Tom Flores, who coached the Raiders to two Super Bowl championships, was announced Tuesday as a modern-era semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2019.
Flores also won championship rings as a backup quarterback with the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl IV, and as an assistant coach under John Madden with the Raiders in Super Bowl XI.
Flores compiled a record of 83-53 in nine seasons with the Raiders, and was the first Latino head coach in NFL history. The Raiders won Super Bowls XV and XVIII under his guidance.
His final season as an NFL head coach was in 1994 with the Seattle Seahawks. Flores advanced to the final 25 for the first time in the Hall of Fame process. A group of 102 nominees was announced in September.
Flores is a polarizing candidate, with a passionate supporters group and others who believe his entire body of work is lacking consistency required for a gold jacket. Reaching this stage is a step forward for Flores, who is as pivotal as anyone outside Al Davis in guiding the Raiders through a golden area.
To be eligible for election to the Hall of Fame, a nominated player or coach must not have participated as an active player or coach for five consecutive seasons.
Flores, 81, and former Miami linebacker Zach Thomas are the only previously eligible individuals who were voted as semifinalists for the first time. Thomas' career ended in 2008.
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The final 25 includes three first-year eligible players: Cornerback Champ Bailey, tight end Tony Gonzalez and safety Ed Reed.
Former Tampa Bay and Denver safety John Lynch, in his second year as 49ers general manager, was announced as a semi-finalist for the seventh consecutive year. Lynch, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection, has made it to the final 15 five times.
Wide receiver Isaac Bruce is the only other semifinalist with 49ers ties. Bruce ended his career with the 49ers in 2009. He made four Pro Bowls during his 14 seasons with the Rams. Bruce ranks fifth all-time with 15,208 receiving yards.
Defensive lineman Richard Seymour, a seven-time Pro Bowl performer, is the only other semifinalist who played for the Raiders. After eight seasons with the New England Patriots, Seymour played his final four years with the Raiders. He is a semifinalist for the second time.
Running back Ricky Watters, QB Jeff Garcia, and defensive lineman Bryant Young were among the nominees with 49ers ties who did not become semifinalists. Former Raiders cornerback Albert Lewis, guard Steve Wisniewski, and cornerback Eric Allen also missed the cut.
The list of semifinalists will be reduced to 15 modern-era finalists on Jan. 3. Those 15 individuals, along with senior finalist Johnny Robinson and contributor finalists Gil Brandt and Pat Bowlen, will advance to the final stage on the eve of Super Bowl.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame bylaws stipulate that from four to eight new members will be selected each year. No more than five modern-era finalists can be elected in a given year.
Following is an alphabetical list of the 25 semifinalists, along with number of times each individual has been selected as a semifinalist:
Steve Atwater, S – 1989-1998 Denver Broncos, 1999 New York Jets | (Times as a Semifinalist: 8 – 2012-19)
Champ Bailey, CB – 1999-2003 Washington Redskins, 2004-2013 Denver Broncos | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2019)
Ronde Barber, CB/S – 1997-2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2018-19)
Tony Boselli, T – 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002 Houston Texans (injured reserve) | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2016-19)
Isaac Bruce, WR – 1994-2007 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 2008-09 San Francisco 49ers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2015-19)
LeRoy Butler, S – 1990-2001 Green Bay Packers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2018-19)
Don Coryell, Coach – 1973-77 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San Diego Chargers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 11 – 2005, 2010-19)
Alan Faneca, G – 1998-2007 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2008-09 New York Jets, 2010 Arizona Cardinals | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2016-19)
Tom Flores, Coach – 1979-1987 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-94 Seattle Seahawks | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2019)
Tony Gonzalez, TE – 1997-2008 Kansas City Chiefs, 2009-2013 Atlanta Falcons | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2019)
Torry Holt, WR – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2015-19)
Steve Hutchinson, G – 2001-05 Seattle Seahawks, 2006-2011 Minnesota Vikings, 2012 Tennessee Titans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2018-19)
Edgerrin James, RB – 1999-2005 Indianapolis Colts, 2006-08 Arizona Cardinals, 2009 Seattle Seahawks | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2015-19)
Jimmy Johnson, Coach – 1989-1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1996-99 Miami Dolphins | (Times as a Semifinalist: 6 – 2014-19)
Ty Law, CB – 1995-2004 New England Patriots, 2005, 2008 New York Jets, 2006-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2009 Denver Broncos | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2015-19)
John Lynch, FS – 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos | (Times as a Semifinalist: 7 – 2013-19)
Clay Matthews, LB – 1978-1993 Cleveland Browns, 1994-96 Atlanta Falcons | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2012, 2017, 2019)
Kevin Mawae, C/G – 1994-97 Seattle Seahawks, 1998-2005 New York Jets, 2006-09 Tennessee Titans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2015-19)
Karl Mecklenburg, LB – 1983-1994 Denver Broncos | (Times as a Semifinalist: 8 – 2012-19)
Sam Mills, LB – 1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2016, 2019)
Ed Reed, FS – 2002-2012 Baltimore Ravens, 2013 New York Jets, 2013 Houston Texans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2019)
Richard Seymour, DE/DT – 2001-08 New England Patriots, 2009-2012 Oakland Raiders | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2018-2019)
Zach Thomas, LB – 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2019)
Hines Ward, WR – 1998-2011 Pittsburgh Steelers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2017-19)
Darren Woodson, S – 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2015, 2017, 2019)
Editor's note: Matt Maiocco is on the 48-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors.
