Former Georgia Tech linebacker Maxie Baughan and Sterling Sharpe, who is from Glennville, were named finalists in the seniors category for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 on Tuesday.
In addition to Baughan and Sharpe, former offensive lineman Jim Tyrer was named a seniors’ finalist.
Also, Ralph Hay (contributor) and Mike Holmgren (coach) were named finalists.
The finalists will need approval from at least 80% of the members of the full selection committee at their annual meeting next year in advance of the class unveiling during Super Bowl LIX week in New Orleans.
Baughan, who died in August 2023 at the age of 85, started at linebacker and center at Tech from 1957-59.
He was drafted in the second round by the NFL and in the first round by the AFL. He went on to play outside linebacker from 1960-70, then came out of retirement in 1974 to provide a veteran presence under longtime mentor Georgia Allen in Washington.
Baughan was a nine-time Pro-Bowler and won an NFL championship with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he played from 1960-65 before joining the Los Angeles Rams (1966-70).
Sharpe, was born in Chicago and grew up in Glennville, had his career cut short by a neck injury. Sharpe, who played at South Carolina, was drafted seventh overall in the 1988 draft by the Green Bay Packers.
Sharpe made five Pro Bowls and three first-team All-Pro teams during his seven-year career (1988-94).
Shannon Sharpe, Sterling’s brother, who played tight end in the NFL after a stellar career at Savannah State, was enshrined into the Hall of Fame in 2011.
Hay, an automobile dealer and the owner of the Canton Bulldogs from 1918-22, is a founder of the NFL. He is credited with organizing owners of professional football teams in his showroom in Canton in 1920 and forming an association that two years later was renamed the National Football League.
The other eight semifinalists in the contributor category this year were K.S. “Bud” Adams, Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, Robert Kraft, Art Modell, Art Rooney Jr., Seymour Siwoff, Doug Williams and John Wooten.
Holmgren coached at Green Bay (1992-98) and Seattle (1999-2008). Along, with Hall of Famer general manager Ron Wolf, Holmgren is credited with restoring Green Bay’s winning tradition and with taking Seattle to Super Bowl XL.
He guided the Packers to victory in Super Bowl XXXI, ending the franchise’s 29-year title drought.
The eight other semifinalists in the coach category this year were Bill Arnsparger, Tom Coughlin, Chuck Knox, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, George Seifert, Mike Shanahan and Clark Shaughnessy.
Tyrer, a nine-time Pro Bowler, was considered one of the dominant offensive tackles of his era and may have been skipped over because of a 1980 murder-suicide of himself and his wife, Martha. But because of more knowledge today of brain trauma and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) he maybe viewed in a different light.
Also, reaching the semifinalists stage were Ken Anderson, Lester Hayes, Bob Kuechenberg, Albert Lewis, Stanley Morgan and Al Wistert.
There are 25 modern-era players still under consideration for the Class of 2025: quarterback Eli Manning; running backs Fred Taylor and Ricky Watters; wide receivers Anquan Boldin, Torry Holt, Steve Smith Sr., Hines Ward and Reggie Wayne; tight end Antonio Gates; offensive linemen Willie Anderson, Jahri Evans, Richmond Webb, Steve Wisniewski and Marshal Yanda; defensive backs Eric Allen, Rodney Harrison, Earl Thomas and Darren Woodson; linebackers James Harrison, Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs; defensive linemen Jared Allen, Robert Mathis and Vince Wilfork; and kicker Adam Vinatieri.
When the selection committee meets to choose the Class of 2025, a minimum of three and a maximum of five modern-era players will comprise the new class along with the finalists (one, two or three) from the pool of coach/contributor/seniors candidates.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 will be announced during the “NFL Honors” show Feb. 6, at Saenger Theater in New Orleans, and they will be enshrined in August in Canton, Ohio.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
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