The Pro Football Hall of Fame has announced 15 modern-era finalists for the Class of 2024. This group of finalists features some all-time great players and coaches who are hoping to receive the highest individual honor in pro football – induction into the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
Star-Studded Finalist Class Highlights This Year’s Candidates
This year’s finalist class includes 5 first-year eligible players, headlined by former Panthers DE Julius Peppers, Chargers TE Antonio Gates, Bears RS Devin Hester, Packers G Jahri Evans, and Rams WR Torry Holt. They are joined by several other star players who have been finalists before – Colts WR Reggie Wayne, Packers DE Jared Allen, 49ers LB Patrick Willis, Steelers WR Hines Ward, and others.
In total, the 2024 finalists have combined for 33 First Team All-Pro selections, 5 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Awards, 23 Pro Bowl MVPs, and 4 Super Bowl championships.
Several Top Contenders Looking to Seal Their HOF Bids
A few standout players are hoping that this year is finally the year they get over the hump and into the Hall of Fame after years of being close.
Reggie Wayne is a 6-time Pro Bowler and former Peyton Manning favorite target in Indianapolis. Jared Allen made 5 Pro Bowls and narrowly missed the all-time sack record with 136 career sacks. Patrick Willis was arguably the best LB in football during his 8-year run before injuries cut his career short.
Other interesting candidates looking for HOF validation include: versatile Bears return specialist Devin Hester, record-setting TE Antonio Gates, Steelers Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward, and Packers ironman guard Jahri Evans.
Selection Committee Faces Tough Choices for 5 Modern-Era Spots
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 49-person Selection Committee will have to make some very difficult choices regarding the 2024 class. They can only select a maximum of 5 modern-era players for enshrinement from this group of 15.
With so many incredibly qualified candidates, talented players are certain to miss the cut this year. The most hotly debated candidates that may elicit split votes among the Committee members include Reggie Wayne, Jared Allen, Torry Holt, Patrick Willis, Devin Hester, and Hines Ward.
Coaches & Contributors Also Up for Consideration
In addition to the 15 modern-era players, there are several coaches/contributors who are finalists for the Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
This group is headlined by former Cowboys safety Darren Woodson, Jaguars tackle Tony Boselli, and Bengals tackle Willie Anderson.
There is a separate selection committee vote just for coaches/contributors that can select up to 3 candidates from this pool for induction.
Enshrinement Week Schedule in August 2023
The Class of 2024 members elected by the Selection Committee will be announced in early February right before the Super Bowl.
Those newly elected Hall of Famers will then go through a whirlwind year that culminates with their enshrinement celebrations in Canton next August during Enshrinement Week.
The schedule features tons of special events for the new inductees including the Gold Jacket Dinner, Enshrinees Roundtable Discussion, Enshrinement Ceremony, and Hall of Fame Game.
It will surely be an emotional and memorable week for those fortunate new members that make up the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024.
Projecting the 2024 Class Based on Committee History
Trying to predict the actual 5 modern-era players who will comprise the Class of 2024 is quite challenging. However, we can make some educated guesses based on past voting tendencies of the Selection Committee.
The two first-year eligible players most likely to get in right away are Julius Peppers and Antonio Gates, who were clearly the best players at their respective positions during their era.
For the other three spots, the Committee seems to favor players who have been waiting for a while as finalists rather than selecting only first-year eligibles. So leading candidates among players who’ve been close before are Reggie Wayne, Jared Allen, Torry Holt, Patrick Willis, and Devin Hester.
My early prediction for the full Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024:
- Modern-Era Players
- DE Julius Peppers
- TE Antonio Gates
- WR Reggie Wayne
- DE Jared Allen
- RS Devin Hester
- Coaches/Contributors
- S Darren Woodson
- OT Willie Anderson
Of course there will be snubs, controversies, and surprises along the way – but right now, that group feels like a pretty good bet based on historical voting trends.
Only time will tell! The actual 2024 class will be revealed in just over a month, so football fans won’t have to wait long to find out.
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
