Eli Manning, Luke Kuechly and Earl Thomas headline 25 Hall of Fame semifinalists

Eric Williams

NFL Reporter

Former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning headlines six first-year eligible candidates voted as semifinalists for election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2025, as announced on Wednesday.

Joining Manning as first-year semifinalists are linebacker Luke Kuechly, pass-rusher Terrell Suggs, safety Earl Thomas, kicker Adam Vinatieri and offensive lineman Marshal Yanda. Those six join offensive lineman Richmond Webb as players to reach the semifinalist stage for the first time.

The overall list of modern-era candidates also includes 18 players who have been semifinalists before: Eric Allen, Jared Allen, Willie Anderson, Anquan Boldin, Jahri Evans, Antonio Gates, James Harrison, Rodney Harrison, Torry Holt, Robert Mathis, Steve Smith Jr., Fred Taylor, Hines Ward, Ricky Watters, Reggie Wayne, Vince Wilfork, Steve Wisniewski and Darren Woodson.

The list features 14 players on offense, 10 on defense and one special teams player in Vinatieri.

The semifinalists were culled from an initial group of 167 nominees announced in September. The group of 25 semifinalists will be reduced to 15 finalists in December. In addition, a total of five candidates will be selected from the seniors, coach and contributors categories.

Those 20 finalists will be presented at the selection committee’s annual meeting in January. The Hall of Fame’s selection process stipulates that between four and eight new members will be selected for induction.

The 2025 class will be announced during the NFL Honors in New Orleans during Super Bowl week in February and enshrined in August in Canton.

Here’s the full list:

Eric Allen, CB – 1988-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2021-25)

Jared Allen, DE – 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2021-25)

Willie Anderson, T – 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2021-25)

Anquan Boldin, WR – 2003-09 Arizona Cardinals, 2010-12 Baltimore Ravens, 2013-15 San Francisco 49ers, 2016 Detroit Lions | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2022-25)

Jahri Evans, G – 2006-2016 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay Packers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2023-25)

Antonio Gates, TE – 2003-2018 San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2024-25)

James Harrison, LB – 2002-2012, 2014-17 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2013 Cincinnati Bengals, 2017 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2023-25)

Rodney Harrison, S – 1994-2002 San Diego Chargers, 2003-08 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2021, 2023-25)

Torry Holt, WR – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars | (Times as a Semifinalist: 11 – 2015-2025)

Luke Kuechly, LB – 2012-19 Carolina Panthers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2025)

Eli Manning, QB – 2004-2019 New York Giants | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2025)

Robert Mathis, DE/LB – 2003-2016 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2022-25)

Steve Smith Sr., WR – 2001-2013 Carolina Panthers, 2014-16 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2022-25)

Terrell Suggs, LB/DE – 2003-2018 Baltimore Ravens, 2019 Arizona Cardinals, 2019 Kansas City Chiefs | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2025)

Fred Taylor, RB – 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2009-2010 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 6 – 2020-25)

Earl Thomas, DB – 2010-18 Seattle Seahawks, 2019 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2025)

Adam Vinatieri, PK – 1996-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-2019 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2025)

Hines Ward, WR – 1998-2011 Pittsburgh Steelers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 9 – 2017-2025)

Ricky Watters, RB – 1992-94 San Francisco 49ers, 1995-97 Philadelphia Eagles, 1998-2001 Seattle Seahawks | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2020, 2022-25)

Reggie Wayne, WR – 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 6 – 2020-25)

Richmond Webb, T – 1990-2000 Miami Dolphins, 2001-02 Cincinnati Bengals | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2025)

Vince Wilfork, DT – 2004-2014 New England Patriots, 2015-16 Houston Texans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2022-25)

Steve Wisniewski, G – 1989-2001 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2014, 2025)

Darren Woodson, S – 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist: 9 – 2015, 2017, 2019-2025)

Marshal Yanda, G/T – 2007-2019 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2025)

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.

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