Former Vikings players Jim Marshall and Chuck Foreman survived a second round of cuts as the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection process trimmed the list of senior candidates being considered for the Class of 2025 from 60 to 31, the Hall announced today.
Members of the Hall’s “Seniors Blue-Ribbon Committee” voted for 25 players among the 60 that were presented by the “Seniors Screening Committee” three weeks ago. The top 25, including ties (31), advanced. The list will be cut to nine in about three weeks and then down to the three that will be voted on by the full 50-member Hall of Fame selection committee in January. Those three finalists will then need 80% yes votes for enshrinement.
The 31 players — 20 offensive and 11 defensive — are eligible as seniors because they last appeared in a professional game in the 1999 season.
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 1974-76 (51).
Here are the 31 players still being considered:
QUARTERBACKS (3): Ken Anderson, Charlie Conerly, Jim Plunkett.
RUNNING BACKS (5): Ottis Anderson, Roger Craig, Chuck Foreman, Cecil Isbell, Paul “Tank” Younger.