Former Vikings stars Jim Marshall and Chuck Foreman are among the 60 senior candidates to advance to the next stage in the voting process for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025, the Hall announced Thursday.
Vikings’ Jim Marshall, Chuck Foreman make initial cut for Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025
Marshall, a defensive end who defined “NFL ironman,” and Foreman, a dual-threat running back ahead of his time, are among 60 former NFL players to move on to the next step of the selection process.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
October 3, 2024 at 5:05PM
The Hall added a Seniors Screening Committee to the selection process this year. Each member of that committee cast a ballot for 50 individuals from a list of 182 nominees consisting of 100 offensive players, 77 defensive players and five special teamers who played their last games in 1999.
A separate nine-person Seniors Blue-Ribbon Committee will make additions and reductions over the next several weeks. In late fall, this committee will pick three seniors as finalists for possible selection by the full Hall of Fame selection committee.
Marshall, 86, defined the term “NFL ironman” during a 20-year career (1960-79) in which he played the final 19 as an original member of the Vikings. The defensive end’s 289 consecutive games started, including playoffs, is second all-time behind Brett Favre’s 321. Marshall’s 301 consecutive games played, including playoffs, is third behind punter Jeff Feagles (363) and Favre (323).
Foreman, 73, was NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1973 and a dual-threat running back who was ahead of his time. Foreman played seven seasons with the Vikings and a final year in New England. He led the NFL in receptions in 1975 (73), touchdowns from scrimmage in 1974 (15) and 1976 (14) and total touchdowns from 1974 to ’76 (51).
Here is a list of the seniors who remain eligible for election with the Class of 2025:
QUARTERBACKS (5): Ken Anderson, Charlie Conerly, Roman Gabriel, Jack Kemp, Jim Plunkett.
RUNNING BACKS (7): Alan Ameche, Ottis Anderson, Larry Brown, Roger Craig, Chuck Foreman, Cecil Isbell, Paul “Tank” Younger.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS (10): Mark Clayton, Isaac Curtis, Boyd Dowler, Henry Ellard, Harold Jackson, Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, Stanley Morgan, Art Powell, Sterling Sharpe, Otis Taylor.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (12): Ed Budde, Ox Emerson, Bill Fralic, Chris Hinton, Joe Jacoby, Mike Kenn, Bob Kuechenberg, George Kunz, Ralph Neely, Dick Schafrath, Jim Tyrer, Al Wistert.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (6): L.C. Greenwood, Ed “Too Tall” Jones, Jim Marshall, Harvey Martin, Leslie O’Neal, Bill Stanfill.
LINEBACKERS (11): Carl Banks, Maxie Baughan, Bill Bergey, Joe Fortunato, Larry Grantham, Lee Roy Jordan, Clay Matthews Jr., Tommy Nobis, Andy Russell, Pat Swilling, Phil Villapiano.
DEFENSIVE BACKS (8): Dick Anderson, Deron Cherry, Pat Fischer, Lester Hayes, Albert Lewis, Eddie Meador, Lemar Parrish, Everson Walls.
SPECIAL TEAMS (1): Steve Tasker.
Widely known that Minnesota sports fans are among the most suffering in the nation, this holiday season has the chance to become special, given the recent success of the Vikings, Wolves, Lynx and Wild.
