Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, standout tight end Antonio Gates, and formidable pass rusher Jared Allen are among the 25 modern-era nominees for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.
The Hall of Fame revealed the semifinalists on Wednesday after the selection committee narrowed down a larger pool of 50 nominees identified by a newly established screening committee. This 25-player list features six players who are eligible for induction for the first time, as well as 10 players who were finalists in the previous year.
Next, the full selection committee will whittle down the candidates to 15 finalists, who will be voted on during the annual meeting held prior to the Super Bowl, which ultimately determines the new inductees. For enshrinement, candidates must secure 80% of the votes, with a minimum of three and a maximum of five players granted entry as modern-era candidates.
In addition, there will be voting conducted for three senior candidates, alongside one contributor and one coach, with between one and three individuals from this group being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Leading the pack in their initial year of eligibility are Manning, former Defensive Players of the Year Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs, postseason superstar Adam Vinatieri, three-time Pro Bowl safety Earl Thomas, and two-time All-Pro guard Marshal Yanda.
Gates and Allen are among the returning finalists from the previous year, along with wide receivers Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne; offensive linemen Willie Anderson and Jahri Evans; and defensive backs Darren Woodson, Eric Allen, and Rodney Harrison, as well as running back Fred Taylor.
From the cohort of returning semifinalists, notable names include wide receivers Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith, and Hines Ward, along with defensive linemen Robert Mathis and Vince Wilfork, linebacker James Harrison, and running back Ricky Watters.
Richmond Webb, an offensive lineman who concluded his career in 2002, has reached the semifinal stage for the first time. Meanwhile, guard Steve Wisniewski is appearing as a semifinalist for the second time, having previously progressed to this stage during the voting for the class of 2014.
Manning aims to join his brother Peyton in the Hall after a distinguished tenure with the New York Giants. Chosen first overall in the 2004 draft, Manning devoted his entire career to the Giants, leading them to a shocking victory over the unbeaten New England Patriots in the Super Bowl post-2007 season, where he delivered a game-winning touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the wire’s final minute.
Four years later, he orchestrated another late touchdown drive to triumph over Tom Brady and the Patriots. Manning stands as one of 13 quarterbacks to have secured two Super Bowl titles, with eight of the nine eligible for Hall induction already enshrined.
Only Jim Plunkett is yet to enter the Hall, alongside more recent athletes like Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, and Patrick Mahomes, who currently lack eligibility.
Over his career, Manning accrued four Pro Bowl selections but never was named an All-Pro nor led the league in any significant statistical category during a season. Nevertheless, he retired with 57,023 passing yards and 366 touchdown passes.
His greatest accomplishments came during those two memorable postseason runs, where he became one of few multiple Super Bowl MVP awardees alongside legends like Brady, Mahomes, Joe Montana, Bart Starr, and Terry Bradshaw.
Antonio Gates transitioned from a college basketball player into one of the NFL’s elite tight ends after he was drafted by the Chargers. He secured All-Pro honors during his second season in 2004 and repeated the feat in the subsequent two seasons, ultimately spending 16 illustrious years with the team.
Gates concludes his career with an astounding 955 receptions for 11,841 receiving yards, coupled with an NFL record of 116 touchdown catches for tight ends.
Jared Allen, another impressive candidate, was recognized as a four-time All-Pro, finishing his career with a remarkable 136 sacks, including a league-leading 22 in 2011 while playing for Minnesota.
Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs are celebrated as two of the best defensive players of their generation; Kuechly was named the league’s top defensive player in 2013, while Suggs received the honor in 2011.
Kuechly’s career, although brief, was significantly impactful, as he was chosen by Carolina with the first-round pick in 2012 and claimed All-Pro status five times, along with seven Pro Bowl nods and a Defensive Rookie of the Year title.
In his eight years, Kuechly topped all NFL linebackers in several categories, including tackles (1,090), takeaways (26), interceptions (18), and passes defensed (66).
Suggs made his mark as a leading pass rusher throughout his 17-year career, accumulating 139 sacks—the eighth most since the statistic was officially tracked in 1982.
He notched seven seasons with double-digit sacks while playing with the Baltimore Ravens, highlighted by a stellar performance in 2011 when he earned the title of top defensive player in the league and led the NFL with seven forced fumbles.
Recognized as one of the most clutch kickers in NFL history, Adam Vinatieri famously made the decisive field goals for the first two Super Bowl victories during New England’s dynasty run.
He is perhaps most remembered for a legendary 45-yard kick in the snow that propelled the Patriots into overtime in the “Tuck Rule” game against the Raiders in the 2001 divisional round.
Vinatieri not only came through in that moment, but he also converted a game-winning kick in overtime and later nailed a 48-yarder at the last moment in a 20-17 Super Bowl win against the Rams.
With a 24-year career that included stints with both New England and Indianapolis, he leads the NFL in numerous categories, including all-time points (2,673) and field goals made (599). Vinatieri also holds the postseason records with 56 field goals and 238 points scored, underscoring his legendary status in the realm of professional football.