The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced 54 semi-finalists in the Seniors and Coach/Contributor categories for the Class of 2023.
The Hall’s 12-member Seniors Committee named 25 semi-finalists from a list of nominees. Separately, the 12-member Coach/Contributor Committee named 29 semi-finalists from a list of nominees. Each committee will now consider the semi-finalist candidates and vote to advance 12 seniors and 12 Coach/Contributor to the finalist stage. The results of the votes will be announced July 27. The Seniors Committee will meet August 16 to select up to three Seniors for final consideration as members of the Class of 2023. The Coach/Contributor Committee will meet August 23 to select one Coach or Contributor for final consideration as a member of the Class of 2023.
In previous years, the only part of the process that was made public was the final stage. Transparency has brought the the naming of semi-finalists and finalist to public view and scrutiny. It’s nice to see the names of those that are being considered. Now, a host of fans will be excited for a few weeks about the Hall of Fame possibilities of their favorite Seniors, Coaches, and Contributors.
Senior Semi-finalists
- Ken Anderson
- Maxie Baughan
- Mark Clayton
- Roger Craig
- LaVern Dilweg
- Randy Gradishar
- Lester Hayes
- Chris Hinton
- Chuck Howley
- Cecil Isbell
- Joe Jacoby
- Billie "White Shoes" Johnson
- Mike Kenn
- Joe Klecko
- Bob Kuechenberg
- George Kunz
- Jim Marshall
- Clay Matthews Jr.
- Eddie Meador
- Stanley Morgan
- Tommy Nobis
- Ken Riley
- Sterling Sharpe
- Otis Taylor
- Everson Walls
Coach/Contributor Semi-finalists
- K.S. "Bud" Adams Jr.
- Roone Arledge
- C.O. Brocato
- Don Coryell
- Otho Davis
- Ralph Hay
- Mike Holmgren
- Frank "Bucko" Kilroy
- Eddie Kotal
- Robert Kraft
- Rich McKay
- John McVay
- Art Modell
- Clint Murchison Jr.
- Buddy Parker
- Carl Peterson
- Dan Reeves
- Lee Remmel
- Art Rooney Jr.
- Marty Schottenheimer
- Jerry Seeman
- Mike Shanahan
- Clark Shaughnessy
- Seymour Siwoff
- Amy Trask
- Jim Tunney
- Jack Vainisi
- Lloyd Wells
The name that pops for this Minnesota Vikings fan is, of course, Jim Marshall. Weighing the Hall of Fame candidacy of Marshall has cost me so much sleep over the past decades. He’s one of my all-time favorite Vikings. He was the leader, heart, and soul of the greatest era in franchise’s history. Bud Grant vouches for his Hall of Fame worthiness. So does Fran Tarkenton. So do his teammates and coaches. They know more about his impact on and for the team than I ever will. Jim Marshall was a very good football player. That’s the problem. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is supposed to separate the great from the very good. Marshall made only two Pro Bowls. He was the third best player on his own defensive line. Marshall was a very good football player that did some remarkable things. Some of those remarkable things are deserving of Hall of Fame consideration. That’s why he’s a semi-finalist. His durability is unmatched in league history. He played defensive end for a ridiculous 20 years. He started every single game of his 19-year Vikings career. Every single game. Every damn game. Brett Favre passed his consecutive starts mark but he was a quarterback. A very protected quarterback. Marshall saw no snap-to-snap protection from opponents or officials. The Hall voters often knock players with durability issues. One would think that unprecedented durability would raise up a player. Marshall also shares the league record for opposing fumble recoveries. He shares that record with Hall of Famer Jason Taylor. Marshall was a very good football player with some Hall-worthy accomplishments. Thus, the debate. Internal and otherwise. If Marshall gets that Hall of Fame call, I’ll be thrilled and I’ll be in Canton for his induction.
The Seniors list is a fine list. I can’t believe that Al Wistert isn’t on it.
If the selection process was up to me, my three Seniors for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 would be…
LaVern Dilweg
Cecil Isbell
Chuck Howley
Dilweg played his last game 88 years ago. Isbell played his last game 80 years ago. Very long waits. Too long.
Again, I’d be thrilled if Jim Marshall finally made it. I’d be in Canton if he did. I’m just not sure that he’s a Hall of Famer.
As for the Coach/Contributor, I’ll go with…
Clark Shaugnessy
His fingerprints are all over the game’s evolution.
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