Former Georgia Tech standout Demaryius Thomas, who played 10 seasons in the NFL and was a six-time Pro Bowler, was in the group of 16 first-year eligible players on the list of 167 modern-era players nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025.
A total of 14 Falcons, including outside linebacker/defensive end John Abraham, were on the list. The other former Falcons are running backs Jamal Anderson, Warrick Dunn and Steven Jackson, wide receivers Joe Horn, Andre Rison and Roddy White, offensive tackle Lincoln Kennedy, linebackers Cornelius Bennett and Keith Brooking (East Coweta High, Georgia Tech), cornerback DeAngelo Hall, safety Eugene Robinson, cornerback/returner Allen Rossum and kicker Jason Elam (Brookwood High).
Other players with local ties including running backs Jamal Lewis (Douglass High), Dorsey Levens (Georgia Tech) and Terry Allen (Banks County High), wide receiver Hines Ward (Forest Park High, Georgia), center Jeff Saturday (Shamrock High), defensive end Robert Mathis (McNair High), linebacker Takeo Spikes (Washington County High), safety Eric Berry (Creekside High) and kicker John Kasay (Clarke Central High).
Thomas, who also attended West Laurens High, died from a seizure Dec. 9, 2021.
The others making the list for consideration for the first time with Thomas are quarterback Eli Manning, running backs Marshawn Lynch and Darren Sproles, tight ends Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker, offensive linemen Travis Frederick, Ryan Kalil, Joe Staley and Marshal Yanda, linebackers Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs, defensive backs Antoine Bethea, Aqib Talib and Earl Thomas, and kicker Adam Vinatieri.
Running back Fred Taylor, wide receiver Torry Holt, wide receiver Reggie Wayne, tight end Antonio Gates, offensive tackle Willie Anderson, guard Jahri Evans, outside linebacker Jared Allen and safety Darren Woodson were finalist for the Class of 2024.
The roster of nominees consists of 94 offensive players, 56 defensive players and 17 special-teams players.
In the next step in the selection process, a screening committee will reduce the list to 50 (plus ties, if any, for the 50th spot). The results of that reduction will be announced in mid-October.
The full 50-person Hall of Fame selection committee then will reduce the list further – to 25 semifinalists, later this fall. Another vote will create the list of 15 finalists who will be discussed at the annual meeting ahead of Super Bowl LVIX that will produce the new class, which can consist of three, four or five modern-era players under the Hall of Fame’s bylaws.
MODERN-ERA NOMINEES
FOR THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2025
*-Finalist for the Class of 2024. Underline indicates first year of eligibility. (Players must have last played at least five full seasons ago to be eligible for nomination. Therefore, any individual who last played in 2019 is eligible for the first time in 2025.)
QUARTERBACKS (10): Marc Bulger, Randall Cunningham, Jake Delhomme, Doug Flutie, Rich Gannon, Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb, Eli Manning, Steve McNair, Tony Romo
RUNNING BACKS (31): Shaun Alexander, Terry Allen, Jamal Anderson, Tiki Barber, Larry Centers (FB), Jamaal Charles, Stephen Davis, Corey Dillon, Warrick Dunn, Charlie Garner, Eddie George, Priest Holmes, Steven Jackson, Chris Johnson, Thomas Jones, John Kuhn (FB), Vonta Leach, Dorsey Levens, Jamal Lewis, Marshawn Lynch, Eric Metcalf (also WR/PR/KR), Glyn Milburn (also WR), Lorenzo Neal (FB), Clinton Portis, Tony Richardson (FB), Robert Smith, Darren Sproles (also PR/KR), Fred Taylor*, Chris Warren, Ricky Watters, Ricky Williams
WIDE RECEIVERS (21): Anquan Boldin, Donald Driver, Antonio Freeman, Irving Fryar, Torry Holt*, Joe Horn, Chad Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Derrick Mason, Herman Moore, Muhsin Muhammad, Jordy Nelson, Andre Rison, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Steve Smith Sr., Demaryius Thomas, Hines Ward, Reggie Wayne*, Wes Welker, Roddy White
TIGHT ENDS (6): Ben Coates, Vernon Davis, Antonio Gates*, Jeremy Shockey, Delanie Walker, Wesley Walls
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (26): Willie Anderson* (T), Bruce Armstrong (T/G), Matt Birk (C), Lomas Brown (T), Ruben Brown (G), Jahri Evans* (G), Travis Frederick (C), Jordan Gross (T), Ryan Kalil (C), Lincoln Kennedy (T), Olin Kreutz (C), T.J. Lang (G/T), Nick Mangold (C), Logan Mankins (G), Tom Nalen (C), Jeff Saturday (C), Mark Schlereth (G/C), Josh Sitton (G), Chris Snee (G), Joe Staley (T), Dave Szott (G), Brian Waters (G), Richmond Webb (T), Erik Williams (T), Steve Wisniewski (G), Marshal Yanda (G)
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (18): John Abraham (DE also LB), Jared Allen* (DE), La’Roi Glover (DT/NT), Casey Hampton (DT/NT), Robert Mathis (DE), Chester McGlockton (DT), Haloti Ngata (DT), Simeon Rice (DE), Clyde Simmons (DE/DT), Justin Smith (DE), Neil Smith (DE), Henry Thomas (DT/NT), Justin Tuck (DE), Ted Washington (NT/DT), Vince Wilfork (DT/NT), Jamal Williams (DT/NT), Kevin Williams (DT), Pat Williams (DT)
LINEBACKERS (20): Jessie Armstead, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Cornelius Bennett, Lance Briggs, Keith Brooking, NaVorro Bowman, Tedy Bruschi, Donnie Edwards, James Farrior, London Fletcher, James Harrison, Luke Kuechly, Willie McGinest (also DE), Ken Norton Jr., Julian Peterson, Bill Romanowski, Takeo Spikes, Terrell Suggs, Mike Vrabel, Lee Woodall
DEFENSIVE BACKS (18): Eric Allen (CB), Eric Berry (DB), Antoine Bethea (S), Dré Bly (DB), Kam Chancellor (S), Nick Collins (DB), Antonio Cromartie (CB), DeAngelo Hall (DB), Rodney Harrison* (S), Eugene Robinson (DB), Samari Rolle (DB), Allen Rossum (DB), Bob Sanders (S), Aqib Talib (CB), Earl Thomas (S), Charles Tillman (CB), Troy Vincent (CB), Darren Woodson* (S)
PUNTERS/KICKERS (15): David Akers (K), Gary Anderson (K), Darren Bennett (P), Jason Elam (K), Jeff Feagles (P), Jason Hanson (K), John Kasay (K), Sean Landeta (P), Shane Lechler (P), Pat McAfee (P), Brian Moorman (P), Matt Stover (K), Matt Turk (P), Mike Vanderjagt (K), Adam Vinatieri (K)
SPECIAL TEAMS (2): Josh Cribbs (KR/PR also WR), Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB)
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