Who Votes for the NFL Hall of Fame?

Who votes for the NFL Hall of Fame? This is a question that is often asked by fans of the sport. The answer is that a group of select individuals are responsible for this important task.

Introduction

The National Football League Hall of Fame is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a player, coach, or contributor from the NFL.

Every year, a selection committee meets to debate and vote on which individuals will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The selection process is based on many factors, including statistical accomplishments, contributions to the game, and character.

So, who exactly gets to vote for the NFL Hall of Fame? Let’s take a look.

The Selection Process

Every year, the National Football League (NFL) holds a vote to decide which player or players will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. But who gets to vote? The answer may surprise you.

The Selection Committee

The Selection Committee is made up of 46 media members who votes on which players, coaches, and contributors will be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. The Selection Committee is also responsible for selecting the annual All-NBA Teams, All-Star Game starters, and numerous other awards.

The Contributors

The Contributors are the media representatives who have earned the right to vote by being active members of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) for a minimum of five years. As of 2019, there are a total of 154 Contributors. The PFWA is the largest and oldest organization of professional football writers, with approximately 1,400 members worldwide.

The Finalists

The finalists for the NFL Hall of Fame have been announced, and the vote will take place on February 6th, 2021. The finalists are as follows: Peyton Manning, Charles Woodson, Calvin Johnson, Tony Gonzalez, and Tom Brady. These are the five players who will be up for election this year.

The Eligibility Rules

To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, a player or coach must have been out of the game for at least five years. A player becomes “eligible” for the Hall of Fame five years after he retires from professional football. For example, a player who retired after the 2009 season became eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

Once eligible, a player or coach remains on the ballot for 10 years provided he receives enough votes to stay on. A player or coach can be voted into the Hall of Fame in any year he is on the ballot. A maximum of five modern-era players can be inducted each year.

The Nomination Process

To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, a player must have been retired for at least five years. A Veteran’s Committee, made up of nine members of the media who have been involved with the NFL for at least 25 years, meets annually to discuss the career merits of players who have been out of the league for more than 25 years. The committee can elect two players or coaches per year.

The current process for selecting modern-day players, began in 1994. It starts with a list of 103 nominees that is whittled down to a semifinalist list of 25 by a vote of the selection committee. Then, four to seven finalists are chosen from the 25 semifinalists. The selection committee meets on Super Bowl Sunday to choose the inductees. They must receive 80% support from the committee to gain entry into Canton.

The Voting

There are a total of 50 voters for the NFL Hall of Fame. Of those 50, 40 are media members, while the other 10 are NFL legends. Each voter has their own process and criteria for who they believe should be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Some voters may only consider a player’s statistical accomplishments, while others may put more emphasis on their impact on the game.

The Voting Process

The Pro Football Hall of Fame selection process is an annual event that takes place each February prior to the Super Bowl. A blue-ribbon panel of media members representing each NFL market is tasked with electing new Hall of Fame members. The 44-person panel voted by secret ballot and they were instructed to vote for zero to five candidates per ballot. They could not vote for more than three modern-day players (players who have been retired for less than 25 years) per ballot. To be elected, a finalist must receive a minimum positive vote of 80 percent.

The Voting Criteria

Players are evaluated for the Hall of Fame based on their ability, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team or teams on which they played.

There are two ways to be elected to the Hall. The first is by being voted in by the Selection Committee. This committee is made up of between 9 and 25 members, and meets once a year to discuss inductees. A player needs 80% of the votes cast to be inducted.

The second way to make the Hall of Fame is through what’s known as the Veterans Committee. This committee consists of between 11 and 20 members who meet once a year to discuss players, coaches, and contributors who have been out of the NFL for at least 25 years. A player needs just 50% of the votes cast to be inducted through this process.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the NFL Hall of Fame is voted on by a group of 48 people who are considered to be experts on the game of football. This includes coaches, players, and members of the media. The vote is conducted annually, and inductees are typically announced in February or March.