46th Annual Photo Contest

"Not Gonna Be Denied" by Mark Hoffman

Mark Hoffman of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is the winner of the Dave Boss Award of Excellence for his entry in the 46th Annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Photo Contest. His photo titled “Not Gonna Be Denied" was selected by a panel judges as the Photograph of the Year for the 2013 National Football League Season.

The image depicts Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley about to score a touchdown. The photograph captures Finley’s leap over a pylon while San Francisco 49ers strong safety Donte Whitner dives behind him in a failed attempt to prevent the TD.

Hoffman has worked at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for 21 years. The Minneapolis-area native previously shot for The Associated Press at its headquarters in New York, the Connecticut Post and the LaCrosse (Wisc.) Tribune. He also interned at Newsday and The Detroit News.

The Hall of Fame’s prestigious contest, which annually celebrates excellence in the field of professional photography, is open to photographers on assignment to cover NFL games. Photos taken during the 2013 NFL season, that included Super Bowl XLVIII and the 2014 Pro Bowl, were eligible.

Hoffman’s entry was the first place winner in the action category while Kirby Lee of USA TODAY Sports placed first in the Feature category. His photo “Sorry Crabtree” documents the infamous exchange between Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman and 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree following a late-game interception in the 2013 NFC Championship Game which sealed a victory for Seattle.

Judging was conducted at the Pro Football Hall of Fame recently by a panel of prominent photo editors and photographers. The judges included Ben Liebenberg, Photo Editor/Lead Photographer, National Football League; John Reid, III, Team Photographer, Cleveland Browns; Bob Rosato Chief Operating Officer, USA TODAY Sports Images; Amy Sancetta, Associated Press Staff Photographer, and Tony Tomsic, a nationally acclaimed freelance photographer who has shot every Super Bowl to date.

Hoffman will be officially honored at the Enshrinees GameDay Roundtable, part of the 2014 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival that centers on the enshrinement of the Class of 2014. Derrick Brooks, Ray Guy, Claude Humphrey, Walter Jones, Andre Reed, Michael Strahan, and Aeneas Williams will be formally inducted on Saturday, Aug. 2. The GameDay Roundtable is held on Sunday, Aug. 3 before the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills kick off the 2014 preseason in the NFL/Hall of Fame Game later that evening. Tickets for the 2014 Enshrinement Festival are available online at ProFootballHOF.com/2014tix.
 

PHOTO GALLERIES OF WINNING IMAGES
 

Action Winners	Feature Winners

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The late Dave Boss spent nearly four decades working for the NFL and led NFL Properties creative division for 26 years. He was an award-winning photographer in addition to leading the publishing and design efforts for the league. In 1992 he was awarded the prestigious Daniel F. Reeves Pioneer Award by the Pro Football Hall of Fame.