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First Ballot NFL Hall of Fame

Name the players and coaches who were elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: February 9, 2024
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First submittedFebruary 3, 2013
Times taken23,865
Average score61.8%
Rating3.81
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Year
Pos
Team
Player
2024
DE
Panthers
Julius Peppers
2023
CB
Jets
Darrelle Revis
2023
OT
Browns
Joe Thomas
2021
WR
Lions
Calvin Johnson
2021
QB
Colts
Peyton Manning
2021
CB
Packers
Charles Woodson
2020
S
Steelers
Troy Polamalu
2019
CB
Broncos
Champ Bailey
2019
TE
Chiefs
Tony Gonzalez
2019
S
Ravens
Ed Reed
2018
LB
Ravens
Ray Lewis
2018
WR
Vikings
Randy Moss
2018
LB
Bears
Brian Urlacher
2017
DE
Dolphins
Jason Taylor
2017
RB
Chargers
LaDainian Tomlinson
2016
QB
Packers
Brett Favre
2015
LB
Chargers
Junior Seau
2014
LB
Bucs
Derrick Brooks
2014
OT
Seahawks
Walter Jones
2013
OL
Cowboys
Larry Allen
2013
OT
Ravens
Jonathan Ogden
2013
DT
Bucs
Warren Sapp
2011
RB
Rams
Marshall Faulk
2011
CB
Cowboys
Deion Sanders
2010
RB
Cowboys
Emmitt Smith
2010
WR
49ers
Jerry Rice
2009
DB
Steelers
Rod Woodson
2009
DE
Bills
Bruce Smith
2008
CB
Redskins
Darrell Green
2007
OL
Oilers
Bruce Matthews
2006
DE
Eagles
Reggie White
2006
QB
Oilers
Warren Moon
2006
QB
Cowboys
Troy Aikman
2005
QB
49ers
Steve Young
2005
QB
Dolphins
Dan Marino
2004
QB
Broncos
John Elway
2004
RB
Lions
Barry Sanders
2003
RB
Raiders
Marcus Allen
2002
QB
Bills
Jim Kelly
2001
OT
Rams
Jackie Slater
2000
QB
49ers
Joe Montana
2000
DB
49ers
Ronnie Lott
1999
LB
Giants
Lawrence Taylor
1999
RB
Rams
Eric Dickerson
1998
MLB
Bears
Mike Singletary
Year
Pos
Team
Player
1998
OT
Bengals
Anthony Munoz
1997
Coach
Dolphins
Don Shula
1995
WR
Seahawks
Steve Largent
1994
DT
Cowboys
Randy White
1994
RB
Cowboys
Tony Dorsett
1993
RB
Bears
Walter Payton
1993
Coach
Steelers
Chuck Noll
1993
QB
Chargers
Dan Fouts
1991
K
Chiefs
Jan Stenerud
1991
G
Patriots
John Hannah
1991
RB
Oilers
Earl Campbell
1990
Coach
Cowboys
Tom Landry
1990
MLB
Steelers
Jack Lambert
1990
RB
Steelers
Franco Harris
1989
QB
Steelers
Terry Bradshaw
1989
CB
Steelers
Mel Blount
1988
OLB
Steelers
Jack Ham
1987
G
Raiders
Gene Upshaw
1987
OL
Dolphins
Jim Langer
1987
DT
Steelers
Joe Greene
1986
S
Redskins
Ken Houston
1985
QB
Cowboys
Roger Staubach
1985
RB
Bills
O. J. Simpson
1984
CB
Raiders
Willie Brown
1983
WR
Browns
Paul Warfield
1982
DT
Rams
Merlin Olsen
1981
QB/K
Bears
George Blanda
1980
C
Raiders
Jim Otto
1980
DT
Cowboys
Bob Lilly
1980
DE
Rams
Deacon Jones
1979
QB
Colts
Johnny Unitas
1979
LB
Bears
Dick Butkus
1978
S
Cardinals
Larry Wilson
1978
MLB
Packers
Ray Nitschke
1978
WR
Chargers
Lance Alworth
1977
QB
Packers
Bart Starr
1977
RB
Bears
Gale Sayers
1977
OT
Packers
Forrest Gregg
1973
G
Colts
Jim Parker
1973
WR
Colts
Raymond Berry
1972
RB
Cardinals
Ollie Matson
1972
DE
Colts
Gino Marchetti
1971
RB
Browns
Jim Brown
1970
RB
49ers
Hugh McElhenny
+1
Level 47
Jan 8, 2016
Why not put in the members of the charter class of 1963? After all, it was the first year they were eligible.
+1
Level 63
Sep 6, 2017
Yeah, maybe Sammy Baugh and Ernie Nevers don't cout.
+1
Level 75
Feb 6, 2017
Typos - Cowbyos, Redsinks
+1
Level ∞
Feb 6, 2017
Fixed
+3
Level 88
Sep 6, 2017
Yes, there should be a "T" in Redstinks. ;)
+1
Level 84
Feb 6, 2017
Merlin Olsen!!
+1
Level 75
Sep 6, 2017
Kind of surprised that Vince Lombardi didn't make it on the first ballot.
+1
Level 86
Feb 5, 2020
Lombardi's kind of a special case. He died while he was still coaching in 1970 and then was immediately inducted in 1971 (bypassing the typical 5-year wait for eligibility). I guess that makes him a zeroth-ballot hall of famer?
+7
Level 84
Nov 24, 2017
That's strange, it wouldn't accept "Ryan Leaf".
+7
Level 90
Feb 4, 2018
I just double checked the sources and (this may rock you to the core as it has me) Leaf is not only not a first-ballot inductee, he is not in the hall of fame at all. This outrage must be redressed and I encourage civil disobedience, riots, and outright revolution until it is.
+2
Level 72
Oct 22, 2021
That makes sense--his fans can share a cell with him.
+4
Level 67
Mar 7, 2018
Aikman doesn't deserve to be in the HOF
+2
Level 34
Feb 10, 2021
It's very interesting that he was a 1st Ballot, while someone like Phil Simms or Ken Anderson are still not even in the HOF. I think he belongs in (along with Simms and Anderson), but I'm surprised he was a 1st ballot.
+2
Level 61
Oct 22, 2021
I think it had to do with being a part of a trio and the 3 rings they won together, the reason why Irvin didn't make 1st ballot was his off field incidents or he would have as well. They were the dominate team for 5-6 year period. I know San Fran won a year in there but it was still the Cowboys mostly. Kind of like the Raiders and Steelers of the 70s.
+2
Level 86
Feb 7, 2019
Surprised Fran Tarkenton didn't make it on the first ballot. As Wikipedia says, "At the time of his retirement, Tarkenton owned every major quarterback record."
+1
Level 67
Oct 22, 2021
He and Willie Roaf were the big surprises for me. Roaf was an All-Pro every year for a decade.
+1
Level 65
Oct 25, 2021
It says on Michael Strahan's wikipedia that he was voted into the hall in his first year of eligibility
+1
Level ∞
Feb 9, 2024
Looks like they fixed it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Strahan

"On February 2, 2013, Strahan failed to be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame; 2013 was his first year of eligibility."