Pro Football Hall of Fame
The city of Canton, Ohio, successfully lobbied the NFL to have the Hall of Fame built there. This effort cited three specific reasons for the selection. First, the NFL was founded in Canton on the 17th of September 1920. At that time, it was known as the American Professional Football Association. Second, the defunct Canton Bulldogs were a successful pro football team. They became the NFL's first repeat champion in 1922 and 1923. Third, the Canton community held a fundraising effort. That campaign garnered nearly $400,000 to get the Hall of Fame built. Groundbreaking for the building occurred on the 11th of August 1962. The facility opened to the public on the 7th of September 1963.
The original building contained just two rooms and 5,000 square feet of interior space. In April 1968, ground was broken for the first expansion project. This initial phase cost $620,000 and finished on the 10th of May 1969. The size increased to 15,000 square feet by adding another room. The pro shop opened with this expansion. Yearly attendance passed the 200,000 mark for the first time during this era. Work began again in November 1977 on a second expansion. It cost $1,200,000 and completed in November 1978. The total size reached 30,000 square feet, more than 2.5 times the original size. A third expansion announced in July 1993 cost $9,200,000. That work finished the 1st of October 1995, bringing the building to 45,000 square feet. The largest renovation completed in 2013 brought the total size to 100,000 square feet.
Enshrinees are selected by a 50-person committee known as the Selection Committee. Each city with a current NFL team sends one media representative. Cities with multiple franchises send representatives for each franchise. There are also 15 at-large delegates including one from the Pro Football Writers Association. Most appointments remain open-ended until death or resignation. To be eligible, a player must have been retired for at least five years. Coaches need only one year of retirement. Fans may nominate candidates via letter or email. The committee polls members three times by mail in March, September, and October. This narrows the list to 25 semi-finalists. In November, the committee selects 15 finalists by mail balloting. Subcommittees add one or two finalists on alternating years. The full committee meets on Selection Saturday before each Super Bowl game. A finalist needs at least 80% support to be elected. At least four but no more than nine candidates win annually.
The enshrinement ceremony is the main event of Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls. All Hall of Fame members receive invitations to attend. Inductees do not enter as members of a specific team. Their affiliations appear equally on their records. Bust sculptures make no reference to any specific team unlike baseball plaques. Inductees receive a distinctive Gold Jacket instead. Previous inductees nearly always wear theirs during new ceremonies. Ceremonies were held on steps from 1999 to 2005. They moved to Fawcett Stadium starting in 2002. That venue was renamed Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Since 2007, events occur on Saturday night. The 2022 ceremony shifted to noon ET. The Hall of Fame Game serves as the annual NFL preseason opener. It takes place in Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium within Hall of Fame Village.
In 2020, a special Blue-Ribbon Panel selected an additional 15 new members. This group became known as the Centennial Slate. They joined five modern-era players for a total of 20 inductees. The goal celebrated the 100th anniversary of the NFL. Ten of these 15 members were seniors. On January 11, Hall of Fame president David Baker appeared on The NFL Today. He told coach Bill Cowher he had been selected while Cowher worked as an analyst. One day later, Baker informed coach Jimmy Johnson on Fox NFL Sunday. The rest of the slate revealed themselves on January 15. Harold Carmichael and Jim Covert joined Bobby Dillon and Cliff Harris. Winston Hill and Alex Karras also made the list. Donnie Shell, Duke Slater, Mac Speedie, and Ed Sprinkle completed the player group. Steve Sabol, George Young, and Paul Tagliabue received contributor honors. They were enshrined in 2021 due to the pandemic but remain part of the 2020 class.
The small number of candidates elected each year fosters inequality concerns. Critics point to defensive backs and outside linebackers being excluded. Special teams players and wide receivers face similar scrutiny. Players from poor teams often get overlooked despite deserving status. A 2009 New York Times article criticized the Hall for excluding punter Ray Guy. Guy eventually entered the 2014 class. Officials have generally been excluded from the Hall unlike other sports. Only two figures won induction for officiating work. Hugh Shorty Ray entered in 1966 and Art McNally in 2022. McNally remains the only inductee with game official experience. Sports-journalist Howard Cosell has yet to receive full induction. His association with Monday Night Football remains well-known. Darren Sharper faced debate over his conviction on rape charges after retirement. Official guidelines state off-field character issues should not influence selection. Terrell Owens refused to attend his 2018 ceremony despite election. Bill Belichick's exclusion in 2026 sparked controversy regarding Spygate and Deflategate scandals.
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Common questions
Why was Canton Ohio chosen for the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
Canton Ohio was selected because the NFL was founded there on the 17th of September 1920 as the American Professional Football Association. The defunct Canton Bulldogs were the league's first repeat champions in 1922 and 1923. The community also raised nearly $400,000 to fund the facility.
When did the Pro Football Hall of Fame open to the public?
Groundbreaking occurred on the 11th of August 1962 and the facility opened to the public on the 7th of September 1963. The original building contained two rooms and 5,000 square feet of interior space before expansions began.
How many square feet is the current Pro Football Hall of Fame building?
The largest renovation completed in 2013 brought the total size to 100,000 square feet. This expansion more than doubled the previous size which reached 45,000 square feet after work finished on the 1st of October 1995.
What are the eligibility requirements for players entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
To be eligible a player must have been retired for at least five years while coaches need only one year of retirement. Enshrinees are selected by a 50-person Selection Committee that polls members three times annually.
Who were the inductees added to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Centennial Slate in 2020?
A special Blue-Ribbon Panel selected 15 new members including Harold Carmichael Jim Covert Bobby Dillon Cliff Harris Winston Hill Alex Karras Donnie Shell Duke Slater Mac Speedie Ed Sprinkle Steve Sabol George Young and Paul Tagliabue. These individuals joined five modern-era players to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the NFL.