FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 11/20/2018

MODERN-ERA SEMIFINALISTS FOR CLASS OF 2019 REVEALED LIST TRIMMED FROM 103 NOMINEES; INCLUDES FIVE FIRST-TIME SEMIFINALISTS; NEXT CUT-DOWN ON JAN. 3, 2019

CANTON, OHIO – Three first-year eligible players – cornerback , tight end and safety – are among the 25 semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019.

Two others – coach Tom Flores and Zach Thomas – although previously eligible for the Hall of Fame, are semifinalists for the first time. All other individuals on the 2019 list have been a semifinalist in previous years.

The year-round selection process aligns with the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s important Mission to “Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values and Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE.”

CLASS OF 2019 SEMIFINALISTS

DEFENSE – 13 – 1 defensive lineman, 4 , 8 defensive backs

OFFENSE – 9 – 1 running back, 3 wide receivers, 1 tight end, 4 offensive linemen

COACHES – 3

The following is the list of 2019 Modern-Era 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 Selection Committee Bylaws in 2004.

• , S – 1989-1998 , 1999 New York Jets | (Times as a Semifinalist: 8 – 2012-19)

• Champ Bailey, CB – 1999-2003 Washington Redskins, 2004-2013 Denver Broncos | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2019) • , CB/S – 1997-2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2018- 19) • Tony Boselli, T – 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002 Houston Texans (injured reserve) | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2016-19) • Isaac Bruce, WR – 1994-2007 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 2008-09 San Francisco 49ers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2015-19) • LeRoy Butler, S – 1990-2001 Green Bay Packers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2018-19) • Don Coryell, Coach – 1973-77 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San Diego Chargers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 11 – 2005, 2010-19) • , G – 1998-2007 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2008-09 New York Jets, 2010 Arizona Cardinals | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2016-19) • Tom Flores, Coach – 1979-1987 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-94 Seattle Seahawks | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2019) • Tony Gonzalez, TE – 1997-2008 , 2009-2013 Atlanta Falcons | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2019) • , WR – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2015-19) • Steve Hutchinson, G – 2001-05 Seattle Seahawks, 2006-2011 Minnesota Vikings, 2012 Tennessee Titans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2018-19) • , RB – 1999-2005 Colts, 2006-08 Arizona Cardinals, 2009 Seattle Seahawks | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2015-19) • Jimmy Johnson, Coach – 1989-1993 , 1996-99 | (Times as a Semifinalist: 6 – 2014-19) • , CB – 1995-2004 , 2005, 2008 New York Jets, 2006-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2009 Denver Broncos | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2015-19) • John Lynch, FS – 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos | (Times as a Semifinalist: 7 – 2013-19) • Clay Matthews, LB – 1978-1993 Cleveland Browns, 1994-96 Atlanta Falcons | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2012, 2017, 2019) • , C/G – 1994-97 Seattle Seahawks, 1998-2005 New York Jets, 2006-09 Tennessee Titans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2015-19) • Karl Mecklenburg, LB – 1983-1994 Denver Broncos | (Times as a Semifinalist: 8 – 2012-19) • Sam Mills, LB – 1986-1994 , 1995-97 Carolina Panthers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2016, 2019)

• Ed Reed, FS – 2002-2012 , 2013 New York Jets, 2013 Houston Texans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2019) • , DE/DT – 2001-08 New England Patriots, 2009-2012 Oakland Raiders | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2018-2019) • Zach Thomas, LB – 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2019) • Hines Ward, WR – 1998-2011 Pittsburgh Steelers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2017-19) • Darren Woodson, S – 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2015, 2017, 2019) To be considered for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a nominated player or coach must not have participated as an active player or coach for five consecutive seasons.

The list of semifinalists was reduced from an initial group of 103 nominees announced in September. The next step in the selection process comes on Thursday, Jan. 3 when the semifinalists are trimmed to 15 Modern-Era Finalists. That list increases to 18 finalists with the inclusion of the recommended nominees of the Hall of Fame’s Contributors and Seniors Committees. The 2019 Contributor Finalists are (Owner – 1984-Present Denver Broncos) and Gil Brandt (Vice President of Player Personnel – 1960-1988 Dallas Cowboys; Contributor – 1995-present NFL.com). The Senior Finalist is Johnny Robinson (S – 1960-1971 Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs).

Bowlen, Brandt and Robinson will be voted on separately and, like all other finalists, must receive 80% positive vote from the full Selection Committee on “Selection Saturday” at the annual selection meeting on Feb. 2, 2019 in Atlanta, Ga., the day before LIII.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s current bylaws stipulate that between four and eight new members will be selected each year. No more than five Modern-Era Finalists can be elected in a given year. Therefore, a class of six, seven, or eight can only be achieved if one or more of the Contributor and Senior Finalists are elected.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019 will be announced during NFL Honors, a two-hour primetime awards special to air nationally on the eve of Super Bowl LIII at 9 p.m. (ET and PT) on CBS. NFL Honors will be taped earlier that evening at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta from 5-7 p.m. (local) when the 2019 Hall of Fame class will be introduced for the first time. In addition, the NFL and The Associated Press will announce their annual accolades in this awards show with the winners on hand to accept their awards.

The Class of 2019 will be officially enshrined into the Hall of Fame during the spectacular Enshrinement Ceremony held inside Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium at Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village in Canton on Saturday, Aug. 3. The Enshrinement is the main event of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls.

FROM HOF MEDIA GUIDE: All-time list of Semifinalists (by year; alphabetically) – 2004-2018

FAN VOTE For the eighth consecutive year, fans can vote for their favorite Pro Football Hall of Fame nominees. Fans should visit www.nfl.com/hofvote to make their picks. The Class of 2019 fan vote is presented by Ford, the Official Automobile of the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Fans could score big with a new custom NFL design Ford F-150 AND a VIP trip for two to Super Bowl LIII. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Sweepstakes end Jan. 20, 2019. Enter sweepstakes: http://www.fordtoughestticket.com/?srccode=501005- 013&utm_source=fanvotethankyou&utm_medium=3rdpartyurl&utm_campaign=toughestticket2018

Contest rules: http://www.fordtoughestticket.com/rules.html

2019 ENSHRINEMENT WEEK POWERED BY JOHNSON CONTROLS OFFICIAL TICKET PACKAGES Official ticket packages for the 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls are on sale now at www.hofexperiences.com/ by calling 844-751-0532. A variety of ticket packages, starting at $299, provide fans with VIP experiences, premium seating and parties with Hall of Famers. Packages range from event day offerings to four-day experiences that include a multitude of exclusive extras.

Individual tickets to the 2019 Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls will go on sale at a later date.

Fans can also sign up to receive information and updates about tickets by going to www.profootballhof.com/newsletter or by following the Hall on social media @ProFootballHOF on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube.

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CONTACTS: Pete Fierle, Chief of Staff & Senior Vice President of Communications [email protected]; 330-588-3622

Rachel Gutting, Communications Coordinator [email protected]; 330-588-3671

ABOUT THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME Located in Canton, Ohio, the birthplace of the , the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit institution with the Mission to Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values, & Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. AAM accreditation is national recognition for the museum’s commitment to excellence and the highest professional standards of museum operation and public service.

Hundreds of thousands of fans from across the globe travel to Canton annually to experience “The Most Inspiring Place on Earth!” that chronicles America’s most popular sport. The Pro Football Hall of Fame, also voted Top Tourist Attraction in Ohio, was named the Best Attraction for Sports Fans in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award contest.

Construction on Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village, an $889 million development project that includes 10 main components, is under way in Canton to transform the Hall of Fame’s campus.

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