FRISCO, Texas -- The 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class is down to 15 modern era finalists for a class that can include up to five modern-era players.
It's star-studded group with five players -- quarterback Eli Manning, offensive lineman Marshal Yanda, edge rusher Terrell Suggs, linebacker Luke Kuechly and kicker Adam Vinatieri -- in their first year of eligibility, but the Dallas Cowboys are pounding the table for a finalist who has had the second-longest wait to be enshrined of the current class of finalists: former Cowboys safety Darren Woodson.
Woodson, who racked up three Super Bowl rings, five Pro Bowl selections and three first-team All-Pro nods in 12 seasons (1992-2003) all in Dallas, is a finalist for the third year in a row, and he's in his 17th year overall of eligibility. Only ex-Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Eric Allen, in his 19th year of eligibility, has been fighting to make the Pro Hall of Fame longer among the 2025 class of finalists. Current Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer -- who coached Woodson for 10 of his 12 seasons as a Dallas assistant (1994), defensive backs coach (1995-1999) and defensive coordinator (2000-2003) -- maintains that Woodson, who is also the Cowboys' all-time leader in tackles as a defensive back, should have been enshrined years ago.
"I think he should have been in a long time ago," Zimmer said Monday. "I've championed him quite a bit with a lot of the reporters and people. Darren was the ultimate pro. He was tough. He was physical. He was smart."
His impact is felt thanks to Zimmer's development of one of the NFL's top safeties of the last decade in Harrison Smith of the Minnesota Vikings. All six of Smith's Pro Bowls and his 2017 first-team All-Pro selection came under Zimmer's tutelage as Minnesota's head coach from 2014-2021, and Zimmer used Woodson as shining example when honing in on technique with Smith.
"Some of the things that impressed me about him was I used to use him as an example for Harrison Smith a lot of times," Zimmer said. "I'd say 'Darren Woodson, to work on his coverage, he'd go out there and play corner on the scout team.' But one of the things that really impressed me with Darren was, he was basically an outside linebacker in college, and he taught himself how to backpedal. His technique was unbelievable as far as backpedaling."
If Zimmer could have had one do-over in regards to how he coached Woodson, it would have been to use the safety even more as a blitzer, something that is a prevalent component of today's NFL defenses.
"He was a terrific blitzer, although I didn't blitz him enough at that time, so that was probably my fault," Zimmer said. "As far as understanding the game, being a leader, being tough physical player, he's more than deserving. Not saying anything bad about any of the guys that are in, but he's better than a lot of the guys that are in. Played nickel, played safety. Played linebacker. He does it all."
