The Pro Football Hall of Fame is strategically located in Canton, Ohio and has been since September 7, 1963.
The Hall of Fame is home to legendary busts, jackets and artifacts of the league’s greatest players. To be inducted into the Hall of Fame, such a person must have had a lasting positive impact on professional football.
A person can be inducted as a player, coach, contributor or senior member. Each of these methods requires a person to pass the eye test, character test, and consistency test.
The Hall of Fame is difficult to enter, as individuals must have been a head and shoulders ahead of their peers to be enshrined. Because of this, a legend like Shannon Sharpe couldn’t even get on the first ballot, and his older brother, Green Bay Packers legend Sterling Sharpe, wasn’t elected.
Why is the Pro Football Hall of Fame located in Canton?
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is located in Canton for three main reasons. They are:
- Elite-level American football has existed since 1892, but had no formal structure until September 17, 1920, when a few men met in a Canton showroom owned by the then-owner of the Canton Bulldogs. These men left after founding the American Professional Football Association in 1922, later renamed the NFL.
- Another reason is that the Canton Bulldogs, who existed when American football began, are an iconic team. The Bulldogs won their first two championships in 1922 and 1923, becoming the first team to win back-to-back titles, an achievement rarely seen today.
- Last but not least, in 1960 the citizens of the canton raised the necessary money for the construction of the Hall of Fame. The $400,000 fundraising masterpiece event was an iconic gesture required to nominate Canton as the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023
The 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame members are:
- Ronde Barber (player)
- Darrelle Revis (player)
- Joe Thomas (player)
- Zach Thomas (player)
- DeMarcus Ware (player)
- Don Coryell (Coach/Contributor)
- Chuck Howley (senior)
- Joe Klecko (senior)
- Ken Riley (senior)
The Class of 2023 will be inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame on August 5, 2023 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. Premium and regular Anchor tickets will go on sale in a few weeks, and we’ll keep you updated on any subsequent announcements.
Edited by
Joseph Schiefbein