It's been a busy week for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A day after trimming its list of senior candidates, the Hall of Fame issued its condensed list of modern-era candidates who will also be considered for induction in Canton, Ohio, in 2025.
Exactly 50 modern-era candidates made the cut of a list that was initially included 167 former players. To be considered as a modern-era candidate, a player had to retire after the 1999 season and needs to be retired for five full seasons.
From here, the Hall of Fame committee will make three more cuts before announcing which of the 15 remaining modern-era finalists will be part of the 2025 induction class. Up to five modern-day finalists can be selected when the Hall of Fame makes its final selections during Super Bowl weekend.
Here is a list of the 50 modern-era candidates (via NFL Media). Eight former players, including two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, are eligible for induction for the first time.
-- Bold indicates first-time eligible former players
-- * indicates former players who were finalists in 2024
- QB (2): Eli Manning, Steve McNair
- RB (6): Shaun Alexander, Tiki Barber, Eddie George, Marshawn Lynch, Fred Taylor*, Ricky Watters
- WR (6): Anquan Boldin, Torry Holt*, Jimmy Smith, Steve Smith Sr., Hines Ward, Reggie Wayne*
- TE (2): Ben Coates, Antonio Gates*
- OL (12): Willie Anderson* (T), Lomas Brown (T), Ruben Brown (G), Jahri Evans* (G), Olin Kreutz (C), Logan Mankins (G), Jeff Saturday (C), Joe Staley (T), Richmond Webb (T), Erik Williams (T), Steve Wisniewski (G), Marshal Yanda
- DL (8): John Abraham (DE also LB), Jared Allen* (DE), Robert Mathis (DE), Haloti Ngata (DT), Simeon Rice (DE), Neil Smith (DE), Vince Wilfork (DT/NT), Kevin Williams (DT)
- LB (5): Cornelius Bennett, London Fletcher, James Harrison, Luke Kuechly, Terrell Suggs
- DB (6): Eric Allen* (CB), Kam Chancellor (S), Rodney Harrison* (S), Earl Thomas (S), Troy Vincent (CB), Darren Woodson* (S)
- SPE (3): Gary Anderson (K), Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB), Adam Vinatieri (K)