Three wide receivers are among the 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025, but Hines Ward is not one of them.
Ward and former Steelers linebacker James Harrison are not among the 15 players who will be considered for induction when the HOF’s 49-person Selection Committee votes next month.
Ward, the Steelers’ all-time leader in receptions (1,000) and touchdown catches (85), has been a semifinalist nine times but has never advanced to the final stage.
Instead, former St. Louis Rams receiver Torry Holt, former Indianapolis Colts receiver Reggie Wayne and former Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith are among the finalists. It is the sixth time Holt and Wayne have been finalists; Smith is a finalist for the first time.
Five players in their first year of eligibility are among the finalists, including former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, a two-time Super Bowl MVP. The others are former Baltimore Ravens guard Marshal Yanda, former Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs, former Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly and former New England Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri.
The other finalists for cornerback Eric Allen, defensive end Jared Allen, tackle Willie Anderson, guard Jahri Evans, tight end Antonio Gates, running back Fred Taylor and cornerback Darren Woodson.
First Published: December 28, 2024, 3:09 p.m.
Updated: December 28, 2024, 8:32 p.m.
