December 27, 2023, 9:02 p.m. ET
First-time inductees Julius Peppers and Antonio Gates joined nine returning finalists who made it to the final stage of voting for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
Peppers and Gates were announced Wednesday as finalists in their first year of participation. Joining them in the 15-player ballot are five-time finalist wide receivers Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne.
Seven other players returned as finalists, including Patrick Willis, Andre Johnson, Dwight Freeney, Jared Allen, Willie Anderson, Darren Woodson and Devin Hester.
Defensive backs Eric Allen and Rodney Harrison, running back Fred Taylor and offensive lineman Jahri Evans made it to this stage for the first time after previously being semifinalists.
The number of 15 finalists will be reduced to ten and then to five at the selection meeting early next year. The final five candidates must receive 80% of the panel's votes to advance to the Hall.
Four previously announced finalists are Buddy Parker in the Coach category and Randy Gradishar, Steve McMichael and Art Powell in the Senior category. They will pass even if they receive the support of at least 80% of voters.
The Class of 2024 will be announced Feb. 8 at the NFL Honors Show in Las Vegas, while The Associated Press will also announce the 2023 season honors.
Peppers and Gates were both college basketball players before finding their greatest success in football.
Peppers was one of the league's most dominant linemen after being selected second overall by the Carolina Panthers in 2002 after playing two sports in college at North Carolina.
He had 12 sacks as a rookie and never really slowed down in a 17-year career that included stints in Chicago and Green Bay before landing back with the Panthers. He was All-Pro in 2004, 2006 and 2010.
Peppers finished his career with 159.5 sacks, the fourth-most since they became official in 1982. He had 10 seasons with double-digit sacks; only Hall of Famers Bruce Smith (13) and Reggie White (12) had more.
Gates only played basketball in college before becoming one of the NFL's best tight ends. After going undrafted in basketball, he switched to football.
The Chargers took a chance on him and it paid off big time as he became All-Pro in his second season in 2004. He was All-Pro again the next two seasons and went on to have a 16-year career with the team.
Gates finished the game with 955 catches for 11,841 yards and an NFL record for tight ends with 116 touchdown receptions. Only Hall of Famers Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten have more catches or receiving yards as a tight end.
The 15 finalists also include three productive wideouts, with Johnson, Holt and Wayne all catching more than 900 passes and ranking in the top 20 of career yards receiving.
Allen and Freeney are among the top 20 all-time in sacks, and they were four and three first-team All-Pro selections, respectively.
Willis (five), Evans (four), Anderson (three), Woodson (three), Hester (three) and Harrison (two) all enjoyed multiple first-team All-Pro selections.