Eli Manning is making progress in the voting process for the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Exactly 50 modern-era players qualified for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2025 class in the voting process, including first-year nominee Eli Manning and the Giants’ all-time leading rusher Tiki Barber.

The last time candidates for the Hall in this category could have participated in a professional soccer game was during the 2019 season.

Each member of the Modern-Era Players Screening Committee, a new entity created this year to provide additional input to the overall selection process, voted for 50 people from a list of 167 nominees, consisting of 94 offensive players, 56 defensive players and 17 special team members. If a player or players had ranked 50th, he/she would have remained eligible for the Class of 2025, but that didn’t happen this year.

(*-indicates the finalist for the class of 2024. Bold indicates the first year of eligibility.)

QUARTERBACKS (2): Eli ManningSteve McNair

RUNNING BACKS (6): Shaun Alexander, Tiki Barber, Eddie George, Marshawn LynchFred Taylor*, Ricky Watters

WIDE RECEIVER (6): Anquan Boldin, Torry Holt, Jimmy Smith, Steve Smith Sr., Hines Ward, Reggie Wayne

Tight ends (2): Ben Coates, Antonio Gates*

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (12): Willie Anderson* (T), Lomas Brown (T), Ruben Brown (G), Jahri Evans* (G), Olin Kreutz (C), Logan Mankins (G), Jeff Saturday (C), Joe Staley (T), Richmond Webb (T), Erik Williams (T), Steve Wisniewski (G), Marshal Yanda (G)

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (8): John Abraham (DE also LB), Jared Allen* (DE), Robert Mathis (DE), Haloti Ngata (DT), Simeon Rice (DE), Neil Smith (DE), Vince Wilfork (DT/NT) , Kevin Williams (DT)

LINE BACKER (5): Cornelius Bennett, London Fletcher, James Harrison, Luke Kuechly, Terrell suggests

DEFENSIVE BACKS (6): Eric Allen* (CB), Kam Chancellor (S), Rodney Harrison* (S), Earl Thomas (S)Troy Vincent (CB), Darren Woodson* (S)

SPECIAL TEAMS (3): Gary Anderson (K), Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB), Adam Vinatieri (K)

In the next step of the process, each member of the entire Hall of Fame Selection Committee reviews the list above and casts a vote for the 25 nominees they believe should advance to the semifinalist stage. The names of the 25 semifinalists (plus any ties for 25th place) will be announced in approximately four weeks.

There are also reduction votes in the “Seniors”, “Trainers” and “Contributors” categories. Ultimately, 20 finalists will be presented at the selection committee’s annual meeting next year before Super Bowl LIX: 15 modern-era players, three seniors, one coach and one contributor.

While there is no set number for any class of Enshrinees, the Hall of Fame’s bylaws require that between four and eight new members be selected.

The 2025 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame will be announced at NFL Honors in New Orleans, Louisiana in February and awarded in Canton in August.