This is the 24th year that Tom Flores has been eligible for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It marked the first time the former Raiders quarterback, offensive coordinator and head coach was named a semifinalist.
Flores was ecstatic about that after years of frustration, and hoped the milestone would be “the catalyst to reaching the final 15.”
It has done exactly that.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Flores was included among the 15 modern-era finalists for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a group formally announced Thursday afternoon.
The NFL’s first Latino head coach, who won two Super Bowls as a head coach and another as an offensive coordinator, is just one step away from earning a gold jacket.
The 48-person Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee will discuss the 15 modern-era finalists, two contributors and one senior’s committee nominee during a Feb. 2 meeting one day before the Super Bowl. No more than five modern-area finalists can be inducted in one year, so Flores will have some stiff competition for enshrinement.
The Raiders have worked to promoted Flores’ candidacy this year, especially after he was named a semifinalist. He’s a vital player in Raiders history, as a quarterback, assistant coach and head coach. He also was in charge of the Seattle Seahawks during some lean years, but he led the Raiders during a golden era.
NFL
Reaching the finals is a huge moment for Flores, and proof that voters are starting to acknowledge his role with the Raiders and in NFL history as a whole. It also shows respect for a man who broke barriers for Latino players and coaches while winning some of the biggest games in Raiders history.