The Pro Football Hall of Fame has revealed the names of 15 players that will be considered for enshrinement from the ‘modern era’ category when the Class of 2025 is compiled in Canton.

The names have been whittled down by the Hall’s independent selection committee from a list that originated with 167 nominees. Two previous cuts — first to 50 nominees, then to 25 ‘semi-finalists’ — preceded the list of 15 presented shortly after Christmas, with up to five able to progress to become a part of the Class of 2025. Each nominee now needs to receive a minimum positive vote of 80% for election, while five others — seniors category finalists Maxie Baughan, Sterling Sharpe and Jim Tyrer, along with coach finalist Mike Holmgren and contributor finalist Ralph Hay — also under consideration for a group that cannot exceed eight names under the Hall’s bylaws.

Amongst the Class of 2025’s modern era list are nine players who reached the same stage in the selection process last year, along with five players in their first year of eligibility and a first-time finalist currently in his fourth year of being a candidate for enshrinement. The final decision on who makes it into the Hall will be taken when the Hall’s selection committee meets prior to Super Bowl LIX, before being unveiled publicly on February 6^th during the annual NFL Honours event.

The 15 modern era finalists are:

Fred Taylor (10^th year), Torry Holt (11^th), Willie Anderson (12^th), Darren Woodson (17^th) and Eric Allen (19^th) are all now into double figures in terms of years they have been eligible for the Hall’s call, but will again face stiff competition from the candidates who have only become eligible this season — namely Luke Kuechly, Eli Manning, Terrell Suggs, Adam Vinatieri and Marshal Yanda — as well as those who will have felt themselves unlucky to have been passed over in previous years. Jared Allen has now been a finalist five times, a number exceeded only by Reggie Wayne and Holt (six times apiece), while Anderson (four) and Woodson (three) have also been multi-year finalists. Antonio Gates, Taylor and Jahri Evans are up for consideration for the second time.