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Three fellow HBCU alumni—Ben Coates of Livingstone College, Robert Mathis of Alabama A&M, and Steve McNair of Alcorn State University—along with Eddie George, an Ohio State alum and head coach at Tennessee State University, have made the cut for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
George is a two-time semifinalist (2022, 2024), while McNair has yet to reach that stage in Hall of Fame voting. The initial list of 167 nominees was narrowed down to 50, and the selection committee will ultimately choose 15 modern-era finalists before the final vote to determine the Class of 2025. Last year, McNair, George, Mathis, and Coates were under consideration.
As a freshman at Alcorn, McNair completed 189 passes for 2,895 yards and 24 touchdowns while rushing for six touchdowns on 242 yards. In his sophomore season, he threw for 3,541 yards and 29 touchdowns, adding 10 rushing scores. The Braves finished 7-4 that year. In 1993, McNair helped Alcorn State improve to 8-3, throwing for over 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns, and earning First-Team All-SWAC honors for the third consecutive year.
During his senior season, McNair accumulated 6,281 combined rushing and passing yards along with 56 touchdowns. He set numerous records and was named an All-American. He won the Walter Payton Award as the top I-AA player and finished third in Heisman Trophy voting.
McNair holds career records in the Football Championship Series with 15,010 passing yards and a division record for total offensive yards with 17,305. His records for career passing yards, total offensive yards, and total number of plays remain intact.
Selected third overall in the 1995 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers, McNair became the highest-drafted Black quarterback out of an HBCU. Over his 13-year career with the Oilers and Baltimore Ravens, he amassed 31,304 passing yards and 3,590 rushing yards, scoring a total of 211 touchdowns. McNair was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2012 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2020.
Coates was a three-year football letterman at Livingstone College, where he recorded 103 receptions for 1,268 yards and 18 touchdowns. The South Carolina native was named Livingstone's MVP in each of his three seasons (1987-90) and earned First-Team All-CIAA and Black College Sports All-American honors his senior year.
In 1991, Coates was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fifth round (124th overall) of the NFL Draft, where he played nine seasons before finishing his career with the Baltimore Ravens. Over 158 NFL games, he recorded 499 receptions, 5,555 receiving yards, and 50 touchdowns. His performances rank him second on the Patriots’ all-time touchdowns list, third in receptions, and fourth in receiving yards. He was inducted into the Patriots’ Hall of Fame in 2008.
A five-time NFL Pro Bowl selection (1994-1998), Coates was a key contributor to the Ravens' Super Bowl XXXV championship victory. He was inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame in 2018.
Current Tennessee State University head coach George was a dominant player before entering the NFL. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and won the Heisman Trophy in 1995. At Ohio State, he gained 3,768 rushing yards and 534 receiving yards, totaling 45 touchdowns. In his Heisman-winning season, he rushed for 1,927 yards, received 417 yards, and scored 25 touchdowns.
George was drafted in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft and played for the Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys. He is the second NFL running back to rush for 10,000 yards without missing a start, joining Jim Brown. His career totals include 10,441 rushing yards, 268 receptions, 2,227 receiving yards, and 78 touchdowns (68 rushing, 10 receiving).
George won the NFL Rookie of the Year award in 1996, made the Pro Bowl four consecutive years (1997-2000), and appeared in a Super Bowl in 2000. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011 and the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.
Mathis was a four-year starter from 1999 to 2002 on Alabama A&M's defense, emerging as one of the most prominent pass rushers in Southwestern Athletic Conference history. In 39 games, he recorded 221 tackles, set a program record with 44 sacks, and forced 20 fumbles. As a senior in 2002, Mathis set a Division I FCS record with 20 sacks and tallied 58 tackles while setting an Alabama A&M record with 32 tackles for loss.
Mathis holds six Alabama A&M records: career sacks (44), single-season sacks (32), single-game sacks (5), career tackles for loss (88.5), single-season tackles for loss (32), and single-game tackles for loss (8).
After graduating from Alabama A&M with a degree in Physical Education, Mathis was selected in the fifth round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, where he played 14 seasons and helped the franchise win Super Bowl XLI.
During his NFL career, Mathis was a five-time Pro Bowl selection and the 2013 AFC Defensive Player of the Year. He retired after the 2016 NFL season as the Colts' all-time sacks leader with 123. Mathis recorded 604 tackles, 52 forced fumbles, 17 fumble recoveries, and one interception, finishing his career ranked 17th in NFL history in sacks and setting an NFL record with 47 forced fumbles.
