For the fifth consecutive year, former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue is not a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Tagliabue, who was commissioner from 1989 through 2006, was one of the 25 semifinalists for the Class of 2014, but he is not among the 15 modern-era candidates and two senior candidates to be considered when the Hall’s Selection Committee meets on Saturday, February 1.
Tagliabue was a finalist in 2007, 2008 and 2009, but he did not receive the support necessary for induction.
The commissioners who preceded Tagliabue — Pete Rozelle (1960-1989) and Bert Bell (1946-1959) — are each in the Hall of Fame. Each were inducted as contributors. As MDS noted last year, considering contributors alongside of players can provide challenges for the committee.
The Hall can elect as many as five modern-era candidates as well as two members recommended by the organization’s Seniors Committee, which considers candidates who have been out of football for more than 25 years.