MAIN Recreation Sports Football 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame

It's the official start of the 2024 NFL preseason as the Pro Hall of Fame Game kicks off in August.

Watch for the TV broadcast on ABC and ESPN when the game is televisted on Thursday, August 1, 2024 beginning at 8 p.m. ET live from the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, OH

And coming up that weekend -- the class of 2024 inductees will be honored right next door at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, beginning at noon on Saturday, August 3 with nationwide television coverage on ESPN and the NFL Network.

> Defensive end linebacker Julius Peppers enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024.

Football Hall of Fame Class of '24

Watch for total list of more than a hundred nominees announced that were reduced to 25 semifinalists in November.

This list was again reduced to 15 finalists in January, The selection committee will then choose the official class of 2024 in February (during Super Bowl week) for eventual enshrinement at the August ceremony.

Meanwhile, sports pundits are already busy predicitng who might be most likely to succeed for enshrinement in 2024.

The 15 Finalists

Announced in December, Julius Peppers and Antonio Gates are first-time modern-era candidates who have made the cut as two of the 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year.

Eric Allen, CB – 1988-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2021-24)
Jared Allen, DE – 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2021-24)
Willie Anderson, T – 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2021-24)
Jahri Evans, G – 2006-2016 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay Packers
Dwight Freeney, DE – 2002-2012 Indianapolis Colts, 2013-14 San Diego Chargers, 2015 Arizona Cardinals, 2016 Atlanta Falcons, 2017 Seattle Seahawks, 2017 Detroit Lions
Antonio Gates, TE – 2003-2018 San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers
Rodney Harrison, S – 1994-2002 San Diego Chargers, 2003-08 New England Patriots
Devin Hester, PR/KR/WR – 2006-2013 Chicago Bears, 2014-15 Atlanta Falcons, 2016 Baltimore Ravens
Torry Holt, WR – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars
Andre Johnson, WR – 2003-2014 Houston Texans, 2015 Indianapolis Colts, 2016 Tennessee Titans
Robert Mathis, DE/LB – 2003-2016 Indianapolis Colts
Julius Peppers, DE – 2002-09, 2017-18 Carolina Panthers, 2010-13 Chicago Bears, 2014-15 Green Bay Packers
Fred Taylor, RB – 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2009-2010 New England Patriots
Reggie Wayne, WR – 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colt
Patrick Willis, LB – 2007-2014 San Francisco 49ers
Darren Woodson, S – 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys

Hall of FamE Enshrinement Class of 2024

The seven finalists to be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame were announced on February 8, 2024.

The newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame are defensive end/outside linebacker Dwight Freeney, linebacker Randy Gradishar, kick returner/punt returner/wide receiver Devon Hester, wide receiver Andre Johnson, defensive tackle/nose tackle Steve McMichael defensive end/linebacker Julius Peppers, and linebacker Patrick Willis.

To be considered for Pro Football Hall of Fame election, a nominated player or coach must have been retired at least five years. This year's class will increase to well more than 300 the players and coaches who are now permanently honored in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

DID YOU KNOW? Hall of Fame fun facts

• What's in a name? The more colorfully-named Hall of Fame inductees have included Elroy (Crazylegs) Hirsch, Frank (Bruiser) Kinard, Dick (Night Train) Lane, Clyde (Bulldog) Turner, Alphonse (Tuffy) Leemans, and "Mean" Joe Greene.

Class of '87: Pete Rozelle, O.J. Simpson, Joe Namath, Roger Staubach.

• "Mean" Joe Greene was inducted in 1987, but remains even more famous for starring in a Coke commercial entitled "Hey, Kid Catch!" which aired during the 1979 Super Bowl.

• One of the most illustrious Hall of Fame classes was inducted in 1985. It included Joe Namath, Pete Rozelle, O.J. Simpson, and Roger Staubach.

• Cal Hubbard is currently the only person in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame (as a player) and the Baseball Hall of Fame (as an umpire).

• Pennsylvania is the state that leads the pack in Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees, with 30 members born in the Keystone state.

More about the pro football Hall of Fame around the Web:

On the Web, take a virtual tour, learn more about football greats of the past in profiles & photos, get details on the Hall of Fame Weekend festivities, and what else it means to be forever enshrined in the American Pro Football Hall of Fame ....

2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame - Check out the official site with pictures, updates, inductee news, annual Hall of Fame Weekend & game schedule, museum virtual tour, pictures & video presentations, extensive historical guides including a decade-by-decade timeline, player profiles, plus a complete visitor guide with directions, contact info.

Pro Football Hall of Fame - Wikipedia - Get a leg up on encyclopedic knowledge of its history, the selection process, a list of inductees dating back to 1963, and related resources.