After first revealing the list of 122 modern-era nominees in September, the Pro Football Hall of Fame has now reduced that group down to 26 semifinalists. In January, it will be cut further down to 15 finalists before a group of four to eight enshrinees — the number is not set — will be voted on ahead of Super Bowl 56 in February.
Among those who cleared the second hurdle of reaching the semifinals are five men who at one point signed a deal with the New England Patriots. That’s 19.2 percent of the semifinalists, up from 15.