Is this finally the year a Washington legend makes it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
On Wednesday, the NFL released the list of 167 modern-era nominees for induction into the Hall of Fame class of 2025, and several former Washington legends made the cut.
Here’s the full list.
- QB Rich Gannon
- QB Donovan McNabb
- RB Shaun Alexander
- RB Stephen Davis
- RB Clinton Portis
- RB Terry Allen
- RB/PR/KR Eric Metcalf
- FB Larry Centers
- WR Irving Fryar
- TE Vernon Davis
- OL Mark Schlereth
- OL Dave Szott
- LB Jessie Armstead
- LB London Fletcher
- LB Ken Norton Jr.
- CB DeAngelo Hall
- CB Troy Vincent
- K David Akers
- P Matt Turk
- ST/RB/KR/PR: Brian Mitchell
All but Norton played in Washington at some point. Norton is now the linebackers coach for head coach Dan Quinn. Fletcher, Mitchell, Hall, Stephen Davis, Allen and Portis are best known for their outstanding careers in Washington.
If you’re wondering where Joe Jacoby or Larry Brown are, they remain senior candidates for the class. Six prominent former Washington players, including Doug Williams, Earnest Byner, Wilber Marshall, Joe Theismann, Jacoby, and Brown, are senior candidates. Jacoby appears to have the best chance of being inducted.
Of the modern-era nominees, Fletcher and Mitchell appear to have the best chances of being inducted. Regardless of who you talk to, Fletcher, Mitchell and Jacoby belong in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
NFL.com outlines the selection process for the modern-era nominees:
Twenty Finalists will be presented to the full 50-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee during its annual meeting to choose the Class of 2025. Those candidates will consist of 15 Modern-Era Players Finalists, three Seniors Finalists, a Coach Finalist and a Contributor Finalist.
The Selection Committee will meet next year (on a date still to be determined) in advance of Super Bowl LVIX. While there is no set number for any class of Enshrinees, the selection process bylaws provide that between four and eight new members will be selected.
Finalists must receive at least 80% support from the Selection Committee to join the Class of 2025. The Modern-Era Player Finalists will be trimmed during the annual selection meeting from 15 to 10, then to seven. Committee members then will vote for five of the seven Finalists.
The 2025 class will be announced in February.