Die diesjährige Liste mit den für die Hall of Fame-Nominierten umfasst 112 Namen. Diese Liste wird in einem ersten Schritt durch die Hall of Fame-Selektoren auf 25 Personen reduziert, in einem zweiten Schritt auf 13 Namen. Zu diesen 13 Finalisten stossen dann mit John Madden und Rayfield Wright die beiden vom Senior Committee nominierten Spieler, welche ihrer Karriere vor mehr als 30 Jahren absolviert haben.
Der letzte Schritt findet dann am Vorabend der Super Bowl statt, diesesmal am 4. Februar 2006. An diesem Tag werden die 39 Mitglieder des Board of Selectors an ihrer Tagung in Detroit drei bis sechs Spieler auswählen, welche dann die Hall of Fame-Class of 2006 bilden. Um in die Hall of Fame aufgenommen zu werden, benötigt ein Nominierter die Zustimmung von 80 Prozent der Selektoren (32 von 39 Stimmen).
Unter den Spielern, die erstmals – fünf Jahre nach ihrer letzten NFL-Saison – wählbar sind, befinden sich auch ein paar bekannte Namen: Reggie White, der «Minister of Defense», der vergangenen Dezember überraschend einem Herzinfarkt erlegen ist, Troy Aikman, der mit den Dallas Cowboys in der 1990er Jahre drei Super Bowl-Titel gewann. Oder aber Warren Moon, langjähriger Quarterback der Houston Oilers. Oder aber Wide Receiver Andre Reed und Running Back Thurman Thomas, die zusammen mit Quarterback Jim Kelly – der bereits Mitglied der Hall of Fame ist – Anfang der 1990er Jahre viermal die Super Bowl erreichten.
Die Nominierten
Quarterbacks
Troy Aikman - UCLA – 1989-2000 Dallas Cowboys
Ken Anderson - Augustana (IL) - 1971-1986 Cincinnati Bengals
Jim Hart - Southern Illinois - 1966-1983 St. Louis Cardinals, 1984 Washington Redskins
Warren Moon - Washington - 1984-1993 Houston Oilers, 1994-1996 Minnesota Vikings, 1997-1998 Seattle Seahawks, 1999-2000 Kansas City Chiefs
Jim Plunkett - Stanford - 1971-1975 New England Patriots, 1976-1977 San Francisco 49ers, 1979-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Phil Simms - Morehead St. - 1979-1993 New York Giants
Ken Stabler - Alabama - 1970-1979 Oakland Raiders, 1980-1981 Houston Oilers, 1982-1984 New Orleans Saints
Joe Theismann - Notre Dame – 1974-1985 Washington Redskins
Running Backs
Ottis Anderson - Miami (FL) - 1979-1986 St. Louis Cardinals, 1986-1992 New York Giants
Roger Craig - Nebraska - 1983-1990 San Francisco 49ers, 1991 Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-1993 Minnesota Vikings
Chuck Forman - Miami (FL) - 1981-1984 New Orleans Saints, 1985-1987 Washington Redskins
George Rogers - South Carolina - 1982-1988 Atlanta Falcons, 1989-1991 Washington Redskins
Thurman Thomas - Oklahoma State - 1988-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Miami Dolphins
Herschel Walker - Georgia - 1986-1989, 1996-1997 Dallas Cowboys, 1989-1991 Minnesota Vikings, 1992-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995 New York Giants
Wide Receivers
Cliff Branch - Warton County (TX) Junior College; Colorado - 1972-1985 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Harold Carmichael - Southern - 1971-1983 Philadelphia Eagles, 1984 Dallas Cowboys
Gary Clark - James Madison - 1985-1992 Washington Redskins, 1993-1994 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, 1995 Miami Dolphins
Mark Clayton - Louisville - 1983-1992 Miami Dolphins, 1993 Green Bay Packers
Isaac Curtis - San Diego State - 1973-1984 Cincinnati Bengals
Mark Duper - Northwestern Louisiana State - 1982-1992 Miami Dolphins
Henry Ellard - Fresno State - 1983-1993 Los Angeles Rams, 1994-1998 Washington Redskins, 1998 New England Patriots
Irving Fryar - Nebraska – 1984-1992 New England Patriots, 1993-1995 Miami Dolphins, 1996-1998 Philadelphia Eagles, 1999-2000 Washington Redskins
Michael Irvin - Miami (FL) - 1988-1999 Dallas Cowboys
Art Monk - Syracuse - 1980-1993 Washington Redskins, 1994 New York Jets, 1995 Philadelphia Eagles
Andre Reed - Kutztown – 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins
Sterling Sharpe - South Carolina – 1988-1994 Green Bay Packers
Drew Pearson - Tulsa - 1973-1983 Dallas Cowboys
Tight Ends
Marc Bavaro - Notre Dame – 1985-1990 New York Giants, 1992 Cleveland Browns, 1993-1994 Philadelphia Eagles
Todd Christensen - Brigham Young - 1979 New York Giants, 1979-1988 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Ben Coats - Livingstone College – 1991-1999 New England Patriots, 2000 Baltimore Ravens
Russ Francis - Oregon - 1975-1980 New England Patriots, 1982-1987 San Francisco 49ers, 1987-1988 New England Patriots
Brent Jones - Santa Clara - 1973-1983 Dallas Cowboys
Offensive Linemen
Bruce Armstrong (T) - Louisville - 1987-2000 New England Patriots
Jim Covert (C) - Pittsburgh - 1983-1990 Chicago Bears
Dermontti Dawson - Kentucky - 1988-2000 Pittsburgh Steelers
Ray Donaldson (C) - Georgia - 1980-1992 Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts, 1993-1994 Seattle Seahawks, 1995-1996 Dallas Cowboys
Russ Grimm (G) - Pittsburgh - 1981-1991 Washington Redskins
Jay Hilgenberg (C/G) - Iowa - 1981-1991 Chicago Bears, 1992 Cleveland Browns, 1993 New Orleans Saints
Chris Hinton (G) - Northwestern - 1983-1989 Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts, 1990-1993 Atlanta Falcons, 1994-1995 Minnesota Vikings
Kent Hull (C) - Mississippi State - 1986-1996 Buffalo Bills
Joe Jacoby (T) - Louisville - 1981-1993 Washington Redskins
Mike Kenn (T) - Michigan - 1978-1994 Atlanta Falcons
Bob Kuechenberg (G) - Notre Dame - 1970-1983 Miami Dolphins
Henry Lawrence (T/G) - Florida A&M - 1974-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Nate Newton (G) - Florida A&M - 1986-1998 Dallas Cowboys, 1999 Carolina Panthers
Rich Saul (C) - Michigan State - 1970-1981 Los Angeles Rams
Jeff Van Note (C) - Kentucky - 1969-1986 Atlanta Falcons
Gary Zimmerman (T) - Oregon - 1986-1992 Minnesota Vikings, 1993-1997 Denver Broncos
Defensive Linemen
Curley Culp (DT/G) - Arizona State - 1968-1974 Kansas City Chiefs, 1974-1980 Houston Oilers, 1980-1981 Detroit Lions
Fred Dean (DE) - Louisiana Tech - 1975-1981 San Diego Chargers, 1981-1985 San Francisco 49ers
Richard Dent (DE) - Tennessee State - 1983-1993, 1995 Chicago Bears, 1994 San Francisco 49ers, 1996 Indianapolis Colts, 1997 Philadelphia Eagles
Chris Doleman (DE) - Pittsburgh - 1985-1993 Minnesota Vikings, 1994-1995 Atlanta Falcons, 1996-1998 San Francisco 49ers, 1999 Minnesota Vikings
L.C. Greenwood (DE) - Arkansas AM&N - 1969-1981 Pittsburgh Steelers
Charles Haley (G) - James Madison - 1983-1993 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-1996 Dallas Cowboys, 1999 San Francisco 49ers
Claude Humphrey (DE) - Tennessee State - 1968-1974, 1976-1978 Atlanta Falcons, 1979-1981 Philadelphia Eagles
Ed "Too Tall” Jones (DE) - Tennessee State - 1974-1978, 1980-1989 Dallas Cowboys
Cortez Kennedy (DT) - Miami (FL) - 1990-2000 Seattle Seahawks
Joe Klecko (DE/DT/NT) - Temple - 1977-1987 New York Jets, 1988 Indianapolis Colts
Dexter Manley (DE) - Oklahoma State - 1981-1989 Washington Redskins, 1990 Phoenix Cardinals, 1991 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Charles Mann (DE) - Nevada - 1983-1993 Washington Redskins, 1994 San Francisco 49ers
Clyde Simmons (DE) - Western Carolina - 1986-1993 Philadelphia Eagles, 1994-1995 Arizona Cardinals, 1996-1997 Jacksonville Jaguars, 1998 Cincinnati Bengals, 1999-2000 Chicago Bears
Fred Smerlas (NT/DT) - Boston College - 1979-1989 Buffalo Bills, 1990 San Francisco 49ers, 1991-1992 New England Patriots
Neil Smith (DE) - Nebraska - 1988-1996 Kansas City Chiefs, 1997-1999 Denver Broncos, 2000 San Diego Chargers
Reggie White - (DE/DT) Tennessee - 1985-1992 Philadelphia Eagles, 1993-1998 Green Bay Packers, 2000 Carolina Panthers
Linebackers
Cornelius Bennett - Alabama - 1987-1995 Buffalo Bills, 1996-1998 Atlanta Falcons, 1999-2000 Indianapolis Colts
Matt Blair - Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (JC), Iowa State - 1974-1985 Minnesota Vikings
Robert Brazile - Jackson State - 1975-1984 Houston Oilers
Harry Carson - South Carolina State - 1976-1988 New York Giants
Randy Gradishar - Ohio State - 1974-1983 Denver Broncos
Kevin Greene - Auburn - 1985-1993 Los Angeles Rams, 1994-1995 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers, 1998-1999 Carolina Panthers
Ken Harvey - California - 1988-1993 Phoenix Cardinals, 1994-1998 Washington Redskins
Rickey Jackson - Pittsburgh - 1981-1993 New Orleans Saints, 1994-1995 San Francisco 49ers
Clay Matthews - Southern California - 1978-1993 Cleveland Browns, 1994-1996 Atlanta Falcons
Karl Mecklenburg - Augustana (SD); Minnesota - 1983-1994 Denver Broncos
Sam Mills - Montclair State (NJ) - 1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-1997 Carolina Panthers
John Offerdahl - Western Michigan - 1986-1993 Miami Dolphins
Darryl Talley - West Virginia - 1983-1994 Buffalo Bills, 1995 Atlanta Falcons, 1996 Minnesota Vikings
Derrick Thomas - Alabama - 1989-1999 Kansas City Chiefs
Andre Tippett - Iowa - 1982-1993 New England Patriots
Jessie Tuggle - Valdosta State - 1987-2000 Atlanta Falcons
Brad Van Pelt - Michigan State - 1973-1983 New York Giants, 1984-1985 Los Angeles Raiders, 1986 Cleveland Brownw
Defensive Backs
Steve Atwater (S) - Arkansas - 1989-1998 Denver Broncos, 1999 New York Jets
Joey Browner (S) - Southern California - 1983-1992 Minnesota Vikings, 1993 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kenny Easley (S) - UCLA - 1981-1987 Seattl Seahawks
Lester Hayes (CB) - Texas A&M - 1977-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Albert Lewis (CB) - Grambling State - 1983-1993 Kansas City Chiefs, 1994-1998 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders
Fred Marion (S) - Miami (FL) - 1982-1991 New England Patriots
Lemar Parrish (CB) - Lincoln (MO) - 1970-1977 Cincinnati Bengals, 1987-1981 Washington Redskins, 1982 Buffalo Bills
Ken Riley (CB) - Florida A&M - 1969-1983 Cincinnati Bengals
Donnie Shell (S) - South Carolina State - 1974-1987 Pittsburgh Steelers
Everson Walls (CB) - Grambling State - 1981-1989 Dallas Cowboys, 1990-1992 New York Giants, 1992-1993 Cleveland Browns
Roger Wehrli (CB) - Missouri - 1969-1982 St. Louis Cardinals
Special Teams-Spieler
Steve Tasker (WR) - Dodge City CC (KS), Northwestern - 1985-1986 Houston Oilers, 1986-1997 Buffalo Bills
Punter/Kicker
Ray Guy (P) - Southern Mississippi - 1973-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Nick Lowery (K) - Dartmouth - 1978 New England Patriots, 1980-1993 Kansas City Chiefs, 1994-1996 New York Jets
Reggie Roby (P) - Iowa - 1983-1992 Miami Dolphins, 1993-1994 Washington Redskins, 1995 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1996-1997 Houston Oilers, 1998 San Francisco 49ers
Coaches
Don Coryell - Washington - 1973-1977 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San Diego Chargers
Tom Flores - Pacific - 1979-1987 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-1994 Seattle Seahawks
Jimmy Johnson - Arkansas - 1989-1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1996-1999 Miami Dolphins
Chuck Knox - Juniata College (PA) - 1973-1977 Los Angeles Rams, 1978-1982 Buffalo Bills, 1983-1991 Seattle Seahawks, 1992-1994 Los Angeles Rams
Dan Reeves - South Carolina - 1981-1992 Denver Broncos, 1993-1996 New York Giants, 1997-2003 Atlanta Falcons
Besitzer/Funktionäre
Gil Brandt (Manager) - 1960-1988 Dallas Cowboys, seit 1995 National Football League
Ed DeBartolo, Jr. (Besitzer) - 1979-1997 San Francisco 49ers
Pat Haggerty (Schiedsrichter) - 1965-1992 National Football League
Art McNally (Schiedsrichter) - 1968-1991 National Football League
Art Modell (Besitzer)- 1961-1995 Cleveland Browns, 1996-2003 Baltimore Ravens
Ed Sabol (Filmer) - 1964-1995 NFL Films
Steve Sabol (Filmer) - seit 1964 NFL Films
Paul Tagliabue (Commissioner)- seit 1989 National Football League
Ralph Wilson, Jr. (Besitzer) - seit 1959 Buffalo Bills
Ron Wolf (Manager) - 1991-2001 Green Bay Packers
George Young (Manager)- 1979-1997 New York Giants
Nominiert durch das Senior Committee
John Madden (Head Coach) – California Polytechnic State University - 1969-1978 Oakland Raiders
Rayfield Wright (T) – Fort Valley State - 1967-1979 Dallas Cowboys
