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· collected 2026-09-04 · by Armando Salguero
The Pro Football Hall of Fame president Jim Porter says the institution is overhauling its selection process in response to not inducting former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick as a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2026. The changes include reducing the number of selectors from 50 to 28, eliminating traditional presentations by selectors, and narrowing categories for consideration from four to three: Player, Coach, and Contributor. The new system aims to reduce "unintended biases" by limiting the advantage some selectors may have due to their public speaking skills. The changes are intended to improve the integrity of the selection process and ensure that election to the Hall reflects its high standards.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is making massive changes to its process for picking future Hall of Famers.
asserted
Hall → make → Famers
The Hall says it is hoping to "improve its selection process" from one that led to the 2026 class not including former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick as one of its "most-deserving" candidates as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
asserted
that → say → Famer
"The Hall continually reviews its bylaws to ensure the selection process reflects the highest standards of integrity and the magnitude of election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame," said Hall of Fame president Jim Porter.
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Porter → review → Fame
The Hall has decided to cut the number of selectors from 50 people down to 28.
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Hall → decide → 28
Of that reduced number, three will be non-voting alternates.
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three → reduce → number
That means the days when every NFL team had a representative intimately tied to that team on the selection committee are over.
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team → mean → committee
Some current selectors who are being removed will be asked to participate in various Hall of Fame committees.
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who → remove → committees
The identity of the selectors remaining and those removed is still being decided by the Hall of Fame, according to Porter.
uncertain
identity → remain → Porter
As some selectors are being eliminated so is the traditional system of presentation.
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system → eliminate → presentation
For decades selectors presented Hall candidates to the rest of the selectors by stating a case for that person using statistics, testimony and endorsements from various respected football sources.
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selectors → present → sources
The entire group of selectors would then debate the pros and cons of that candidate before voting.
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group → debate → candidate
Under the new system, one voice from a non-selector will introduce each candidate by simply announcing his name and sharing his resume.
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voice → introduce → resume
Then the reduced group of selectors will go immediately into discussion on the merits of that candidate.
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group → go → candidate
So, why is the formal presentation disappearing?
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presentation → disappear → ?
The PFHOF is trying to avoid what it calls "unintended biases" in its selection process and one way to do that is to limit the advantage some selectors have had because of their superior oratory skills over others, according to the Hall.
uncertain
selectors → try → Hall
The categories the selection committee will now consider have been cut to three:
Player.
Coach.
Contributor.
The past splitting of players into modern-era players and senior players will end.
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splitting → consider → players
All players from all eras not currently in the Hall of Fame will all be lumped into one category for nomination.
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players → lump → nomination
The Hall is believed to be eliminating the senior category so there is no emotional bias toward trying to select a player, say, in his final year as a modern-era candidate, before he disappears into the so-called senior category abyss.
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he → believe → abyss
That abyss, by the way, has spit out 19 seniors being selected to the Hall in the last seven years.
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abyss → spit → years
So this new approach is like the proverbial pendulum swinging away from a concentration on senior candidates being selected.
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pendulum → swing → candidates
The Hall intends to have a coach and contributor subcommittee each consisting of 11 voting selectors and three alternates.
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Hall → intend → selectors
Those will consist of some current selectors not chosen among the overall 28.
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Those → consist → 28
Those committees will put forward one coach and one contributor to be considered as candidates by the greater group of selectors.
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committees → put → selectors
A contributor, by the way, is someone who added to the game outside of playing or coaching.
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who → add → playing
If contributors also played, coached, or served as an executive, their whole body of work will be considered.
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body → play → work
Every year the Hall expects to consider 13 players, one coach and one contributor as its candidates.
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Hall → expect → candidates
The Hall of Fame says its class sizes will range from three to seven inductees every year.
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sizes → say → inductees
The typical number of enshrinees is more likely to be five or six because of the math involved.
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number → involve → math
The reduced number of selectors will meet in person once a year, with the next meeting scheduled for the first week of Feb. 2027.
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meeting → meet → Feb.
