Ken Anderson and Roger Craig Advance as Hall of Fame Semifinalists

Ken Anderson, Roger Craig, and Otis Taylor are among the nine semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 in the seniors category. These former players were selected by a blue-ribbon committee that narrowed down a list from 34 candidates. The candidates are those whose last opportunity to play in a professional football game was during the 2000 season.

Key Facts on Semifinalists

The committee will reduce the semifinalists to three finalists. These finalists will go through a voting process by the full selection committee before the Super Bowl in February. The Class of 2026 will also include 15 modern-era finalists, one coach, and one contributor. The committee plans to elect between four to eight new members under the current format.

Profiles of Semifinalists

• Ken Anderson: A four-time Pro Bowler for Cincinnati, he won the MVP award in 1981. He led the Bengals to their first Super Bowl and retired with 32,838 passing yards, ranked sixth all-time.
• Roger Craig: Instrumental in San Francisco’s 1980s dynasty, he was the first player to achieve 1,000 rushing and receiving yards in a single season (1985). He helped the 49ers win Super Bowl titles in 1984 and 1989.
• Otis Taylor: A key player for the Kansas City Chiefs, he earned All-Pro honors in both the AFL and NFL. He was instrumental in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win following the 1969 season.
• Henry Ellard: A two-time All-Pro with the Rams, he recorded 814 catches and 13,777 receiving yards in his 16-year career.
• Stanley Morgan: The New England Patriots’ receiving leader, he boasts an impressive average of 19.2 yards per reception.
• Steve Tasker: Known for his special teams prowess, he made seven Pro Bowls and contributed significantly to the Bills’ success in the AFC title games.
• L.C. Greenwood: A defensive stalwart for Pittsburgh’s “Steel Curtain,” he earned two All-Pro honors and won four Super Bowl titles.
• Joe Jacoby: Part of Washington’s formidable “Hogs” offensive line, he is a two-time All-Pro and helped secure three Super Bowl wins.
• Eddie Meador: A Rams player from 1959 to 1970, he was recognized as an all-decade selection for the 1960s and finished with 46 interceptions.

The current list of semifinalists does not include returning finalists Maxie Baughan and Jim Tyrer, who have been eliminated in recent voting rounds. The anticipation builds as the selection committee prepares for another round of evaluations ahead of the announcement of the new Hall of Fame inductees.