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Reggie Wayne, Adam Vinatieri snubbed in final 2025 Hall of Fame vote

ByCasandra Chesser|
Indianapolis Colts Training Camp
Indianapolis Colts Training Camp | Justin Casterline/GettyImages

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 was revealed last night, and both of the finalists from the Indianapolis Colts were snubbed. In September, eight Colts alums were nominated as part of the 167 original nominees. A screening committee reduced the nominees to just 50, before the full 50-person Hall of Fame Selection Committee chose 25 semifinalists. A second vote from the full committee then confirmed the 15 finalists, which included wide receiver Reggie Wayne and kicker Adam Vinatieri.

While other members of the AFC South were initially nominated, the only finalist alongside Wayne and Vinatieri was Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor. Vinatieri especially was widely believed to be a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame, but neither Wayne nor Vinatieri were chosen, in a completely nonsensical snub.

In a press release, the NFL announced that just four finalists were chosen to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

  • Eric Allen
  • Jared Allen
  • Antonio Gates
  • Sterling Sharpe (senior)

Unsurprisingly, the decision did not go over well with everyone.

This was the sixth year that Wayne has been a finalist without being inducted, and Vinatieri's first.

Wayne spent his entire NFL career with the Colts, and in the regular season alone, racked up 14,345 yards and 82 touchdowns. In the post-season, he is in the top 10 of all time for receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. He is still part of the Colts team, now as wide receivers coach.

Vinatieri is one of the best kickers of all time, and spent most of his career in Indianapolis. He is the NFL's all-time leading scorer (2,673 points) and a three-time first-team AP All-Pro. He had 29 game-winning kicks, including in Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII, in the course of his 24-year career. Vinatieri's snub is, for now, being described as a symptom of a wider problem: that the Hall of Fame committee does not value specialists. Only two kickers have ever been inducted: Jan Stenerud and Morten Andersen.

The decision not to induct him in the Hall of Fame was widely criticized.

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