2 Cowboys among 4 finalists for Hall of Fame (senior candidates)

[Doomsday101]

How does the panel of Senior Candidates get chosen? Have either Howley or Hayes been a candidate for the senior inductee before? If they don't make it, will it be years before they get another chance, if at all? And how many people on this list can make it in?

I've only recently heard about the senior candidates, and I've never heard of more than one senior representative making it into the HOF. But admittedly I know little about the process... How long do you have to be out of the game to qualify as a senior candidate?

When the Selectors meet in South Florida next February to name the Class of 2007, they will have before them a roster of 17 final candidates, along with detailed biographies on each. To assure that older players will be considered along with the younger breed, the Seniors Committee - made up of nine veteran members of the overall Selection Committee - have named two nominees from the pre-1982 era to be included on the final list.

The other finalists will be the survivors from a preliminary list of candidates that the Board will have screened by mail ballot. That original list will have been in part provided by the fans themselves.

A slight modification to the bylaws in August 2006 resulted in an increase to 17 finalists based on 15 modern-era candidates and two senior nominees being named. In the past, the finalists numbered 15 that included 13 modern-era candidates and the two senior nominees.

Any fan may nominate any qualified person who has been connected with pro football in any capacity simply by writing to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The only restriction is that a player must have last played at least five seasons before he can be considered. For example, a candidate for the 2007 class must have concluded his career not later than the 2001 season.

 

[percyhoward]

When the Selectors meet in South Florida next February to name the Class of 2007, they will have before them a roster of 17 final candidates, along with detailed biographies on each. To assure that older players will be considered along with the younger breed, the Seniors Committee - made up of nine veteran members of the overall Selection Committee - have named two nominees from the pre-1982 era to be included on the final list.

The other finalists will be the survivors from a preliminary list of candidates that the Board will have screened by mail ballot. That original list will have been in part provided by the fans themselves.

A slight modification to the bylaws in August 2006 resulted in an increase to 17 finalists based on 15 modern-era candidates and two senior nominees being named. In the past, the finalists numbered 15 that included 13 modern-era candidates and the two senior nominees.

Any fan may nominate any qualified person who has been connected with pro football in any capacity simply by writing to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The only restriction is that a player must have last played at least five seasons before he can be considered. For example, a candidate for the 2007 class must have concluded his career not later than the 2001 season.

I can add to that that this is Hayes' 2nd time around as a senior candidate. He was a finalist once before. It's Howley's first time, he has never even been a finalist as a regular candidate, although Lee Roy Jordan has once.

To be senior candidate, you have to be inelligible for regular induction, which means your retirement year has to be more than 25 years before the voting. Harvey Martin will be elligible as a senior beginning next year.