Nearly a month and a half after the Class of 2024 was enshrined in the hallowed halls of Canton at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, modern-era nominees for the Class of 2025 were announced Wednesday morning, according to wcpo.com in Ohio
The modern-era nominees include a handful of former Pittsburgh Steelers, most notably wide receiver Hines Ward and outside linebacker James Harrison, both of whom were semifinalists for the Class of 2024.
Ward and Harrison were joined by former teammates as Class of 2025 modern-era nominees in nose tackle Casey Hampton, linebacker James Farrior and longtime Steelers’ kicker Gary Anderson. Former Steelers defensive back Allen Rossum was also named a nominee as were outside linebacker Mike Vrabel and fullback John Kuhn.
Ward, a third-round pick out of the University of Georgia in the 1998 NFL Draft, played 14 seasons with the Steelers, adding two Lombardi trophies and a Super Bowl MVP to his resume during his career in the Black and Gold. He finished with 1,000 career receptions for 12,083 yards and 85 touchdowns in the 14 seasons and was considered the best blocking wide receiver in the game throughout his career.
The former Steelers great is among 21 wide receivers nominated for the Hall of Fame, which includes names like Torry Holt, Derrick Mason, Steve Smith Sr., Reggie Wayne, Brandon Marshall, Chad Johnson and Wes Welker.
Harrison spent 14 seasons with the Steelers as well and sits second in career sacks with 80.5 in franchise history after T.J. Watt broke the record in Week 2 of the 2023 season against the Cleveland Browns. Harrison recorded 811 tackles, 84.5 sacks, 34 forced fumbles, nine recoveries, eight interceptions and a touchdown in his career. He also has a Defensive Player of the Year award in 2008 on his resume and was voted first-team All-Pro twice, earning five trips to the Pro Bowl as well.
Harrison’s 100-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII remains a top NFL play of all-time, which should undoubtedly help his candidacy. He retired a two-time Super Bowl champion and played in four Super Bowls in total. He was inducted into the Steelers Hall of Honor last year.
Harrison finds himself among a linebacker group of nominees that includes Farrior, as well as names like Lance Briggs, NaVorro Bowman, Tedy Bruschi, London Fletcher, Willie McGinest, and Terrell Suggs. He has stated in the past he doesn’t believe he has the numbers to be a Hall of Famer, but the voters seem to think otherwise at this point.
As for Farrior, he is nominated for the Hall of Fame once again after spending 10 seasons with the Steelers and recording at least 100 tackles in six of those seasons, including a career-high of 141 in 2003.
Farrior was a high-level tackler, one who consistently put guys in the dirt. He was also an adept blitzer, recording 30.0 career sacks in Pittsburgh in Dick LeBeau’s Fire X Blitz package. He also really developed in coverage in his time in the Steel City, recording eight interceptions in total, including a pick-six in 2004 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
During his career, Hampton played his role as a two-gapping nose tackle perfectly. He was a space eater in the Steelers’ defensive scheme. Across 12 seasons, Hampton held down the middle of the Steelers’ defense, tying up blockers to allow the likes of Farrior, Kendrell Bell, Larry Foote and Lawrence Timmons to roam freely behind him and make play after play.
Though Hampton didn’t put up monster numbers, recording just 398 tackles, 9.0 sacks and 39 tackles for loss in his 12 seasons, he was a highly regarded player across the league. Hampton earned five trips to the Pro Bowl during his time in the Black and Gold, eventually landing on the Steelers’ All-Time team following his career. He was elected to the Steelers Hall of Honor in July.
Previously, the Hall of Fame announced six Steelers as part of the Senior Class in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025. It includes DE L.C. Greenwood, K Norm Johnson, DL Gene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb, LB Andy Russell, S Mike Wagner, and HB/DB Byron “Whizzer” White.
