Former Falcons linebacker Tommy Nobis, offensive lineman Mike Kenn, wide receiver/returner Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, offensive linemen Chris Hinton and George Kunz and linebacker Clay Matthews Jr. were named semifinalists by the seniors committee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame for consideration in the class of 2024 on Wednesday.
Also, current Falcons CEO Rich McKay and former coach Dan Reeves, one of two coaches to lead the Falcons to the Super Bowl, were named semifinalists in the coach/contributor categories.
In addition to the Falcons, the other semifinalists include: Ken Anderson, Ottis Anderson, Carl Banks, Maxie Baughan, Larry Brown, Mark Clayton, Charlie Conerly, Roger Craig, Henry Ellard, Randy Gradishar, Lester Hayes, Cecil Isbell, Joe Jacoby, Bob Kuechenberg, Albert Lewis, Jim Marshall, Steve McMichael, Eddie Meador, Stanley Morgan, Art Powell, Sterling Sharpe, Steve Tasker, Otis Taylor, Everson Walls and Al Wistert.
Each semifinalist played his last game in professional football no later than the 1998 season.
McKay and Reeves are a part of a list of 29 semifinalists, which includes K.S. “Bud” Adams Jr., Roone Arledge, C.O. Brocato, Tom Coughlin, Alex Gibbs, Ralph Hay, Mike Holmgren, Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, Eddie Kotal, Robert Kraft, Elmer Layden, Jerry Markbreit, Virginia McCaskey, John McVay, Art Modell, Buddy Parker, Carl Peterson, Art Rooney Jr., Marty Schottenheimer, Jerry Seeman, George Seifert, Mike Shanahan, Clark Shaughnessy, Seymour Siwoff, Jim Tunney, Lloyd Wells and John Wooten.
Selection bylaws stipulate that both the Seniors Committee and Coach/Contributor Committee vote for 25 semifinalists but also allows for additional candidates to proceed in the process in the case of a tie vote for the 25th position. That occurred in both fields this year.
The committees now will consider the candidates for a vote to send 12 seniors and 12 coach/contributors to the next round. The results will be announced July 27.
The committees will meet Aug. 15 to select one coach or contributor for final consideration for the Class of 2024.
The seniors committee will meet Aug. 22 and may select up to three seniors for final consideration as members of the Class of 2024. Expansion of the Seniors pool for election to the Hall was approved in 2022 for the Classes of 2023, 2024 and 2025.
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