Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values & Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE @ProFootballHOF 02/01/16 #PFHOF16 Contact: Pete Fierle, Chief of Staff & Vice President of Communications [email protected]; 330-588-3622 CLASS OF 2016 TO BE ELECTED ON SATURDAY PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME SELECTION MEETING TO TAKE PLACE IN SAN FRANCISCO; NEW CLASS ANNOUNCED AT NFL HONORS CANTON, OHIO – The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s annual selection meeting will take place on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016 in San Francisco, the day before Super Bowl 50. The elite 46-person selection committee will meet to culminate a year-round process that will result in the election of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2016. The selectors will thoroughly discuss the careers of each finalist during the daylong meeting. Although there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 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 and thus a class of six, seven, or eight can only be achieved if the Contributor Finalist and/or one or both of the Senior Finalists are elected. Representatives of the accounting firm Deloitte & Touche will tabulate all votes during the meeting. The Class of 2016 will be introduced for the first time as a group during “NFL Honors,” a two-hour primetime awards special to air nationally on the eve of the Super Bowl from 9-11 p.m. (ET and PT) on CBS. “NFL Honors” will be taped earlier that evening at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco from 8-10 p.m. (ET). 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. CREDENTIALS FOR NFL HONORS INCLUDING CLASS OF 2016 PRESS CONFERENCE Media interested in requesting credentials to cover NFL Honors and Red Carpet must apply for credentials at NFLcommunications.com. After signing in, click on “Event Credentials” under the “Events” section of the homepage. If you do not already have an account with NFLCommunications.com, you will need to register. COMMITMENT • INTEGRITY • COURAGE • RESPECT • EXCELLENCE For questions regarding credentials e-mail Elizabeth McCollum, [email protected]. Note: A “Week of Game” or Super Bowl credential does not gain access to NFL Honors or the Red Carpet. You will have to apply for a separate credential using the link above. The deadline to request credentials is Wednesday, February 3. MEDIA TRANSPORTATION FOR NFL HONORS TO Honors: • Two motor coaches running in a continuous shuttle from the Media Center from 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. • They will depart approx. every 30 minutes (if they are full, they will go ahead and leave) from the Media Center Moscone West • Load Zone at Moscone Center West is on 4th St between Minna & Howard Sts West Curb FROM Honors: • Post event buses will return to Media Hotels instead of the Media Center (2 routes) • Departures from Bill Graham will be at 7pm, 8pm and 9pm per route • Load Zone at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is on Grove St between Polk St & Van Ness Ave South Curb 2016 FINALISTS “RED BOOK” Complete bios, stats, clippings for each of the 18 finalists along with comparative statistics to Hall of Famers are available through the Hall of Fame’s media website. www.ProFootballHOF.com/media (Log-in: canton) Also found on the media site is the 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Media Guide. COMMITMENT • INTEGRITY • COURAGE • RESPECT • EXCELLENCE SELECTION MEETING The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Selection Meeting will meet on Saturday, Feb. 6 to elect the Class of 2016. Bylaws stipulate that the class can have no fewer than four and no more than eight members with a maximum of five Modern-Era members. The first order of business is to debate the merits of the SENIORS FINALISTS, Ken Stabler and Dick Stanfel, 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 2016, Seniors Finalists, like all other Finalists, need 80 percent positive vote from the full committee. KEN STABLER Quarterback … 6-3, 215 … Alabama … 1970-79 Oakland Raiders, 1980-81 Houston Oilers, 1982-84 New Orleans Saints … 15 seasons, 184 games … Left-handed passer known for his exciting and flamboyant style … Drafted in 2nd round of the 1968 draft by Raiders … Joined team in 1970 and guided Oakland to winning records in each of his 9 seasons as a starter including five straight division crowns … Traded to Houston and led Oilers to 11-5 mark, 1980 … Compiled impressive .661 winning percentage … Totaled 27,938 yards and 194 touchdowns … Career completion percentage (59.85) ranked second all-time at retirement … Led Raiders to AFC title game each season from 1973-77 … Only quarterback since AFL-NFL merger to lead team to five consecutive conference championships … Registered league-leading and career-best 103.4 passer rating, 1976 … Guided Raiders to victory over Steelers in ’76 AFC Championship Game and then win over Vikings in Super Bowl XI … Twice led NFL in TD passes (1974 and 1976) … All-Pro and NFL’s MVP, 1974 and 1976 … All-AFC three times (1973-74, 1976) … Voted to four Pro Bowls … Named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1970s … Born on December 25, 1945 in Foley, Alabama … Died July 8, 2015 at age of 69. DICK STANFEL Guard … 6-3, 236 … San Francisco … 1952-55 Detroit Lions, 1956-58 Washington Redskins … Seven seasons, 73 games … Selected by Detroit in 2nd round (19th player overall) of 1951 draft … Anchor of dominant Lions team of that era … Suffered knee injury while preparing to play in the College All-Star game before joining the Lions … Injury sidelined him for entire 1951 season … Took the field following year, quickly established himself as team leader … Lions advanced to the NFL championship game in first three seasons Stanfel played … Won back-to-back world titles 1952-53 … Teammates recognized his outstanding play, naming him team’s Most Valuable Player in 1953 championship season … An honor rarely bestowed to an offensive lineman … After four seasons in Detroit, was traded to Washington Redskins as part of blockbuster four- team deal … In Washington, was reunited with college coach and mentor Joe Kuharich … Played three seasons in Washington and continued to be regarded among NFL’s elite players … While still at the top of game, retired at age 31 to pursue coaching career … Followed Kuharich to Notre Dame as an assistant coach before embarking on lengthy NFL coaching career … Earned first- team All-Pro honors in five of seven seasons including all three years with the Redskins … Voted to four Pro Bowls … Named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of 1950s … Born July 20, 1927 in San Francisco, California … Died June 22, 2015, at the age of 87. Following the Seniors vote, the next order of business is to debate the career of the CONTRIBUTOR FINALIST, Edward DeBartolo, Jr. 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 2016, the Contributor Finalist, like all other Finalists, needs 80 percent positive vote from the full committee. EDWARD DeBARTOLO, JR. Owner … Notre Dame … 1977-2000 San Francisco 49ers … Purchased 49ers in 1977 with vision to create top-notch organization, on and off field … Known as a "players’ owner,” led franchise to unprecedented winning during tenure … In 1979, hired Bill Walsh as team’s head COMMITMENT • INTEGRITY • COURAGE • RESPECT • EXCELLENCE coach, drafted quarterback Joe Montana, and created atmosphere conducive to winning … Fortunes of franchise changed soon thereafter … In 1981, 49ers finished 13-3 to claim NFC Western Division title and won hard fought playoff battles with New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys and capped the year with a thrilling 26-21 victory over Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XVI … DeBartolo infused team roster with talent that resulted in San Francisco enjoying amazing string of winning seasons … Team averaged 13 wins per season, including playoffs, during a span from 1981 to 1998 (not including strike-shortened 1982 season). During DeBartolo’s ownership team claimed 13 division titles, made 16 playoff appearances, advanced to NFC championship game 10 times, and was first franchise ever to win five Super Bowls (XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV, XXIX) … Franchise posted the best winning percentage in NFL in both the decades of the 1980s and 1990s … Was named NFL Man of the Year by Football News, 1989 as the nation’s top sports executive … DeBartolo was also highly respected inside NFL circles and served on league’s realignment and expansion committees … Born November 6, 1946 in Youngstown, Ohio. 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 five Finalists who require 80 percent positive vote to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2016. MORTEN ANDERSEN Kicker … 6-2, 218 … Michigan State … 1982-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-2000, 2006-07 Atlanta Falcons, 2001 New York Giants, 2002-03 Kansas City Chiefs, 2004 Minnesota Vikings … 25 seasons, 382 games … Selected by Saints in 4th round (86th player overall) of 1982 draft … Began career in strike-shortened 1982 season … Scored more than 90 points in 22 seasons … Topped 100-point total 14 times in career … First 100-plus season, 1985, connected on 31 of 35 field goals, 27 extra point conversions, for 120 points, earning first of seven Pro Bowl selections … Also named All-Pro five times … After 13 years with Saints and ranking as team’s all-time leading scorer, joined the Falcons in 1995 … Became Falcons career scoring leader … Spectacular 1995 season, scored a career-high 122 points, including then NFL-record for most 50-yard field goals in season (8) … Dec.