Evans, Allen, Wayne among Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalists

Former Saints Jahri Evans and Eric Allen and West Bank product Reggie Wayne are among the 25 semifinalists for the Class of 2024 of the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Tuesday morning.

Evans, who spent 11 years with the Saints before playing one final season with the Green Bay Packers in 2017, is a semifinalist for the second consecutive year, and Allen, who played in New Orleans from 1995-97 as part of a 14-year pro career, is a semifinalist for the fourth straight time.

Wayne, a fifth-time semifinalist, played his high school football at John Ehret before a 14-year NFL career, all with the Indianapolis Colts.

The following is the list of 2024 Modern-Era Player Semifinalists, including their positions, years and teams. Also listed are the number of times and years the candidate has been named a Semifinalist since this reduction vote was added to the Hall’s bylaws in 2004. (NOTE: The bylaws state the number of Semifinalists shall be 25 – or a larger number if players tie for the 25th position.)

• Eric Allen, CB – 1988-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2021-24)
• Jared Allen, DE – 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2021-24)
• Willie Anderson, T – 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2021-24)
• Tiki Barber, RB – 1997-2006 New York Giants | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2024)
• Anquan Boldin, WR – 2003-09 Arizona Cardinals, 2010-12 Baltimore Ravens, 2013-15 San Francisco 49ers, 2016 Detroit Lions | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2022-24)
• Jahri Evans, G – 2006-2016 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay Packers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2023-24)
• London Fletcher, LB – 1998-2001 St. Louis Rams, 2002-06 Buffalo Bills, 2007-2013 Washington Redskins | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2023-24)
• Dwight Freeney, DE – 2002-2012 Indianapolis Colts, 2013-14 San Diego Chargers, 2015 Arizona Cardinals, 2016 Atlanta Falcons, 2017 Seattle Seahawks, 2017 Detroit Lions | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2023-24)
• Antonio Gates, TE – 2003-2018 San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2024)
• Eddie George, RB – 1996-2003 Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Titans, 2004 Dallas Cowboys (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2022, 2024)
• James Harrison, LB – 2002-2012, 2014-17 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2013 Cincinnati Bengals, 2017 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2023-24)
• Rodney Harrison, S – 1994-2002 San Diego Chargers, 2003-08 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2021, 2023-24)
• Devin Hester, PR/KR/WR – 2006-2013 Chicago Bears, 2014-15 Atlanta Falcons, 2016 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2022-24)
• Torry Holt, WR – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars | (Times as a Semifinalist: 10 – 2015-2024)
• Andre Johnson, WR – 2003-2014 Houston Texans, 2015 Indianapolis Colts, 2016 Tennessee Titans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2022-24)
• Robert Mathis, DE/LB – 2003-2016 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2022-24)
• Julius Peppers, DE – 2002-09, 2017-18 Carolina Panthers, 2010-13 Chicago Bears, 2014-15 Green Bay Packers (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2024)
• Steve Smith Sr., WR – 2001-2013 Carolina Panthers, 2014-16 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2022-24)
• Fred Taylor, RB – 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2009-2010 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2020-24)
• Hines Ward, WR – 1998-2011 Pittsburgh Steelers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 8 – 2017-2024)
• Ricky Watters, RB – 1992-94 San Francisco 49ers, 1995-97 Philadelphia Eagles, 1998-2001 Seattle Seahawks | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2020, 2022-24)
• Reggie Wayne, WR – 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2020-24)
• Vince Wilfork, DT – 2004-2014 New England Patriots, 2015-16 Houston Texans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2022-24)
• Patrick Willis, LB – 2007-2014 San Francisco 49ers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2020-24)
• Darren Woodson, S – 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist: 8 – 2015, 2017, 2019-2024)

Modern-Era Player Semifinalist Breakdown: OFFENSE – 13, RB (4): Tiki Barber, Eddie George Fred Taylor, Ricky Watters; WR (6): Anquan Boldin, Torry Holt, Andre Johnson, Steve Smith Sr., Hines Ward, Reggie Wayne; TE (1): Antonio Gates; OL (2): Willie Anderson, Jahri Evans; DEFENSE – 11, DB (3): Eric Allen, Rodney Harrison, Darren Woodson; LB (3): London Fletcher, James Harrison, Patrick Willis; DL (5): Jared Allen, Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis (also LB), Julius Peppers, Vince Wilfork; SPECIAL TEAMS – 1, Devin Hester (also WR).

The list of Semifinalists, which was announced live today on NFL Network, was reduced from an initial group of 173 nominees announced in September.

The next step in the selection process comes when the list is trimmed further – to 15 Modern-Era Player Finalists. That list increases to 19 Finalists overall with the inclusion of the recommended Nominees of the Hall of Fame’s Coach/Contributor Committee, Buddy Parker; and its Seniors Committee, Randy Gradishar, Steve McMichael and Art Powell.

The Hall of Fame’s 50-person Selection Committee will select the Class of 2024 in advance of Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. The class will be announced live on the “NFL Honors” telecast scheduled to air Feb. 8. While there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the bylaws for the Selection Committee provide that between four and nine new members will be selected.

The Coach/Contributor and Seniors Finalists are voted “yes” or “no” for election at the annual selection meeting and must receive at least 80% support from the Committee to be elected. The Modern-Era Player Finalists will be trimmed during the meeting from 15 to 10, then from 10 to five. The remaining five finalists will be voted on individually, “yes” or “no,” and must receive the same 80% positive vote as the Coach/Contributor and Seniors Finalists to earn election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024 will be enshrined next August (anticipated date: Aug. 3) in Canton as part of the 2024 Enshrinement Week. Other events include the Hall of Fame Game (teams to be determined) and the Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner. For more information, visit https://www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement/.