The Pro Football Hall of Fame has begun the process of inducting its next class.
On Wednesday, 167 modern-era players were officially nominated for the Class of 2025 -- including 16 first-year eligible candidates.
There are a number of notable names on the ballot this year, with perhaps none more controversial than Eli Manning. The former New York Giants quarterback is a two-time Super Bowl MVP, but his regular season numbers leave a lot to be desired (117-117 record, 366 touchdowns, 244 interceptions).
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Other first-year nominees include offensive linemen Marshal Yanda, Joe Staley, Ryan Kalil and Travis Frederick, 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.
The Screening Committee will reduce the list from 167 down to 50, with an announcement coming in October. Then, the full 50-person Hall of Fame Selection Committee will cut the list to 25 later this fall before it gets down to 15 finalists. The candidacy of those final 15 will be debated ahead of Super Bowl LVIX to decide the new class, which can consist of three, four or five modern-era players.
Here are all the nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 (* = finalist for Class of 2024):
QUARTERBACKS
- Marc Bulger
- Randall Cunningham
- Jake Delhomme
- Doug Flutie
- Rich Gannon
- Jeff Garcia
- Donovan McNabb
- Eli Manning
- Steve McNair
- Tony Romo
RUNNING BACKS
- Shaun Alexander
- Terry Allen
- Jamal Anderson
- Tiki Barber
- Larry Centers (FB)
- Jamaal Charles
- Stephen Davis
- Corey Dillon
- Warrick Dunn
- Charlie Garner
- Eddie George
- Priest Holmes
- Steven Jackson
- Chris Johnson
- homas Jones
- John Kuhn (FB)
- Vonta Leach
- Dorsey Levens
- Jamal Lewis
- Marshawn Lynch
- Eric Metcalf (also WR/PR/KR)
- Glyn Milburn (also WR)
- Lorenzo Neal (FB)
- Clinton Portis
- Tony Richardson (FB)
- Robert Smith
- Darren Sproles (also PR/KR)
- Fred Taylor*
- Chris Warren
- Ricky Watters
- Ricky Williams
WIDE RECEIVERS
- Anquan Boldin
- Donald Driver
- Antonio Freeman
- Irving Fryar
- Torry Holt
- Joe Horn
- Chad Johnson
- Brandon Marshall
- Derrick Mason
- Herman Moore
- Muhsin Muhammad
- Jordy Nelson
- Andre Rison
- Jimmy Smith
- Rod Smith
- Steve Smith Sr.
- Demaryius Thomas
- Hines Ward
- Reggie Wayne
- Wes Welker
- Roddy White
TIGHT ENDS
- Ben Coates
- Vernon Davis
- Antonio Gates*
- Jeremy Shockey
- Delanie Walker
- Wesley Walls
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
- Willie Anderson* (T)
- Bruce Armstrong (T/G)
- Matt Birk (C)
- Lomas Brown (T)
- Ruben Brown (G)
- Jahri Evans* (G)
- Travis Frederick (C)
- Jordan Gross (T)
- Ryan Kalil (C)
- Lincoln Kennedy (T)
- Olin Kreutz (C)
- T.J. Lang (G/T)
- Nick Mangold (C)
- Logan Mankins (G)
- Tom Nalen (C)
- Jeff Saturday (C)
- Mark Schlereth (G/C)
- Josh Sitton (G)
- Chris Snee (G)
- Joe Staley (T)
- Dave Szott (G)
- Brian Waters (G)
- Richmond Webb (T)
- Erik Williams (T)
- Steve Wisniewski (G)
- Marshal Yanda (G)
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
- John Abraham (DE also LB)
- Jared Allen* (DE)
- La'Roi Glover (DT/NT)
- Casey Hampton (DT/NT)
- Robert Mathis (DE)
- Chester McGlockton (DT)
- Haloti Ngata (DT)
- Simeon Rice (DE)
- Clyde Simmons (DE/DT)
- Justin Smith (DE)
- Neil Smith (DE)
- Henry Thomas (DT/NT)
- Justin Tuck (DE)
- Ted Washington (NT/DT)
- Vince Wilfork (DT/NT)
- Jamal Williams (DT/NT)
- Kevin Williams (DT)
- Pat Williams (DT)
LINEBACKERS
- Jessie Armstead
- Brendon Ayanbadejo
- Cornelius Bennett
- Lance Briggs
- Keith Brooking
- NaVorro Bowman
- Tedy Bruschi
- Donnie Edwards
- James Farrior
- London Fletcher
- James Harrison
- Luke Kuechly
- Willie McGinest (also DE)
- Ken Norton Jr.
- Julian Peterson
- Bill Romanowski
- Takeo Spikes
- Terrell Suggs
- Mike Vrabel
- Lee Woodall
DEFENSIVE BACKS
- Eric Allen* (CB)
- Eric Berry (DB)
- Antoine Bethea (S)
- Dré Bly (DB)
- Kam Chancellor (S)
- Nick Collins (DB)
- Antonio Cromartie (CB)
- DeAngelo Hall (DB)
- Rodney Harrison* (S)
- Eugene Robinson (DB)
- Samari Rolle (DB)
- Allen Rossum (DB)
- Bob Sanders (S)
- Aqib Talib (CB)
- Earl Thomas (S)
- Charles Tillman (CB)
- Troy Vincent (CB)
- Darren Woodson* (S)
PUNTERS/KICKERS
- David Akers (K)
- Gary Anderson (K)
- Darren Bennett (P)
- Jason Elam (K)
- Jeff Feagles (P)
- Jason Hanson (K)
- John Kasay (K)
- Sean Landeta (P)
- Shane Lechler (P)
- Pat McAfee (P)
- Brian Moorman (P)
- Matt Stover (K)
- Matt Turk (P)
- Mike Vanderjagt (K)
- Adam Vinatieri (K)
SPECIAL TEAMS
- Josh Cribbs (KR/PR also WR)
- Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB)