era players, three seniors, one coach and one contributor. Between four and eight new members will be selected.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 will be announced at “NFL Honors” in New Orleans in February and enshrined in August in Canton.
CLASS OF 2025 SEMIFINALISTS / MODERN-ERA PLAYERS
The following is the list of players who have reached the semifinalist stage for the Modern-Era Class of 2025, including their positions, years and teams. Also listed are the number of times and years the candidate has been named a Semifinalist since this reduction vote was added to the Hall’s bylaws in 2004. (NOTE: The bylaws state the number of Semifinalists shall be 25 — or a larger number if players tie for the 25th position. There were no ties in this year’s balloting.)
- 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)
- Willie Anderson, T – 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2021-25)
- Anquan Boldin, WR – 2003-09 Arizona Cardinals, 2010-12 Baltimore Ravens, 2013-15 San Francisco 49ers, 2016 Detroit Lions | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2022-25)
- 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)
- Steve Smith Sr., WR – 2001-2013 Carolina Panthers, 2014-16 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2022-25)
- Terrell Suggs, LB/DE – 2003-2018 Baltimore Ravens, 2019 Arizona Cardinals, 2019 Kansas City Chiefs | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2025)
- Fred Taylor, RB – 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2009-2010 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 6 – 2020-25)
- Earl Thomas, DB – 2010-18 Seattle Seahawks, 2019 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2025)
- 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)
- Marshal Yanda, G/T – 2007-2019 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2025)
