BALTIMORE — The man responsible for bringing professional football back to Baltimore has one more chance to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Former Baltimore Ravens owner Art Modell was named a semifinalist for the Class of 2023 as a coach/contributor.
The list was narrowed to 29 semifinalists.
They are: K.S. “Bud” Adams Jr., Roone Arledge, C.O. Brocato, Don Coryell, Otho Davis, Ralph Hay, Mike Holmgren, Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, Eddie Kotal, Robert Kraft, Rich McKay, John McVay, Art Modell, Clint Murchison Jr., Buddy Parker, Carl Peterson, Dan Reeves, Lee Remmel, Art Rooney Jr., Marty Schottenheimer, Jerry Seeman, Mike Shanahan, Clark Shaughnessy, Seymour Siwoff, Amy Trask, Jim Tunney, Jack Vainisi, Lloyd Wells and John Wooten.
MORE: Decade in the making: NFL football returned to Baltimore 26 years ago
Twelve finalists will be selected on July 27.
Coach/Contributor Committee members will meet Aug. 23 to select one Coach or Contributor for final consideration for the Class of 2023.
Modell was the owner of the Cleveland Browns from 1961 until 1995. He was instrumental in moving the team to Baltimore in 1996 where he was owner from the team until 2011.
He was owner of the 1964 NFL Championship Cleveland Browns, and of the Super Bowl XXXV champion Baltimore Ravens in 2000.
Modell made controversial moves in Cleveland, which included firing namesake Paul Brown, the franchise's first head coach, releasing Jim Brown and relocating the Browns to Baltimore.
Under the terms of an NFL-brokered settlement, Modell left the Browns' name and tradition in Cleveland, which was assumed by a new Browns team in 1999. In return, Modell retained the contracts of all Browns personnel and reconstituted his organization as the Baltimore Ravens, who are officially reckoned as a 1996 expansion team.
Modell died in 2012 at the age of 87.
