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 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. The 85-year-old has owned the Patriots since 1994, during which the team 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 reached only one Super Bowl, which they lost.
In addition to his team success, Kraft has been a key member of several NFL committees and helped lead the creation of Gillette Stadium, which opened in 2002. His Hall of Fame candidacy has faced scrutiny due to past controversies, including Spygate, Deflategate, and dismissed charges related to visits to a Florida massage parlor in 2019.
The other nominees include Hay, who owned the Canton Bulldogs from 1918 to 1922 and was integral in creating the NFL; McCaskey, who owned the Chicago Bears from 1983 to 2025 and was the daughter of Bears founder George Halas; Williams, the first Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl, leading Washington to victory over Denver in 1988 with 340 passing yards and four touchdowns; and Wooten, a 10-season offensive lineman who later worked in scouting and player personnel and chaired the Fritz Pollard Alliance.
