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Photo by AJ Guel Photography

As we move into the summer months, for those interested in the Pro Football Hall of Fame thoughts and discussions often focus on the upcoming enshrinement of the next class of players, coaches and contributors at the Hall in Canton during the first week in August. Events this year that will include both the 20 member class of 2020 , including Centennial Class (elected, but due to the Covid pandemic not enshrined last year), plus the 8 member class of 2021. Congratulations to the newest members of the Hall, which now stands at 346 individuals representing over 100 years of professional football.

But for others who closely follow and debate the selection of PFHOFers, summer brings another annual tradition- the start of the election process for the next class, in this case for 2022. Starting with the selection of the finalists from the senior, coach and contributor categories by their respective subcommittees in late August. This will be followed by the preliminary list of modern candidates for the class of 2022 which will advance to the 25 semi-finalists (November), 15 finalists (January 2022), and voting for the 5 modern players (plus decisions on the senior, coach and contributor) the day before Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA, February 13th, 2022. So let the debates begin!

Starting with the senior committee finalist selection, we can consider those players we know were considered a year ago but not selected: Stanley Morgan, George Kunz, Randy Gradishar, Cliff Branch, Roger Craig, Ken Anderson, Ken Riley, Chuck Howley, Tommy Nobis, LC Greenwood, Joe Klecko (note: unofficial list as PFHOF does not publicly announce the 12 players considered by the seniors committee. Rumors on social media suggested that Riley finished 2nd, in 2021 voting – to finalist and elected PFHOF Dallas Cowboys WR Drew Pearson. However, we know actually very little about the finalists, discussions and voting by the rotating group of five senior committee members who make the selection to present to the full committee at their meeting each year the day before the Superbowl. Several of these possible senior candidates were finalists for the 2020 Centennial Class, and suggestions have made over the years that many have been part of the process of selecting senior candidates in the past. Will recent momentum carry Riley to election (also the focus of a high profile social media campaign by Bengal fans) or will this finally be the year for Gradishar, Branch or Klecko? Are the prospects dimming for pre 1960s candidates such as Ox Emerson, Lavvie Dilweg and Al Wistert?

For 2021, the first election that provided for a separate coaches category, saw Oakland/LA Raiders coach Tom Flores elected into the Hall. As to clues to the possible next coach under consideration, unfortunately we don’t know exactly whom voters are considering, but certain ones are very likely: Don Coryell, Mike Holmgren Buddy Parker, Dan Reeves, and Dick Vermeil (all finalists for the 2020 Centennial Class), with Marty Schottenheimer another likely candidate. All deserving names, which is leading to a difficult decision by the coaches subcommittee this August. And for the contributor candidate, names that seem to draw interest and attention as potential contenders include Art McNally, Robert Kraft, Art Modell, Bud Adams, Bucko Kilroy, and several other owners, scouts and general managers. But at this point, a clear contender does not appear to exist, although many are advocating for McNally to become the first on-field NFL official to be elected into PFHOF.

Next we have the always contentious selection of the five (maximum) modern candidates; a process that will start in September with over 100 nominees, including many returning finalists from 2021, and as in every election year first year ballot players to be under discussion. In this latter group we will see Demarcus Ware, Andre Johnson, Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith, Tony Romo, Nick Mangold, Vince Wilfork, and Devin Hester to appear as candidates. Recent elections have resulted in an large increase in the number of 1st ballot players elected – an issue of much debate in the media – including by some current voters who view the trend as disconcerting. An issue that is unlikely to be at the forefront this election cycle, with only Ware perhaps having best chance at election.

What we will have is a strong group of returning candidates, including several who have now been finalists multiple times in recent elections, highlighted by those players remaining from the 2021 final ten stage: Tony Boselli, Zack Thomas, Richard Seymour and Leroy Butler. Others likely to receive considerable discussion among the voters will be other 2021 semi-finalists, such as Jared Allen, Ronde Barber, Torry Holt, Sam Mills, Reggie Wayne, and Bryant Young. In addition, the candidacy of special team player Steve Tasker will likely receive plenty of attention as he appears on the modern candidate ballot for the last time, and perhaps represents an opportunity by the voters to advance him to the finalist round as the first non-kicker or punter special team player to be discussed by the full Hall selection committee.

That gets us the start of the eight month long process of debates and voting stages for the PFHOF Class of 2022 – let’s all jump in with our views, make cases and engage in our annual contributions to the always interesting and unknown process to add 8 more members to the Hall in Canton.