The Road To Canton - Contributors

The next step on the “Road to Canton” in 2019 takes place on Thursday when the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Contributors Committee meets at the Hall to name two contributor finalists for the Class of 2019. A contributor is defined as an individual who has made outstanding contributions to professional football in capacities other than playing or coaching.
 
Currently, there are 24 contributors who have earned a bronzed bust in Canton (see list below). The process to elect a contributor has changed over the years. Contributors were previously part of the modern-era nomination list that included coaches and players. The result was that only 19 contributors had been elected since the Hall opened in 1963 through 2014 before changes were made to the Hall’s selection By-Laws. Of that group, 10 were elected in the initial five Hall of Fame classes.
 
On Aug. 6, 2014, in an effort to address the backlog of deserving Contributor candidates, the Hall of Fame’s Board of Trustees announced a change in the organization’s By-Laws for the selection committee. Approved was a modification to the selection process by which a Contributor will automatically be included among the annual list of finalists for election and the Contributor finalist will be voted on for election independent of all other finalists (needing 80% approval just like the Modern-Era finalists). The Board also approved a temporary measure allowing for two Contributor finalists in years one, three and five, of the next five years. In years two and four of that same period, there will be just one Contributor finalist. At the end of the five-year period, the number of Contributor finalists going forward will be one per year.
 
A subcommittee was also formed from the Selection Committee to annually select the contributor finalist(s).
 
Under the new bylaws, Gold Jackets Bill Polian and Ron Wolf were named the contributor finalists in 2015. From there, they received the necessary votes and were elected to the Hall of Fame. Since then, Edward J. DeBartolo, Jr. (2016), Jerry Jones (2017) and Bobby Beathard (2018) have been elected to the Hall of Fame as a contributor. Only one contributor finalist since the new by-laws, Paul Tagliabue in 2017, did not receive the minimum of 80% positive from the full selection committee and hence did not earn election.
 
HOF Productions will have exclusive coverage of Thursday’s meeting.
 
Let us know on social media (@ProFootballHOF) who you want to see named as a contributor finalist.

Contributors Enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

(Year of Enshrinement)

Bobby Beathard (2018)
Bert Bell (1963)
Charles Bidwill (1967)
Joe Carr (1963)
Al Davis (1992)
Edward J. DeBartolo, Jr. (2016)
Jim Finks (1995)
George Halas (1963)
Lamar Hunt (1972)
Jerry Jones (2017)
Curly Lambeau (1963)
Tim Mara (1963)
Wellington Mara (1997)
George Preston Marshall (1963)
Bill Polian (2015)
Hugh “Shorty” Ray (1966)
Dan Reeves (1967)
Art Rooney (1964)
Dan Rooney (2000)
Pete Rozelle (1985)
Ed Sabol (2011)
Tex Schramm (1991)
Ralph Wilson, Jr. (2009)
Ron Wolf (2015)