View source for Pro Football Hall of Fame

{{Short description|Professional sports hall of fame in Canton, Ohio, U.S.}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox museum
| name            = Pro Football Hall of Fame
| native_name     = 
| native_name_lang = 
| image           = Pro Football Hall of Fame logo.svg
| imagesize       = 200
| caption         = 
| alt             = 
| map_type        = USA#Ohio
| map_relief      = y
| map_size        = 
| map_caption     = Location in the [[United States]]##Location in [[Ohio]]
| map_dot_label   = Canton
| map_alt         = Location of Pro Football Hall of Fame
| coordinates     = {{Coord|40|49|16|N|81|23|52|W|region:US-OH_type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline,title}}
| established     = {{start date and age|1963|9|7}}
| dissolved       = 
| location        = 2121 George Halas Dr. NW, [[Canton, Ohio]], U.S.
| type            = [[Professional sports]] [[hall of fame]]
| collection      = 
| president       = Jim Porter
| curator         = 
| publictransit   = 
| network         = 
| website         = {{URL|www.profootballhof.com|profootballhof.com}}
}}
 
The '''Pro Football Hall of Fame''' is the [[hall of fame]] for [[professional football (gridiron)|professional]] [[American football]], located in [[Canton, Ohio]]. Opened on September 7, 1963,<ref name="maroon">{{cite book |last1=Maroon |first1=Tarin |last2=Maroon |first2=Margaret |last3=Holbert |first3=Craig |title=Akron-Canton Football Heritage |date=2006 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=9780738540788 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xn8OgEg-Az4C&pg=PA117 |access-date=January 5, 2022}}</ref> the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coaches, officials, franchise owners, and front-office personnel, almost all of whom made their primary contributions to the game in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). '''Canton''' is often used as shorthand or [[metonym]] for the Hall of Fame.

{{As of|2025}}, there are a total of [[List of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees|382 members]] of the Hall of Fame.<ref name="Year of Enshrinement">{{cite web|title=Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinees |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2023/pro-football-hall-of-fame-to-enshrine-nine-in-class-of-2023/ |access-date=February 11, 2023}}</ref> Between four and nine new inductees are normally enshrined every year. For the 2020 class, a 20-person group consisting of five modern-era players and an additional 15 members, known as the "Centennial Slate", were elected to the Hall of Fame to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the NFL.<ref name="Centennial Slate">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/15-person-centennial-slate-for-hof-revealed-jan-15-on-nfln-0ap3000001095433|title=15-person centennial slate for HOF revealed Jan. 15 on NFLN|date=January 8, 2020|publisher=NFL }}</ref>

The [[Chicago Bears]] have the [[List of Chicago Bears in the Pro Football Hall of Fame|most inductees, with 34]] (42, including players with minor portion of their career with team).

==History==
{{History of American football}} 
[[File:Pro Football Hall of Fame (23945852607).jpg|thumb|Original entrance to the Pro Football Hall of Fame]]
[[File:PFootballHall of fame original dome entrance.jpg|thumb|Inside the original structure in 2008]]
The city of [[Canton, Ohio]], successfully lobbied the [[National Football League|NFL]] to have the Hall of Fame built in Canton, citing three reasons. First, the NFL was founded in Canton on September 17, {{nfly|1920}},<ref name="TheStreet">{{cite web |last1=Fiorillo |first1=Steve |title=History of the NFL: From the 1890s to the Present |url=https://www.thestreet.com/lifestyle/sports/nfl-history-14761022 |website=TheStreet |date=October 29, 2018 |access-date=January 21, 2019 |ref=TheStreet}}</ref> (at that time it was known as the [[American Professional Football Association]]). Second, the now-defunct [[Canton Bulldogs]] were a successful pro football team and the NFL's first repeat <!--NFL-->[[List of NFL champions (1920–1969)|champion]] (in [[1922 Canton Bulldogs season|1922]] and [[1923 Canton Bulldogs season|1923]]). Third, the Canton community held a fundraising effort that garnered nearly $400,000 ({{Inflation|US-GDP|400000|1962|r=-3|fmt=eq}}) to get the Hall of Fame built.<ref name="history">{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/visit/hall-of-fame-history/|title=History of the Pro Football Hall of Fame – Visit &#124; Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site|publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame}}</ref> [[Groundbreaking]] for the building was held on August 11, 1962,<ref name=hofmc>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ki9AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9FgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3905%2C2480602 |work=Youngstown Vindicator |location=Ohio |agency=Associated Press |title=Hall of Fame ceremonies held at Canton |date=August 11, 1962 |page=8}}</ref><ref name=tbctg62>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xLBOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KQEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7319%2C6064901 |work=Toledo Blade |location=Ohio |agency=Associated Press |title=Cards tie Giants, 21–21, in Hall of Fame Game |date=August 12, 1962 |page=6}}</ref> and the Hall of Fame was opened to the public on September 7, 1963.<ref name="maroon"/>

The original building contained just two rooms and {{convert|19000|sqft|m2|-2}} of interior space.<ref name="PFHOF: Then and Now">{{cite web|title=The Pro Football Hall of Fame: Then and Now|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hall/release.aspx?release_id=932|publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame|access-date=February 6, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204145128/http://www.profootballhof.com/hall/release.aspx?release_id=932|archive-date=February 4, 2012|date=January 1, 2005|url-status=live}}</ref> In April {{nfly|1970}}, ground was broken for the first of many expansions. This first expansion cost [[US$|$]]620,000, and was completed on May 10, {{nfly|1971}}.<ref name="maroon"/> The size was increased to {{convert|34000|sqft|m2|-2}} by adding another room. The pro shop opened with this expansion. This was also an important milestone for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as yearly attendance passed the 200,000 mark for the first time. This was at least in some part due to the increase in popularity of professional football caused by the advent of the [[American Football League]] and its success in the final two [[Professional American football championship games|AFL-NFL World Championship]] games.<ref name="PFHOF: Then and Now"/>

In November 1977, work began on another expansion project, costing $1,200,000. It was completed in November 1978, enlarging the gift shop and research library, while doubling the size of the theater. The total size of the hall was now {{convert|50500|sqft|m2|-1}}, more than 2.5 times the original size.<ref name="PFHOF: Then and Now"/>

The building remained largely unchanged until July 1993. The Hall then announced yet another expansion, costing $9,200,000, and adding a fifth room. This expansion was completed on October 1, 1995,<ref name="maroon"/> and increased the building's size to {{convert|82307|sqft|m2|0}}. The most notable addition was the GameDay Stadium, which shows an [[NFL Films]] production on a {{convert|20|x|42|ft|m|adj=on}} [[Cinemascope]] screen.<ref name="PFHOF: Then and Now"/>

In 2013, the Hall of Fame completed its largest expansion and renovation to date; the total size of the hall is now {{convert|118,000|sqft|m2}}.

===Hall of Fame Village===
{{Expand section|date=March 2023}}
The '''NFL Hall of Fame Village''' is a multi-phase, mixed-use development located in Canton, Ohio, designed to enhance the experience of visitors to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Groundbreaking for the project began in 2016, with the vision of creating a premier destination for football fans and the wider community, combining entertainment, retail, residential, and hospitality spaces. The development is located adjacent to the Hall of Fame itself and aims to celebrate the history of the National Football League while promoting the future of the sport.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hall of Fame Village {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/hofvillage/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=pfhof |language=en}}</ref>

The NFL Hall of Fame Village is centered around the Hall of Fame's campus, and its first phase includes a variety of attractions, such as an interactive museum, a large sports and entertainment complex, and a hotel. The village's centerpiece is the '''Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company''', which oversees the development and operation of the various amenities.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Company |first=Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment |title=Hall of Fame Village LLC Receives Multimillion Dollar Funding through Constellation's Efficiency Made Easy® Program |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hall-of-fame-village-llc-receives-multimillion-dollar-funding-through-constellations-efficiency-made-easy-program-302190370.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=www.prnewswire.com |language=en}}</ref>

Future phases of the development are planned to include more sports venues, a sports medicine facility, an expanded convention center, and residential housing. Additionally, a significant feature of the project is the '''Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium''', which serves as the home of the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game and other sporting events.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-03 |title=Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium - 2025 show schedule & venue information |url=https://www.livenation.com/venue/KovZpZAEvtaA/tom-benson-hall-of-fame-stadium-events?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=Live Nation |language=en-US}}</ref>

In addition to drawing fans and visitors, the NFL Hall of Fame Village is also envisioned as a hub for sports technology, innovation, and education, providing a platform for collaboration among companies and organizations in the sports industry. The ongoing development is expected to create a lasting economic impact on Canton and the surrounding region.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFL Hall of Fame Village |url=https://www.langan.com/portfolio/nfl-hall-fame-village-transportation-review-event-operations-plan?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=Langan |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Executive directors or presidents===
*[[Dick McCann (American football)|Dick McCann]] (April 4, 1962 – November 5, 1967)
*[[Richard F. Gallagher|Dick Gallagher]]  (April 1968 – December 31, 1975)
*[[Pete Elliott]]  (February 1979 – October 31, 1996)
*John Bankert  (November 1, 1996 – December 31, 2005)
*Steve Perry  (April 24, 2006 – January 2014)
*[[C. David Baker|David Baker]] (January 6, 2014 – October 16, 2021)<ref name="history"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4194476/2021/10/16/david-baker-pro-football-hall-of-fame-president-announces-retirement/ | title=David Baker, Pro Football Hall of Fame president, announces retirement | date=October 16, 2021 | work=[[The Athletic]] | access-date=February 4, 2022}}</ref>
*Jim Porter (2021 – present)

==Inductees==
{{main|List of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees}}
[[File:Pro Football hall of Fame inductee display.jpg|thumb|The Hall is made up of several sections with display of the inductees at its heart]]
Through 2025, all players in the Hall, except [[Buffalo Bills]] guard [[Billy Shaw]], played at least some part of their professional career in the NFL; Shaw played his entire career in the [[American Football League]] (AFL) prior to the 1970 [[AFL–NFL merger]].

Though several Hall of Famers have had AFL, [[Canadian Football League]] (CFL), [[World Football League]] (WFL), [[United States Football League]] (USFL), [[Arena Football League]] (also AFL) and/or [[Indoor Football League]] (IFL) experience, and there is a division of the Hall devoted to alternative leagues such as these, to this point no player, coach or contributor have made the Hall without having made significant contributions to either the NFL, AFL, or [[All-America Football Conference]] (AAFC).

For CFL stars, there is a corresponding [[Canadian Football Hall of Fame]]; only one player, quarterback [[Warren Moon]], and two coaches, [[Bud Grant]] and [[Marv Levy]], are enshrined in both halls.

Again for the Arena Football League, there is also a corresponding [[Arena Football Hall of Fame]]; similarly, only one player, quarterback [[Kurt Warner]], has been enshrined into both halls. The [[Indoor Football League]], in which wide receiver [[Terrell Owens]] played one season, has also established [[Indoor Football League#Hall of Fame|its Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web |title=IFL Hall of Fame |url=https://goifl.com/sports/2020/11/22/ifl-hall-of-fame.aspx |accessdate=|publisher=goifl.com|website = Indoor Football League}}</ref>

The [[Chicago Bears]] have the most Hall of Famers among the league's franchises with either 40 or 32 enshrinees depending on whether players that only played a small portion of their careers with the team are counted.<ref name="ChicagoBears">{{cite web |title=Chicago Bears: Team History |url=http://www.profootballhof.com/history/team.aspx?TeamAlias=chicago-bears&InfoTab=History |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608230119/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/team.aspx?TeamAlias=chicago-bears&InfoTab=History |archive-date=June 8, 2012 |access-date=February 6, 2011 |publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame}}</ref>

===Selection process===

====Selection Committee====
Enshrinees are selected by a 50-person committee, largely made up of media members, officially known as the Selection Committee.<ref name="selection">{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/hall-of-famers/selection-process|title=Selection Process|publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame|access-date=January 19, 2024}}</ref>

Each city that has a current NFL team sends one representative from the local media to the committee; a city with more than one franchise sends one representative for each franchise.

There are also 15 at-large delegates, including one representative from the [[Pro Football Writers Association]]. Except for the PFWA representative, who is appointed to a two-year term, all other appointments are open-ended, and terminated only by death, incapacitation, retirement, or resignation.

====Voting procedure====
[[File:Hall Fame Air.JPG|thumb|[[Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium]] with the Hall of Fame in lower right]]
To be eligible for the nominating process, a player or coach must have been retired for at least five years; any other contributor such as a team owner or executive can be voted in at any time.

Fans may nominate any player, coach or contributor by simply writing via letter or email to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Selection Committee is then polled three times by mail (once in March, once in September, and once in October) to eventually narrow the list to 25 semi-finalists. In November, the committee then selects 15 finalists by mail balloting.

A Seniors and Contributors Committee, subcommittees of the overall Selection Committee, nominate Seniors (those players who completed their careers more than 25 years ago) and Contributors (individuals who made contributions to the game in areas other than playing or coaching). The Seniors Committee and Contributors Committee add one or two finalist(s) on alternating years, which makes a final ballot of 18 finalists under consideration by the full committee each year.  Committee members are instructed to only consider a candidate's professional football contributions and to disregard all other factors.<ref name=ojhof>{{cite news|url=http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/20126215/for-oj-simpson-welcome-mat-pro-football-hall-fame-canton-out|title=Canton welcome mat still out for O.J. Simpson|work=ESPN.com|date=July 21, 2017|access-date=July 22, 2017}}</ref>

The Selection Committee then meets on "Selection Saturday", the day before each [[Super Bowl]] game to elect a new class. To be elected, a finalist must receive at least 80% support from the committee. At least four, but no more than nine, candidates are elected annually.<ref name="selection"/>

===2020 Centennial Slate===
In 2020, a special Blue-Ribbon Panel selected an additional 15 new members, known as the Centennial Slate, to be inducted into the Hall of Fame to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the NFL. Among these 15 members, ten would be seniors.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nfl.com/news/15-person-centennial-slate-for-hof-revealed-jan-15-on-nfln-0ap3000001095433 | title=15-person centennial slate for HOF revealed Jan. 15 on NFLN | date=January 8, 2020 | website=NFL.com | access-date=February 4, 2022}}</ref> On January 11, during the weekend of the NFL divisional playoffs, Hall of Fame president [[C. David Baker|David Baker]] went on the set of ''[[The NFL Today]]'' to personally tell coach [[Bill Cowher]], who was working as an analyst on that pregame show, that he was selected as one of the members of the Centennial Slate.

One day later, Baker went on the set of ''[[Fox NFL Sunday]]'' to inform coach [[Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)|Jimmy Johnson]], working as an analyst on Fox's studio show, that he was also selected.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/jimmy-johnson-joins-bill-cowher-as-nfl-coaches-to-be-part-of-hall-of-fames-centennial-class-of-2020/ | title=Jimmy Johnson joins Bill Cowher as NFL coaches to be part of Hall of Fame's centennial class of 2020 |  first=Bryan | last=DeArdo | date=January 12, 2020 | work=CBS Sports | access-date=February 4, 2022}}</ref> The rest of the Centennial Slate members were revealed on January 15.<ref name="Centennial Slate"/>

The remaining 13 members of the Centennial Slate elected to the Hall of Fame in 2020 were: wide receiver [[Harold Carmichael]], offensive tackle [[Jim Covert]], free safety [[Bobby Dillon]], free safety [[Cliff Harris]], offensive tackle [[Winston Hill]], defensive tackle [[Alex Karras]], strong safety [[Donnie Shell]], tackle [[Duke Slater]], end [[Mac Speedie]] and defensive end [[Ed Sprinkle]], alongside contributors, president and co-founder of NFL Films [[Steve Sabol]], general manager [[George Young (American football executive)|George Young]] and former NFL commissioner [[Paul Tagliabue]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.nfl.com/news/pro-football-hall-of-fame-centennial-class-revealed-0ap3000001096785 | title=Pro Football Hall of Fame Centennial Class revealed | first=Grant | last=Gordon | date=January 15, 2020 | website=NFL.com | access-date=February 4, 2022}}</ref>

They were enshrined in 2021 due to [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 pandemic]], but are still considered part of the Centennial Class of 2020.

===Enshrinement ceremony===
[[File:Hall of Fame Football (1987.572.1).jpg|thumb|A football signed by the 1974 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement class]]
The enshrinement ceremony is the main event of the annual ''Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls'' that kicks off every NFL season. The celebration is held in Canton, throughout the week surrounding the enshrinement ceremony.<ref name="Enshrinement festival">{{cite web|title=2012 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival Schedule|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement/festivalschedule.aspx|publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame|access-date=February 6, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120020314/http://www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement/festivalschedule.aspx|archive-date=January 20, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> All members of the Hall of Fame are invited to attend the annual ceremony.<ref name="ojhof" />

Enshrinees do not go into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of a certain team. Rather, all of an enshrinee's affiliations are listed equally. While the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]] plaques generally depict each of their inductees wearing a particular club's cap (with a few exceptions, such as [[Catfish Hunter]] and [[Greg Maddux]]), the bust sculptures of each Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee make no reference to any specific team. In addition to the bust that goes on permanent display at the Hall of Fame, inductees receive a distinctive Gold Jacket, and previous inductees nearly always wear theirs when participating at the new inductee ceremonies.<ref>{{cite web|last=Battista|first=Judy|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/pro-football-hall-of-fame-s-gold-jacket-stands-as-strong-symbol-0ap2000000371635|title=Pro Football Hall of Fame's gold jacket stands as strong symbol|website=[[National Football League|NFL.com]]|publisher=[[National Football League]]|date=August 1, 2014|accessdate=January 11, 2023}}</ref>

Previous induction ceremonies were held during the next day (Sunday from 1999 to 2005, Saturday in 2006), situated on the steps of the Hall of Fame building.

Starting in 2002, the ceremony was moved to Fawcett Stadium (now [[Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium]]), where it was held from 1963 to 1965. Since 2007, the enshrinement ceremony has been held on the Saturday night, since 2017 two days after the Hall of Fame Game.<ref>{{cite news|title=Class of 2007 Presenters|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement/story.aspx?story_id=2454|access-date=February 6, 2012|newspaper=Pro Football Hall of Fame|date=July 2, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205224656/http://www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement/story.aspx?story_id=2454|archive-date=February 5, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2022, the ceremony was moved to noon ET.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2022/03/start-time-for-class-of-2022-enshrinement-set-for-noon-on-saturday-aug-6/ | title=Start Time for Class of 2022 Enshrinement Set for Noon on Saturday, Aug. 6 &#124; Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site }}</ref>

==Hall of Fame Game==

{{main|Pro Football Hall of Fame Game}}
The Hall of Fame Game, the annual NFL preseason opener, is played in [[Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium]] at Hall of Fame Village in [[Canton, Ohio]]. In 2017, the Hall of Fame Game was held for the first time on Thursday night. The preseason classic kicks off Enshrinement Week and marks the start of the [[NFL preseason]].

==Black College Football Hall of Fame==
The Pro Football Hall of Fame museum includes a permanent exhibit recognizing the inductees of the [[Black College Football Hall of Fame]]. The two organizations partnered in 2016, also creating the [[Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic]] played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.<ref>{{cite web|title=Black College Football Hall of Fame|website=ProFootballHOF.com|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/black-college-football-hall-of-fame/|access-date=February 25, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Ray|last=Strickland|title=Pro Football Hall of Fame unveils exhibit honoring historically black college & university legends|date=September 1, 2019|website=WKYC.com|url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/sports/football/pro-football-hall-of-fame-unveils-exhibit-honoring-hbcu-legends/95-c25045ee-f6bb-4250-9395-d58e6bfdb373|access-date=February 25, 2021}}</ref>

==Ralph Hay Pioneer Award==

The Ralph Hay Pioneer Award is an [[American football]] award given by the Pro Football Hall of Fame periodically to an individual who has made significant and innovative contributions to professional football. The award is named after [[Canton Bulldogs]] owner and [[National Football League]] founder and chief organizer [[Ralph Hay]]. It was originally called the Daniel F. Reeves Pioneer Award, named after [[Los Angeles Rams]] owner and hall of fame inductee [[Dan Reeves (American football executive)|Dan Reeves]]. The award is the highest and the most prestigious honor given by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, other than enshrinement.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Football Learning Academy|url=https://www.football-learning-academy.com/pages/blog|access-date=January 30, 2022|website=Football Learning Academy|language=en}}</ref> As of 2022, [[Steve Sabol]], [[Art McNally]], [[Marion Motley]] and [[Bill Willis]] are the only people to receive the award and also become a Hall of Fame inductee.

===Honorees===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| style="background-color:#FFFF99; width:3em"|
|Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Year
!Recipient
!Notability
!class=unsortable|Note(s)
|-
|align="center" |1972
|align="center" |{{Sortname|Fred|Gehrke}}
|Designer of the first [[football helmet]] logo
|
|-
|align="center" |1975
|align="center" |{{Sortname|Arch|Ward}}
|Founder of the [[Chicago College All-Star Game]] and [[All-America Football Conference]]
|
|-
|align="center" |1986
|align="center" |{{Sortname|John|Facenda}}
|Voice of [[NFL Films]]
|Awarded the [[Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award]] in 2021<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pro Football Hall of Fame honors the late John Facenda with Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/pro-football-hall-of-fame-honors-the-late-john-facenda-with-pete-rozelle-radio-t|access-date=January 30, 2022|website=NFL.com|language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |1992
|align="center" |{{Sortname|David|Boss}}
|Photographer, artist, and logo designer
|
|-
|align="center" |2001
|align="center" |{{Sortname|George|Toma}}
|Groundskeeper at [[Arrowhead Stadium]]
|
|-
|align="center" |2004
|align="center" |[[Pottsville, Pennsylvania|City of Pottsville, Pennsylvania]]
|Birthplace of the [[Anthracite League]] and [[Pottsville Maroons]]
|
|-
|align="center" |2007
|align="center" bgcolor="#FFFF99"|{{Sortname|Steve|Sabol}}
|Co-founder of [[NFL Films]]
|Inducted to the Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2020
|-
|align="center" |2012
|align="center" bgcolor="#FFFF99"|{{Sortname|Art|McNally}}
|Supervisor of officials for the NFL and [[NFL Europe|World League]], 1968–95
|Inducted to the Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2022
|-
|align="center" |2016
|align="center" |{{Sortname|Joe|Browne}}<ref>{{Cite web|title=JOE BROWNE TO RECEIVE THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME'S RALPH HAY PIONEER AWARD|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2016/07/joe-browne-to-receive-the-pro-football-hall-of-fames-ralph-hay-pioneer-award/|access-date=January 30, 2022|website=Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site|language=en}}</ref>
|50-year employee of the NFL central office
|
|-
|rowspan="4" align="center" |2022
|align="center" bgcolor="#FFFF99"|{{Sortname|Marion|Motley}}<ref>{{cite web |author1=Around the NFL Staff |title='Forgotten Four' of Marion Motley, Woody Strode, Kenny Washington, Bill Willis selected for Ralph Hay Pioneer Award |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/forgotten-four-of-marion-motley-woody-strode-kenny-washington-bill-willis-select |website=National Football League |access-date=July 24, 2022 |date=May 26, 2022}}</ref>
| rowspan="4" |Reintegrated professional football in 1946
|Inducted to the Hall of Fame 1968
|-
|align="center" |{{Sortname|Woody|Strode}}
|
|-
|align="center" |{{Sortname|Kenny|Washington|dab=American football}}
|
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#FFFF99"|{{Sortname|Bill|Willis}}
|Inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1977
|}

==Criticism==
[[File:Pro Football Hall of Fame sign.JPG|thumb|Sign at the old entrance to the Pro Football Hall of Fame]]
The small number of candidates elected each year has helped foster what some perceive as an inequality of representation at certain positions or in certain categories of player, to the exclusion of defensive players in general ([[defensive back]]s and outside [[linebacker]]s in particular), [[special teams]] players, [[wide receiver]]s, and those from the "seniors" category. There has also been criticism that deserving players have been overlooked because they played most or all of their careers on poor teams.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/16/how-to-fix-footballs-hall-of-fame-voting-system/ |work=The New York Times |first=Andy |last=Barall |title=How to Fix Football's Hall of Fame Voting System |date=February 16, 2012}}</ref>

In 2009, a ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' article criticized the Hall for not including [[Punter (American football)|punter]] [[Ray Guy]] on its ballot.<ref name="Joyner">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/sports/football/25score.html?_r=1 |work=The New York Times |first=K C |last=Joyner |title=A Case for Ray Guy Belonging in Pro Football Hall of Fame |date=January 25, 2009}}</ref> Guy was eventually inducted as part of the 2014 class for the Hall of Fame.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is unique among North American major league sports halls of fame in that [[Official (American football)|officials]] have been generally excluded. Only two figures, both inducted for their work as supervisor or director of officiating as opposed to game officiating—1966 inductee [[Shorty Ray|Hugh "Shorty" Ray]]<ref name="Ray">{{cite news |url=http://www.footballzebras.com/2018/02/why-art-mcnally-is-long-overdue-to-be-the-first-official-in-the-pro-football-hall-of-fame/ |work=Football Zebras |first=Ben |last=Austro |title=Art McNally is long overdue to be the first official in the Pro Football Hall of Fame |date=February 3, 2018}}</ref> and 2022 inductee [[Art McNally]]—have been enshrined; McNally is the only inductee in the Hall to have experience as an in-game official.<ref name="McNally">{{cite news |url=https://www.footballzebras.com/2021/08/art-mcnally-father-of-modern-nfl-officiating-is-the-candidate-to-be-the-first-official-in-the-pro-football-hall-of-fame/ |work=Football Zebras |first=Ben |last=Austro |title=Art McNally, father of modern NFL officiating, is the candidate to be the first official in the Pro Football Hall of Fame |date=August 31, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.footballzebras.com/2022/02/art-mcnally-father-of-modern-nfl-officiating-is-the-first-official-in-the-pro-football-hall-of-fame/ |work=Football Zebras |first=Ben |last=Austro |title=Art McNally, father of modern NFL officiating, is the first official in the Pro Football Hall of Fame |date=February 10, 2022}}</ref> The [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum]], [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] and [[Hockey Hall of Fame]] have each inducted game officials as members.

Another prominent absence from the Hall is sports-journalist  and broadcaster [[Howard Cosell]], who has yet to either be awarded the [[Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award]] or even get fully inducted despite his well-known association with ''[[Monday Night Football]]''; an August 2010 ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' article hints that Cosell may have even been "blacklisted" by the NFL.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Billson |first=Marky |date=August 4, 2010 |title=As strange as it sounds, Howard Cosell has never won Rozelle award |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/nfl/08/02/cosell/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101006210159/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/nfl/08/02/cosell/index.html |archive-date=October 6, 2010 |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |access-date=August 6, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://inducthowardcosell.blogspot.com/ |work=NFL Sports Blog |first=NFL |last=Researcher |title=Cronyism on the part of the NFL and the Pro Football Hall of Fame? |date=February 4, 2013}}</ref>

As the late 2010s approached, a number of controversial and polarizing figures began to reach eligibility for the Hall. For example, [[Darren Sharper]]'s career achievements make him a candidate for the Hall, but there is debate over whether he should be inducted due to his conviction on multiple rape and drug distribution charges after he retired.<ref name = "Sharper">{{cite web | url=https://www.propublica.org/article/for-darren-sharper-a-place-in-prison-but-in-hall-of-fame-too | title=For Darren Sharper, a Place in Prison. But in Hall of Fame, Too? | first=Ryan | last=Gabrielson | date=April 10, 2015 | work=ProPublica}}</ref> Official guidelines state that off the field character issues are not allowed to influence the selection process<ref name = "Sharper" /> and have not affected the ability of figures such as [[O. J. Simpson]] and [[Lawrence Taylor]] to remain enshrined in the Hall.

[[Terrell Owens]]' exclusion from the Hall in his first two years of eligibility despite his strong individual statistics was a subject of public debate:<ref name="cbssports.com">{{Cite web |last=Wagner-McGough |first=Sean |date=February 18, 2017 |title=One Hall of Fame voter sheds light on why Terrell Owens didn't make it in |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/one-hall-of-fame-voter-sheds-light-on-why-terrell-owens-didnt-make-it-in/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810142203/https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/one-hall-of-fame-voter-sheds-light-on-why-terrell-owens-didnt-make-it-in/ |archive-date=August 10, 2022 |website=CBSSports.com}}</ref> while Owens was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2018, he refused to attend the enshrinement ceremony.<ref name="ct-wp">{{cite news |last1=Bieler |first1=Des |date=July 12, 2018 |title=Hall of Fame to answer Terrell Owens' snub by refusing to announce his induction |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2018/07/12/hall-of-fame-to-answer-terrell-owenss-snub-by-refusing-to-announce-his-induction/ |access-date=February 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810142113/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2018/07/12/hall-of-fame-to-answer-terrell-owenss-snub-by-refusing-to-announce-his-induction/ |archive-date=August 10, 2022}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
* [[College Football Hall of Fame]]
* [[Canadian Football Hall of Fame]]
* [[Arena Football Hall of Fame]]
* [[Indoor Football League#Hall of Fame|Indoor Football League Hall of Fame]]
{{clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Official website}}

{{Ralph Hay Pioneer Award}}
{{National Football League}}
{{Pro Football Hall of Fame members}}
{{American football in the United States}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Pro Football Hall of Fame| ]]
[[Category:1963 establishments in Ohio]]
[[Category:American football trophies and awards]]
[[Category:Awards established in 1963]]
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[[Category:Sports museums in Ohio]]
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