How Many Players In the NFL Hall of Fame?
Contents
How many NFL players are in the Hall of Fame? As of 2019, there are a total of 326 inductees.
The History of the NFL Hall of Fame
The National Football League Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football. The Hall of Fame’s charter states that it is to be dedicated to the honor of the “heroes of the game”, and that it “shall perpetually remain an act of love and gratitude to the men who have made pro football”.
The First Inductees
In 1963, the NFL decided to recognize its best players, coaches, and contributors with the opening of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. The first class of inductees included seventeen men:
-Douglas each
-George Halas
-Curly Lambeau
-Pete Henry
-Tim Mara
-Wellington Mara
-George Preston Marshall
-Bronko Nagurski
-Cal Hubbard
– Sammy Baugh
-Joe Carr
-Ernie Nevers
Bert Bell
player Johnny Unitas coach Bear Bryant
The Addition of New Categories
In recent years, the NFL Hall of Fame has been criticized for its lack of diversity. In response, the Hall of Fame has created new categories to recognize the contributions of players and coaches who have been overlooked in the past.
The new “Contributors” category recognizes the important role that front office personnel, owners, and others have played in the game of football. The “Seniors” category is for players who have been retired for at least 25 years. And the “Greatest Game” category recognizes teams or groups of players who have had a significant impact on the history of the sport.
With these new categories, the NFL Hall of Fame is beginning to reflect the diversity of the sport and its players.
How Many Players Are In the NFL Hall of Fame?
The National Football League Hall of Fame is a hall of fame that honors professional football players in the National Football League (NFL). As of 2020, there are a total of 326 members in the Hall of Fame. This includes 281 players, 40 coaches, and five contributors.
The Overall Numbers
As of September 2020, there are a total of 326 players in the NFL Hall of Fame. This includes 288 players who were voted in by the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee and 38 players who were elected through the “Veterans Committee” process.
The Breakdown by Position
As of February 2020, there are a total of 326 members in the NFL Hall of Fame. While players of all positions are eligible for enshrinement, some positions are certainly more represented than others.
Here is a breakdown of how many players from each position are currently in the Hall of Fame:
-Quarterbacks: 40
-Running backs: 59
-Wide receivers: 34
-Tight ends: 17
-Offensive linemen: 71
-Defensive linemen: 181
-Linebackers: 51
-Defensive backs: 42
The Future of the NFL Hall of Fame
The number of players in the NFL Hall of Fame is constantly changing. Every year, new players are inducted while others are removed. The main criteria for induction into the Hall of Fame is a player’s impact on the game of football. Some players are inducted simply because they were great players, while others are inducted because they changed the game.
The Addition of New Inductees
The National Football League Hall of Fame is constantly expanding, with new members being added every year. As the game of football evolves, so too does the criteria for induction into the Hall of Fame. Currently, there are 288 members in the NFL Hall of Fame, but that number is sure to grow in the years to come.
The Addition of New Categories
With the NFL becoming more and more popular each year, it’s no surprise that the Hall of Fame is looking to add new categories to reflect the times. While nothing has been finalized yet, some of the proposed new categories include:
-Best Offensive Player
-Best Defensive Player
-Best Coach
-Best Team
In addition to these new categories, it’s also likely that the number of players inducted each year will be increased. Currently, only five players can be inducted into the Hall of Fame each year, but with the increasing popularity of the sport, that number is likely to go up.
