New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has been named one of five contributor nominees for the 2027 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, the Hall announced Wednesday. The Contributor Subcommittee narrowed the field from 42 candidates to five, and will meet again on November 17 to select one nominee to advance to the full Selection Committee. The Selection Committee will announce its final selections for the 2027 class shortly before the Super Bowl.
Kraft, 85, is joined by Ralph Hay, Virginia McCaskey, Doug Williams, and John Wooten. Kraft received the subcommittee's vote last year to advance to the Selection Committee vote but was controversially left out of the 2026 Hall of Fame class. He has been eligible for years, but last year marked the first time he advanced out of the subcommittee. Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick, in his first year on the ballot, also did not get selected.
Kraft has owned the Patriots since 1994. Under his ownership, New England has won six Super Bowls and appeared in five more, including last season's loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Prior to Kraft's ownership, the Patriots had only been to one Super Bowl, which they lost. Kraft has also been a key member of several NFL committees and helped lead the creation of Gillette Stadium, which opened in 2002.
In 2024, ESPN detailed Kraft's long struggle for a spot in Canton, with various voters pointing to Spygate, Deflategate, and dismissed charges after Kraft's two visits to a Jupiter, Florida, massage parlor as reasons why he hasn't been inducted.
Regarding the other nominees: Hay owned the Canton Bulldogs from 1918 to 1922 and was integral in creating the NFL. McCaskey owned the Chicago Bears from 1983 to 2025 and was the daughter of Bears founder George Halas. Williams was the first Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl, leading Washington to a victory over Denver in 1988 with 340 passing yards and four touchdowns. Wooten played 10 seasons as an offensive lineman before moving into scouting and player personnel roles, and also chaired the Fritz Pollard Alliance.
