FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 09/26/2019

BLUE-RIBBON PANEL TO DETERMINE SLATE FOR SPECIAL CENTENNIAL CLASS COMBINATION OF HALL OF FAME SELECTORS, HALL OF FAMERS, COACHES, FOOTBALL EXECUTIVES, AND HISTORIANS MAKE UP 25-PERSON COMMITTEE

CANTON, OHIO – The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced a measure in August that will result in a special Centennial Class of 2020 to include 20 members. The group will consist of five Modern-Era players, 10 Seniors (a player who has been retired for more than 25 seasons), three Contributors (an individual other than a player or coach) and two coaches.

The five-modern era enshrinees will come from the list of 122 modern-era nominees announced earlier this month. The 48-person Selection Committee will trim the initial list to 25 semifinalists in November and 15 finalists in January. The entire committee will then meet in Miami on “Selection Saturday,” on the eve of the to debate the merits of each finalist. Voting will progress to a series of reduction votes that will result in the election of five Modern-Era players.

The remainder of the Class of 2020 will be the special Centennial slate that will include the 10 seniors, three contributors, and two coaches to be identified by a special Blue-Ribbon panel that has been formed by the Hall of Fame. The committee is comprised of many members of the overall Selection Committee in addition to Hall of Famers, coaches, football executives and several leading historians.

CENTENNIAL CLASS BLUE-RIBBON PANEL

Ernie Accorsi – Longtime Pro Football Executive – New England Patriots Jarrett Bell – Hall of Fame Selector, USA Today 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 Elliott Harrison – Pro Football Historian and Long-time TV Analyst Joe Horrigan – Retired Pro Football Hall of Fame Executive, Football Historian

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.

Ira Kaufman – Hall of Fame Selector, JoeBucsFan.com Dick LeBeau – Pro Football Hall of Fame , Longtime NFL coach Jeff Legwold – Hall of Fame Selector, ESPN/ESPN.com – Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach John McClain – Hall of Fame Selector, Houston Chronicle Gary Myers – Hall of Fame Selector, The Athletic – Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end, EVP Sal Paolantonio – Hall of Fame Selector, Senior National Correspondent - ESPN Carl Peterson – Longtime Pro Football Executive – 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 – Pro Football Hall of Fame Contributor

A comprehensive list of nominated Seniors, Contributors and Coaches will be compiled and presented to the Blue-Ribbon panel by the end of this month. A reduction vote by the panel to 20 Seniors, 10 Contributors and 8 Coaches will be announced in the fall. The special panel will then meet in person to vote for 10 Seniors, 3 Contributors and 2 Coaches.

The Centennial Class will be formally enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame during the annual Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls in August and the NFL Centennial Celebration in Canton in September 2020.

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

Rachel Gutting, Director of Communications & Strategic Initiatives [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. Fans can also enjoy the Hall of Fame Store at the Hall, and online at www.profootballhof.com/store, for merchandise from all 32 NFL clubs plus the Hall of Fame. Proceeds from the Store support the Hall’s Mission.

Construction on Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village, a mixed-use development project, is under way in Canton to transform the Hall of Fame’s campus.

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.

@ProFootballHOF

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.