Pro Football Hall of Fame announces 167 modern-era players nominated for Class of 2025

Sixteen players are in their first year of eligibility

By Shanna McCarriston Sep 18, 2024 at 12:25 pm ET• 3 min read

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the 167 modern-era players nominated for its 2025 class. Sixteen players are on the list in their first year of eligibility, including offensive linemen Travis Frederick, Ryan Kalil, Joe Staley and Marshal Yanda. 

Quarterback Eli Manning, running backs Marshawn Lynch and Darren Sproles, wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, tight ends Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker, linebackers Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs, defensive backs Antoine Bethea, Aqib Talib and Earl Thomas and kicker Adam Vinatieri also find themselves on the list for the first time.

Players must have last played at least five full seasons ago in order to be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

In October, the final 50 players, chosen by a screening committee, will be announced. The 50-person Hall of Fame Selection Committee will then make another round of cuts, bringing the list to 25 semifinalists. The list gets reduced to 15 finalists and ahead of Super Bowl LVIX they will decided on three to five Modern-Era players for the next Hall of Fame class.