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No Bills make list of Hall of Fame semifinalists as seniors, coaches, or contributors

One path to the Hall of Fame has been closed off for former Bills.

Matt Warren is Associate Director of NFL coverage for SB Nation and previously covered the Bills for Buffalo Rumblings for more than a decade.

The Buffalo Bills won’t have a senior candidate make the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023, nor will any contributors or coaches from the Bills make it. The list of modern era players is still being whittled down.

Just to let folks know, the senior committee only considered players who finished their career in 1996 or earlier, so special teamer Steve Tasker was not eligible for this vote as he played in the 1997 season.

Running back Cookie Gilchrest was not among the final 25 senior nominees, despite his prolific career in the AFL including an MVP season in 1962 and being named to the All-AFL team. His CFL stats would also count in the proceedings.

Former Bills linebacker Marty Schottenheimer is on the contributor list for his long and successful career as an NFL head coach. He helmed the Cleveland Browns (1984-88), Kansas City Chiefs (1989-1998), Washington Redskins (2001), and the San Diego Chargers (2002-06).

Here is the full list of senior committee semifinalists (25):

Ken Anderson, Maxie Baughan, Mark Clayton, Roger Craig, LaVern Dilweg, Randy Gradishar, Lester Hayes, Chris Hinton, Chuck Howley, Cecil Isbell, Joe Jacoby, Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, Mike Kenn, Joe Klecko, Bob Kuechenberg, George Kunz, Jim Marshall, Clay Matthews Jr., Eddie Meador, Stanley Morgan, Tommy Nobis, Ken Riley, Sterling Sharpe, Otis Taylor and Everson Walls.

Here is the full list of contributors (29):

K.S. “Bud” Adams Jr., Roone Arledge, C.O. Brocato, Don Coryell, Otho Davis, Ralph Hay, Mike Holmgren, Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, Eddie Kotal, Robert Kraft, Rich McKay, John McVay, Art Modell, Clint Murchison Jr., Buddy Parker, Carl Peterson, Dan Reeves, Lee Remmel, Art Rooney Jr., Marty Schottenheimer, Jerry Seeman, Mike Shanahan, Clark Shaughnessy, Seymour Siwoff, Amy Trask, Jim Tunney, Jack Vainisi, Lloyd Wells and John Wooten.

Twelve from each list will move on to the finalist stage. Three from the seniors list and one from the contributors list will be inducted next year.