Two Carolina Panthers greats are a little bit closer to Canton.
On Wednesday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Modern-Era Screening Committee trimmed the list of 167 nominees for its 2025 class to just 50. Among the 50 nominees who have advanced to the next stage of consideration include former wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. and former linebacker Luke Kuechly.
Smith Sr. has been named a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for each of the past three years. On top of being the franchise’s all-time leading pass catcher, Smith Sr. also ranks eighth on the NFL’s all-time receiving list (14,731).
Kuechly, who retired at the age of 28, is in his very first year of eligibility. He was named the 2012 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and the 2013 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and earned five First-team All-Pro nods and seven Pro Bowl selections.
The full selection committee will now reduce the number of nominees to 25 in about four weeks.
