Robert Kraft, Bud Adams Among Hall of Fame Semifinalists for 2026 Class

CANTON, Ohio — Two of the most influential figures in NFL history — Robert Kraft and Bud Adams — are among the nine semifinalists advancing in the contributor category for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026.

The Hall’s blue-ribbon committee announced Thursday that it had trimmed the initial list of 21 nominees to nine. The committee will reconvene next Tuesday to select one finalist, who will move on to the next stage of voting by the full selection committee early next year.

The Class of 2026 will also include 15 modern-era finalists, three senior candidates, and one coach finalist under the Hall’s current selection format, which was introduced last year. Between four and eight total inductees will ultimately be enshrined.

This year’s contributor semifinalists feature a diverse mix of owners, executives, broadcasters, and innovators — each having played a distinct role in shaping professional football’s evolution both on and off the field.

1. Kraft and Adams Lead a Notable Class

Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, headlines this year’s semifinalists. Since purchasing the franchise in 1994, Kraft has transformed the Patriots from a struggling organization into one of the NFL’s most successful dynasties. His partnership with coach Bill Belichick, beginning in 2000, led to six Super Bowl victories between 2001 and 2018 and established New England as a model for sustained excellence in modern sports. Kraft’s impact also extends beyond championships. He played a crucial role in collective bargaining negotiations, league revenue expansion, and maintaining stability during times of labor tension. His stewardship has left a lasting mark on both the Patriots and the NFL’s business model. Joining Kraft among the headliners is Bud Adams, who founded the Houston Oilers in 1960 as part of the upstart American Football League (AFL). Adams’ vision and financial backing helped legitimize the AFL, which would later merge with the NFL to form the modern league structure. Adams owned the Oilers — later the Tennessee Titans — for more than five decades. His contributions to the game’s early growth and his persistence in bringing professional football to the South made him one of the sport’s pioneering figures.

2. Honoring Founders, Executives, and Visionaries

Among the other notable semifinalists is Ralph Hay, former owner of the Canton Bulldogs from 1918 to 1922, who hosted the 1920 meeting that led to the creation of the National Football League. Hay reached the finalist stage last year but fell short of induction. The list also includes Art Rooney Jr., a longtime executive and member of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ founding family, and Buddy Young, who made history in 1964 as the first Black executive in any major U.S. sports league. Young’s legacy as an advocate for player rights continues to influence league operations today. Another influential name on the list is Roone Arledge, the television visionary behind ABC’s Monday Night Football. Arledge revolutionized sports broadcasting in the 1970s, bringing NFL games into prime time and helping transform football into America’s dominant television sport. Rounding out the semifinalists are longtime NFL executive Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, statistical pioneer Seymour Siwoff of the Elias Sports Bureau, and Clark Shaughnessy — often credited as the “father of the T formation” and an innovator who helped reshape offensive and defensive strategy in football’s early years.

3. Shaughnessy’s Lasting Influence on the Game

While many candidates built their legacies in boardrooms and ownership suites, Clark Shaughnessy’s contribution came on the chalkboard. A renowned strategist, he popularized the modern T formation and helped develop the three-receiver set, concepts that remain foundational to today’s offenses. Shaughnessy’s career spanned decades across college and professional football, including a stint as an adviser to Chicago Bears coach George Halas. His influence was most visible in the Bears’ 73–0 victory over Washington in the 1940 NFL Championship Game — one of the most dominant performances in league history. He also served as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams and later as Halas’ defensive coordinator, where his innovations continued to shape both sides of the ball. As the Hall of Fame committee prepares to narrow the field, Shaughnessy’s legacy serves as a reminder that the league’s evolution has been shaped by thinkers as much as by players.