Former Falcons nominated for Pro Football Hall of Fame in seniors category
Eight former Atlanta Falcons were on the list of 162 players nominated in the Seniors category for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026, which was released Thursday.
Cornelius Bennett (1997-98), Chris Hinton (1990-93 with the Falcons), Billy “White Shoes” Johnson (1982-87), Mike Kenn (1978-1994), George Kunz (1969-74), Clay Matthews Jr. (1994-95), Tommy Nobis (1966-76) and Eugene Robinson (1998-1999) were nominated.
Herschel Walker, Bobby Walston, Bill Stanfill and Jake Scott, who all played at Georgia, were nominated, along with former Georgia Tech standout Maxie Baughan.
To be considered in this group, each former player last could have appeared in a professional football game in the 2000 season.
A total of 90 offensive players, 67 defensive players and five special teamers were nominated by the Seniors screening committee, an entity created in 2025 to add additional input around the overall selection process.
The list will be reduced to 50 players (plus ties, if any, for the 50th spot) over the next few weeks.
After the Seniors screening committee has completed its work, the separate Seniors blue ribbon committee will make additional reductions in several increments. Late Fall, the Seniors blue ribbon committee will select three Seniors as finalist for possible elections with the Class of 2026.
Here’s the full list: (Players must have last played at least 25 full seasons ago — no more recently than the 2000 season — to be eligible for nomination in this category. Qualifications for candidacy include five years of service and at least one recognized postseason honor.)
Pro Football Hall of Fame Seniors Committee nominations
Quarterbacks (9)
Ken Anderson, Charlie Conerly, Roman Gabriel, John Hadl, Jack Kemp, Don Meredith, Earl Morrall, Jim Plunkett, Doug Williams.
Backs/Running Backs (16)
Alan Ameche, Ottis Anderson, Larry Brown, Earnest Byner, Roger Craig, John David Crow, Chuck Foreman, Cecil Isbell, Verne Lewellen, Jack Manders, Mercury Morris, Don Perkins, Billy Sims, Herschel Walker (Georgia), Byron “Whizzer” White, Paul “Tank” Younger.
Ends/Wide Receivers/Tight Ends (30)
Fred Arbanas, Todd Christensen, Mark Clayton, Ben Coates, Gary Collins, Isaac Curtis, Carroll Dale, Lavvie Dilweg, Boyd Dowler, Mark Duper, Henry Ellard, Jimmie Giles, Charley Hennigan, Billy Howton, Harold Jackson, Keith Jackson, Billy “White Shoes” Johnson (Falcons), Brent Jones, Homer Jones, Steve Jordan, Eric Martin, Stanley Morgan, Jay Novacek, Art Powell, Del Shofner, Lionel Taylor, Otis Taylor, Rick Upchurch, Bobby Walston (Georgia), Billy Wilson.
Offensive Linemen (35)
Heartley “Hunk” Anderson, Bruce Armstrong, Stew Barber, Dick Barwegen, Ed Budde, Ox Emerson, Gale Gillingham, Charles “Buckets” Goldenberg, Ken Gray, Dennis Harrah, Jay Hilgenberg, Chris Hinton (Falcons), Joe Jacoby, Mike Kenn (Falcons), Bob Kuechenberg, George Kunz (Falcons), Riley Matheson, Max Montoya, Jon Morris, Ralph Neely, John Niland, Bart Oates, Marvin Powell, Duane Putnam, Dick Schafrath, Jerry Sisemore, Doug Smith, Walt Sweeney, Bob Talamini, Fuzzy Thurston, Jim Tyrer, Bob Vogel, Ed White, Ray Wietecha, Al Wistert.
Defensive Linemen (15)
Houston Antwine, Gene Brito, Roger Brown, Earl Faison, Mark Gastineau, L.C. Greenwood, Ed “Too Tall” Jones, Jim Marshall, Leonard Marshall, Harvey Martin, Jerry Mays, Tom Sestak, Fred Smerlas, Neil Smith, Bill Stanfill (Georgia).
Linebackers (25)
Carl Banks, Maxie Baughan (Georgia Tech), Cornelius Bennett (Falcons), Bill Bergey, Matt Blair, Mike Curtis, Joe Fortunato, Larry Grantham, Tim Harris, E.J. Holub (also OL), Vaughan Johnson, Lee Roy Jordan, Seth Joyner, Greg Lloyd, Wilber Marshall, Rod Martin, Clay Matthews Jr. (Falcons), Bud McFadin, Karl Mecklenburg, Matt Millen, Tommy Nobis (Falcons), Isiah Robertson, Pat Swilling, Darryl Talley, Keena Turner.
Defensive Backs (27)
Dick Anderson, Bobby Boyd, Dave Brown, Joey Browner, Butch Byrd, Don Doll, Pat Fischer, Goose Gonsoulin, Dave Grayson, Cornell Green, Merton Hanks, Lester Hayes, Warren Lahr, Albert Lewis, Tim McDonald, Eddie Meador, Lemar Parrish, Jimmy Patton, Eugene Robinson (Falcons), George Saimes, Jake Scott (Georgia), Dennis Smith, Jack Tatum, Everson Walls, Charlie Waters, Abe Woodson, Louis Wright.
Kickers/Punters (3)
Jim Bakken, Jim Breech, Nick Lowery.
Special Teams (2)
Mel Gray, Steve Tasker
About the Author
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
