【Sarah Shevon Archives】

Source：Co-creation Information Network Editor：Life Time：2025-06-26 06:39:41

On the list of 94 nominees for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame next year,Sarah Shevon Archives names like Donovan McNabb, LaDainian Tomlinson and Kurt Warner jump off the page. Their on-the-field accomplishments are undeniably great.

But keep scrolling.

Past the perennial Pro Bowl-ers, tucked between 16 other defensive backs is another name — Darren Sharper, the former safety who last month was sentenced to 20 years in prison for drugging and raping at least nine women in four different states.

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SEE ALSO: NFL player ___________ arrested on domestic violence charges

Domestic violence scandals have plagued the NFL in recent years. The league's handling of those incidents — including arguably lenient punishments — have had many calling for commissioner Roger Goodell's resignation in recent years.

Then, on Wednesday, a convicted rapist was nominated for the Hall of Fame.

How did this happen?

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Well, the Hall of Fame's website lists a detailed process for selecting candidates, but this is all it has to say about the initial nomination process:

"Any fan may nominate any qualified person who has been connected with pro football in any capacity simply by writing to the Pro Football Hall of Fame," the website states. "The only restriction is that a player and coach must have last played or coached at least five seasons before he can be considered."

So, to be clear, it appears anyone can nominate whomever they want, as long as the player/coach hasn't been active in five years. In which case, our main question is this: What, if anything, happens between the moment fans write in candidates and the official list of nominees is announced? And could anyone hypothetically nominate a relative or friend who meets the minimum requirements but hardly got off the bench during their career?

We contacted both the NFL and the Hall of Fame on Thursday in hopes of learning more, but neither had responded at time of publication.

The Hall's website emphasizes that it "has no say whatsoever as to who is or is not elected to membership." It further states, "The only function of the staff is to process the nominations as they arrive and to coordinate the annual meeting." What "process the nominations" actually means in unclear.

In any event, many football fans and observers found Sharper's nomination off-putting in light of his being a convicted serial rapist.

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It's worth noting that Sharper's nomination only makes him eligibleto enter the Hall of Fame. The list of nominees will be cut down to 25 semifinalists in November and 15 finalists in January.

To be inducted in 2017, a finalist needs to receive at least 80 percent support from the 46-person selection committee, which is comprised of a number of media representatives.

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【Sarah Shevon Archives】

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