Class of 2019 to Be Elected on “Selection Saturday”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 01/29/2019 CLASS OF 2019 TO BE ELECTED ON “SELECTION SATURDAY” ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING TO TAKE PLACE IN ATLANTA; NEW CLASS INTRODUCED DURING NFL HONORS ON EVE OF SUPER BOWL LIII CANTON, OHIO – “Selection Saturday” will change the lives of up to eight individuals when they receive the coveted “knock on the door” from Pro Football Hall of Fame President & CEO David Baker. It is on that day, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019, that the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 48-member Selection Committee gathers in Atlanta to elect the Hall’s Class of 2019. The meeting, held on the eve of Super Bowl LIII, caps the year-round selection process that results in no fewer than four and no more than eight members being accorded the game’s highest honor. The results of the meeting are delivered to Baker, who walks the hallways of a nearby hotel where the finalists for the Class of 2019 eagerly await hearing the news they are going to Canton. The selectors will thoroughly discuss the CONTENTS OF THIS RELEASE careers of each of the 18 finalists for the Shuttle Info for NFL Honors Class of 2019 during the meeting which “Selection Saturday” Timeline typically lasts more than eight hours. Seniors Finalist Contributors Finalists Although there is no set number for any Modern-Era Finalists class of enshrinees, the Pro Football Hall of 2019 Finalists Bios, Stats, Articles | 2018 HOF Media Guide Fame’s current bylaws stipulate that Doing the Math: Possible Number of New Class Combinations between four and eight new members will Percentage of Finalists Elected to the Hall of Fame be chosen each year. No more than five Number of Times as Finalist Modern-Era Finalists can be elected in a Years of Eligibility given year and thus a class of six, seven, or Finalists by Team eight can only be achieved if the Seniors Finalists by Position Finalist and/or one or both of the Selection Process for the Class of 2019 Contributors Finalists are elected. 2019 Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls Representatives of the accounting firm Official Ticket Packages Deloitte & Touche will tabulate all votes Fan Vote during the meeting. 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. MEDIA SHUTTLE SCHEDULE Event: NFL HONORS Date: Saturday, February 2 (2:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., Media Check in Opens 12:30 p.m.) Departure Time: Noon Departure Location: Super Bowl LIII Media Center (GWCC Building A) Load/Unload Zone (corner of Centennial Olympic Park Drive and State Farm Drive, on Centennial Olympic Park Drive) Destination: The Fox Theatre, 660 W. Peachtree St. NW, Atlanta, GA 30308 Details: Departures at 12:00 noon, 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Returns will be at 7:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 9:30 p.m. from The Fox Theatre to all media hotels. Please refer to the Media Hotel Shuttle Schedule for routes. “SELECTION SATURDAY” TIMELINE The first order of business is to debate the merits of the SENIORS FINALIST Johnny Robinson followed by a vote, “yes” or “no,” for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In order to be named to the Class of 2019, the Seniors Finalist, like all other Finalists, needs 80 percent positive vote from the full committee. JOHNNY ROBINSON Safety… 6-1, 205 … Louisiana State … 1960-1971 Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs 12 seasons, 164 games … Selected in first round of 1960 AFL Draft by Texans and 3rd overall in the 1960 NFL Draft by Detroit Lions … Utilized by Texans as running back first two seasons … Moved to defense in third season, responded with 4 interceptions … Recorded multiple interceptions each season after moving to safety … Single- season best 10 interceptions in 1966 (led AFL) and 1970 (led NFL) … Lone career pick-six came on 29-yard interception return vs. Boston Patriots, Sept. 25, 1966 … Helped team to four division titles … Played in three AFL championship game victories … Started in two Super Bowls … Recorded two tackles, one fumble recovery and intercepted one pass for nine yards in Chiefs’ 23-7 win over Minnesota Vikings, Super Bowl IV … Named All-AFL five straight seasons (1965-69), All-Pro, 1969 and All-NFL, 1970 … Voted to AFL All-Star Game six times, Pro Bowl once … Named to AFL’s All-Time Team … Intercepted 57 career interceptions, returned for 741 yards and 1 TD …Also gained 658 rushing yards, 6 TDs; 77 catches for 1,228 yards, 9 TDs; 21 punt returns for 272 yards, 1 TD; and 3 kickoff returns for 54 yards … Scored one TD on fumble return (46 yards vs. Baltimore Colts on Monday Night Football, Sept. 28, 1970) … Born Sept. 9, 1938 in Delhi, Louisiana. Following the vote on the Seniors Finalist, the next order of business is to debate the career of the CONTRIBUTORS FINALISTS, Pat Bowlen and Gil Brandt, followed by a vote “yes” or “no” for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In order to be named to the Class of 2019, the Contributor Finalists, like all other Finalists, needs 80 percent positive vote from the full committee. PAT BOWLEN Owner … Oklahoma … 1984-Present Denver Broncos Bowlen shaped the Broncos into one of the most storied franchises in NFL history during his 35 years as owner … Engrained winning culture into organization with immediate results … Broncos posted 13-3 record to win AFC West in Bowlen’s first season, 1984 … Sustained and unprecedented success over past three decades has resulted in more than 350 victories, seven Super Bowl appearances and regular-season winning percentage of .603 (1984-2017) … With Bowlen at helm, Broncos have advanced to playoffs 18 times, won 13 division crowns, seven AFC conference championships and three Super Bowl titles (XXXII, XXXIII and 50) … Under his leadership, the Broncos are only NFL team to post 90 or more victories in each of the past three decades … Broncos victory total since Bowlen took over as owner is second most in NFL … Led effort for state-of-the-art Broncos Stadium at Mile High that opened in 2001 …. Member of numerous NFL committees over career including co-chair of NFL Management Council Executive Committee … Key figure to securing NFL’s labor and TV contracts … As Chair of NFL Broadcast Committee was responsible for negotiations of $18 billion TV contract, the most lucrative in single- sport history … Named to Broncos Ring of Fame, 2015 … Born Feb. 18, 1944 in Praire du Chien, Wisconsin. GIL BRANDT Contributor … Wisconsin … 1960-1988 Dallas Cowboys, 1995-present National Football League Historic half-century career in pro football … As vice president of personnel for the Cowboys, helped build one of most dominant franchises in all of sports … Integral talent scout for Cowboys and member of team’s brain trust along with Hall of Famers Tex Schramm and Tom Landry since inception in 1960 through 1988 … Developed innovative scouting and management of personnel systems … Many innovations are standard process for NFL teams today … Early user of computer analysis to evaluate players … Discovered number of free agents such as wide receiver Drew Pearson and defensive backs Cliff Harris and Everson Walls … Responsible for building rosters that led Cowboys to winning records in 20 consecutive seasons (1966-1985) … Cowboys registered 10 or more wins in a season 16 times during period … Helped Dallas to 13 division titles, six conference championships and two Super Bowl victories (VI and XII) … Joined NFL.com at its inception in 1995 and has been key contributor ever since … Regarded as top draft expert … Serves as resident historian for NFL.com and has provided countless number of columns about league’s significant events and players … A regular radio personality on SiriusXM NFL Radio … Born March 4, 1933 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Next, the Selection Committee will evaluate the careers of the 15 MODERN-ERA FINALISTS. After discussion of each candidate, the Selection Committee will vote for 10 Finalists. Additional debate is followed by a second vote in which the 10 remaining Finalists are trimmed to five. A final vote “yes” or “no” will be conducted on the final five Finalists who require 80 percent positive vote to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019. STEVE ATWATER Safety … 6-3, 218 … Arkansas… 1989-1998 Denver Broncos, 1999 New York Jets 11 seasons, 167 games … Drafted in first round (20th overall) in 1989 draft … Made immediate impact as rookie in 1989 as Denver led NFL in fewest points allowed, recorded AFC’s best record and earned a berth in Super Bowl XXIV … Named to NFL All-Rookie Team … Noted for hard hitting and devastating tackling ... Broncos leading tackler in 1993 and 1995 … Recorded multiple interceptions in all but three seasons … Led Broncos in interceptions three seasons and interception return yardage four times … Career-high five interceptions, 1991 … Recorded 24 career picks returned for 408 yards and 1 TD … Totaled more than 1,000 career tackles … Registered five career sacks … Elected to eight Pro Bowls over nine-season span … Named All-Pro in 1991, 1992; Second-team All-Pro, 1990, 1996 … All-AFC six times … Started at free safety in four AFC championship games and three Super Bowls … Recorded six tackles, one sack and one pass defensed in Super Bowl XXXII to help Broncos to first Super Bowl championship with win over Green Bay Packers … Contributed four tackles, three assists and two passes defensed against Atlanta Falcons in Denver’s Super Bowl XXXIII win … Named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s … Born Oct.