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Centennial Slate for Class of 2020 Revealed 15-Person Centennial Slate Elected During Meeting at Hall of Fame in Canton Last Week

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Centennial Slate for Class of 2020 Revealed 15-Person Centennial Slate Elected During Meeting at Hall of Fame in Canton Last Week FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 01/15/2020 CENTENNIAL SLATE FOR CLASS OF 2020 REVEALED 15-PERSON CENTENNIAL SLATE ELECTED DURING MEETING AT HALL OF FAME IN CANTON LAST WEEK CANTON, OHIO – The full 15-person Centennial Slate for the Class of 2020 was revealed live today on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football.” The special slate of enshrinees consisting of 10 Seniors (players who last played more than 25 years ago), three Contributors (an individual other than a player or coach) and two Coaches were elected by a special Blue-Ribbon Panel during a meeting at the Hall of Fame last week. It marked the first time in history that a group of enshrinees was selected during a meeting held at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The two coaches, BILL COWHER and JIMMY JOHNSON, were surprised by Hall of Fame President & CEO David Baker, who informed them of their election on their respective studio shows during last weekend’s NFL divisional playoff games. The Centennial Slate of Enshrinees will be joined in the Class of 2020 by five Modern-Era Players who will be elected on “Selection Saturday,” the day before Super LIV in Miami. Those five individuals will be revealed and join the members of the Centennial Slate on NFL Honors, a two-hour primetime awards special to air nationally on the eve of Super Bowl LIV at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. Details and ticket information for the annual Enshrinement Ceremony and the Centennial Celebration will be revealed in the coming weeks. COACHES • Bill Cowher – 1992-2006 Pittsburgh Steelers • Jimmy Johnson – 1989-1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1996-99 Miami Dolphins CONTRIBUTORS *Deceased • *Steve Sabol, Administrator/President – 1964-2012 NFL Films • Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner – 1989-2006 National Football League • *George Young, Contributor/General Manager – 1968-1974 Baltimore Colts, 1975-78 Miami Dolphins, 1979-1997 New York Giants, 1998-2001 National Football League September 16-19, 2020 A once-in-every- other-lifetime celebration to kick off the NFL’s next century in the city where the league was born. SENIORS *Deceased • Harold Carmichael, WR – 1971-1983 Philadelphia Eagles, 1984 Dallas Cowboys • Jim Covert, T – 1983-1990 Chicago Bears • *Bobby Dillon, S – 1952-59 Green Bay Packers • Cliff Harris, S – 1970-79 Dallas Cowboys • *Winston Hill, T – 1963-1976 New York Jets, 1977 Los Angeles Rams • *Alex Karras, DT – 1958-1962, 1964-1970 Detroit Lions • Donnie Shell, S – 1974-1987 Pittsburgh Steelers • *Duke Slater, T – 1922 Milwaukee Badgers, 1922-25 Rock Island Independents, 1926-1931 Chicago Cardinals • *Mac Speedie, E – 1946-1952 Cleveland Browns [AAFC/NFL] • *Ed Sprinkle, DE/LB/E – 1944-1955 Chicago Bears CENTENNIAL SLATE BLUE-RIBBON PANEL The Centennial Slate Blue-Ribbon Panel was comprised of many members of the overall Selection Committee in addition to Hall of Famers, coaches, football executives and several leading historians. The panel considered nearly 300 nominees in the lengthy process to elect the slate. “This was the most thorough vetting of candidates in the Hall’s history and it needed to be. Our charge was to scour 100 years of professional football and find the most deserving candidates who have slipped through the cracks,” commented veteran Hall of Fame Selector Rick Gosselin. “All 38 finalists for the Centennial Slate were Hall of Fame worthy but we could only choose 15. I am proud to be a part of this process that honors these men who shaped the NFL in its first century." • Bill Belichick – New England Patriots Head Coach • Jarrett Bell – Hall of Fame Selector, USA Today • Gil Brandt – Pro Football Hall of Fame Contributor • Joel Bussert – Former NFL Executive, Pro Football Historian • John Clayton – Hall of Fame Selector, The Washington Post • Frank Cooney – Hall of Fame Selector, Sports Xchange • John Czarnecki – Hall of Fame Selector, FOX Sports • Rick Gosselin – Hall of Fame Selector, Talk of Fame Network • Elliot Harrison – Pro Football Historian and Long-time TV Analyst • Joe Horrigan – Retired Pro Football Hall of Fame Executive Director, Football Historian • Ira Kaufman – Hall of Fame Selector, JoeBucsFan.com • Dick LeBeau – Pro Football Hall of Fame Cornerback, Longtime NFL coach • Jeff Legwold – Hall of Fame Selector, ESPN/ESPN.com • John Madden – Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach • John McClain – Hall of Fame Selector, Houston Chronicle • Gary Myers – Hall of Fame Selector, Sports Illustrated • Ozzie Newsome – Pro Football Hall of Fame Tight End, EVP Baltimore Ravens • Sal Paolantonio – Hall of Fame Selector, Senior National Correspondent – ESPN September 16-19, 2020 A once-in-every- other-lifetime celebration to kick off the NFL’s next century in the city where the league was born. • Carl Peterson – Longtime Pro Football Executive • Bill Polian – Pro Football Hall of Fame Contributor • Dan Pompei – Hall of Fame Selector, The Athletic • Charean Williams – Hall of Fame Selector, Pro Football Talk • Chris Willis – Producer-Head of Research Library - NFL Films, Football Historian • Barry Wilner – Hall of Fame Selector, Associated Press • Ron Wolf – Pro Football Hall of Fame Contributor CLASS OF 2020 CENTENNIAL SLATE ENSHRINEES COACHES BILL COWHER HOF Finalist: 1 (2020) | Year of Eligibility: 9 Coach NFL Career: 1992-2006 Pittsburgh Steelers Seasons: 15 College: North Carolina State Born: May 8, 1957 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania At age 34, succeeded legendary Hall of Famer Chuck Noll as Steelers head coach, 1992 … Became just second coach ever, joining Paul Brown, to lead team to playoff appearances in each of first six seasons … Advanced to postseason a total of 10 times during his tenure … At the time of his retirement, was one of just six coaches to win eight division titles … Led Pittsburgh to two Super Bowl appearances … Guided a team overcome with injuries to franchise record 15 wins, 2004 … His 2005 team became first team to ever win nine road games and the first sixth-seeded team in NFL history to win Super Bowl after amazing playoff run capped by 21-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL … Cowher-led teams recorded double-digit win totals nine times … Named NFL Coach of the Year twice (1992 by Associated Press and Sporting News; 2004 by Sporting News) … Regular season record: 149- 90-1, .623 … Postseason record: 12-9, .571 … Overall record: 161-99-1, .619 … Served as special teams coach and secondary coach for Cleveland Browns (1985-88) and Defensive Coordinator for Kansas City Chiefs (1989-1991) following NFL playing career as linebacker and special teams player with Browns and Philadelphia Eagles. Correction: A release distributed by the Hall of Fame on Saturday stated Cowher won nine division titles. The correct number is eight as noted in the capsule bio above. September 16-19, 2020 A once-in-every- other-lifetime celebration to kick off the NFL’s next century in the city where the league was born. JIMMY JOHNSON HOF Finalist: 2 (2015, 2020) | Year of Eligibility: 16 Coach NFL Career: 1989-1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1996-99 Miami Dolphins Seasons: 9 College: Arkansas Born: July 16, 1943 in Port Arthur, Texas Achieved great success at college level before entering pro ranks … Replaced legendary coaches in each of two NFL stops (Tom Landry in Dallas; Don Shula in Miami) … Noted for evaluating talent … Rebuilt Dallas through the draft … First draft with Dolphins landed eight players who earned starting roles as rookies … Transformed Cowboys franchise, going from 1-15 to playoff team by third season … First coach ever to win a college national championship and a Super Bowl … Became just fourth coach to lead team to back-to-back Super Bowl titles … Cowboys defeated Buffalo Bills 52-17 in Super Bowl XXVII and 30-13 in Super Bowl XXVIII … Guided Dallas, the NFL’s youngest team that season, to franchise best 13-3 record and 16 overall wins, 1992 … One season later, Cowboys established club record by surrendering an NFL-low six interceptions and defense ranked in top 11 in all six major offensive and defensive statistical categories … Led his teams to playoffs six times (three in Dallas, three in Miami) … Named NFL Coach of the Year by the Associated Press, 1990 … Regular season record: 80-64-0, .556 … Postseason record: 9-4, .692 … Overall record: 89-68-0, .567. CONTRIBUTORS STEVE SABOL HOF Finalist: 1 (2020) | Year of Eligibility: n/a Administrator/President Career: 1964-2012 NFL Films College: Colorado College Born: Oct. 2, 1942 in Moorestown, New Jersey Died: Sept. 18, 2012 in Moorestown, New Jersey at age of 69 Joins his father Ed Sabol as only third father-son duo to be elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame (Art and Dan Rooney; Tim and Wellington Mara are the others) … Began brilliant career in 1964 as cinematographer working for his father who founded NFL Films … Artistic vision behind studio that completely revolutionized how fans watched the National Football League … Under his leadership, NFL Films won over 100 Emmys … Personally, won 35 Emmys in more categories than any other person in TV history (writing, cinematography, editing, directing and producing) … He and his father received the Lifetime Achievement Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, 2003 … Named the 2002 Sports Executive of the Year by Sporting News … Honored by Pro Football Hall of Fame as winner of prestigious Pioneer Award for significant innovative contributions to pro football, 2007 … Bestowed March of Dimes Sports Leadership Award, 2010 … Inducted into Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame and Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, 2011 … Received Sports Business Journal’s Champions – Pioneers & Innovators in Sports Business award, 2012. September 16-19, 2020 A once-in-every- other-lifetime celebration to kick off the NFL’s next century in the city where the league was born. PAUL TAGLIABUE HOF Finalist: 5 (2007-09, 2017, 2020) | Year of Eligibility: n/a Commissioner NFL Career: 1989-2006 National Football League Seasons: 17 College: Georgetown, New York University Born: Nov.
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