New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is one of five people under consideration for selection to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2027 in the contributor category.
The Hall announced Wednesday that a selection subcommittee advanced Kraft, Ralph Hay, Virginia McCaskey, Doug Williams and John Wooten from a group of 42 nominees for further discussion. The subcommittee will reconvene via video call on Nov. 17 to decide which one of the five it will recommend to the Hall of Fame’s full selection committee.
Kraft, along with longtime coach Bill Belichick, was a co-architect of the New England Patriots’ dynasty. Both men were chosen as finalists for the Hall’s Class of 2026 — Kraft as a contributor and Belichick as a coach — but neither was elected.
Last year was the first time Kraft had reached the final voting stage.
Kraft, 85, took control of the Patriots on Jan. 21, 1994, after buying the team for a then-record $172 million. He said his objective was to “help bring a championship to New England.” The team has accomplished that with wins in six of 11 Super Bowl appearances. The franchise is now valued at $10.6 billion, according to Forbes.
The Chicago Bears walloped the Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX in 1986 during the early stages of McCaskey’s tenure as the Bears’ principal owner. She served in that capacity from 1983, following the death of her father, team founder George Halas, until she died last year at 102.
Hay owned the Canton Bulldogs from 1918-22 and was a key figure in the NFL’s founding. He hosted a meeting at his car dealership in Canton, Ohio, the home of the Hall of Fame.
Williams led the Washington franchise to a 42-10 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXII in 1988. He was named the game’s MVP after throwing for 340 yards and four touchdowns. Often remembered as the first Black starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl, Williams now works in the Commanders’ front office.
Wooten spent 10 seasons in the NFL as an offensive lineman (1959-68), then worked in scouting and player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens. In 2003, he was selected as chair of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, which works to boost opportunities for coaching and front-office jobs for minority candidates.
The committee that will decide the full 2027 Hall of Fame class is not obligated to select a contributor. Hall of Fame rules stipulate that at least three, but no more than seven, new members are to be enshrined annually.
The full class will be announced in February. The enshrinement ceremony is scheduled for Aug. 7, 2027, in Canton.