The Pro Football Hall of Fame has revealed the 60 semifinalists for its 2024 class, featuring prominent figures like two-time Super Bowl-winning coaches Tom Coughlin and Mike Shanahan, along with team owners Robert Kraft and Virginia McCaskey. The announcement was made on Wednesday, marking a significant step in the selection process.
The Hall of Fame's 12-person Seniors Committee narrowed down the list of eligible player nominees to 31 individuals, each of whom concluded their professional football careers no later than 1998. Concurrently, the 12-person Coach/Contributor Committee selected 29 semifinalists from the nominated candidates.
Tom Coughlin, who coached the New York Giants from 2004 to 2015, secured two Super Bowl victories against the New England Patriots following the 2007 and 2011 seasons. Mike Shanahan, another two-time Super Bowl champion coach, guided the Denver Broncos to titles after the 1997 and 1998 seasons. His overall coaching record stands at 178-144 across three teams, notably achieving an impressive 46-10 record from 1996 to 1998.
Virginia McCaskey, who celebrated her 100th birthday in January, took over as the principal owner of the Chicago Bears in 1983 after her father, George Halas, a Hall of Famer himself, passed away. Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots since 1994, has overseen six Super Bowl victories during his tenure, all achieved with the leadership of coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady.
The selection committees will further evaluate the candidates and cast votes to determine 12 finalists from each group. The results of these votes are scheduled to be revealed on July 27th. The Coach/Contributor Committee will then convene on August 15th to choose one candidate for final consideration for the 2024 Hall of Fame class. The Seniors Committee will meet on August 22nd, with the potential to select up to three candidates for final consideration. The induction ceremony for the 2024 class will take place later, joining the ranks of recently enshrined members like Revis, Thomas, Ronde Barber, and others.
