With the NFL celebrating its 100th season this year, a special provision was put in place for a one-time 20 member Hall of Fame class for 2020 inductees.
A special Blue-Ribbon Panel comprised of many members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee, Hall of Famers, coaches, football executives, and football historians disputed the merits of 300 Senior candidates nominated for the special consideration as part of the Hall’s special Centennial Class of 2020.
The list was reduced to a group of finalist that will be voted on by the Panel to elect the 15-member “Centennial Slate” to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Former Eagles head coach Dick Vermeil, Harold Carmichael and the late great offensive tackle Al Wistert have named finalist and are now among the group that will be reduced to 10 Seniors, three (3) Contributors and two (2) Coaches that will be elected to the Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2020.
Congratulations to Eagles legends Harold Carmichael, Dick Vermeil, and the late Al Wistert, named as finalists in the Class of 2020 Pro Football Hall of Fame Centennial Slate. https://t.co/Tiz9domrzd
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) December 19, 2019
Carmichael played for with the Eagles from 1971 to 1983 and had one lone season with the rival Dallas Cowboys in 1984, finishing his career with 590 receptions for 8,985 yards and 79 touchdowns.
His best season came in 1972 when Carmichael led the NFL with 67 catches and 1,116 receiving yards. He was also a four-time Pro Bowler.
Vermeil was the head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles (1976–1982), St. Louis Rams (1997–1999) and Kansas City Chiefs (2001–2005), taking all three franchises to the playoffs after they previously had losing records the year before he arrived.
He’s most famous for leading the Rams to their only Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl XXXIV with a 23–16 win over the Tennessee Titans. In Philadelphia, Vermeil took a team without a first-round pick for three years and led them to the playoffs for the first time in 18 seasons.
Vermeil led the Eagles to Super Bowl XV, where they to Oakland, 27–10.
Wistert played his entire nine-year NFL career for the Eagles after a storied career at the University of Michigan. Wistert has the distinction of being named to play in the NFL’s first Pro Bowl as an Eagle and he was named an All-Pro 8 times.