**NASHVILLE –** Longtime Titans owner K.S. "Bud" Adams is one of nine individuals to advance to the Semifinalists stage for possible election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026.
Members of the Contributor Blue-Ribbon Committee made their selections from a field of 21 in their most recent reduction vote, and the results were announced Thursday morning. The committee will discuss the semifinalists at length when it meets virtually Nov. 11 to select one finalist for the full Selection Committee to consider when it votes for a new class of enshrinees in early 2026.
The nine semifinalists in the Contributor category this year are: K.S. "Bud" Adams, Roone Arledge, Ralph Hay, Frank "Bucko" Kilroy, Robert Kraft, Art Rooney Jr., Clark Shaughnessy, Seymour Siwoff and Buddy Young.
Adams, Hay, Kilroy, Kraft, Rooney and Siwoff reached this point in the selection process last year, with Hay ultimately being chosen as the category's finalist for the Class of 2025.
Adams, along with Lamar Hunt, co-founded the AFL to rival the NFL before the two leagues eventually merged. In fact, the formation of the AFL was announced in Adams' Houston office in 1959.
Hunt, long-time owner of the Chiefs who started an AFL team in Dallas, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972. Another one of the members of the self-appointed "Foolish Club," Bills owner Ralph Wilson, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.
In addition to his role in forming the AFL, Adams convinced Heisman Trophy winner Billy Cannon to play in the AFL, and his aggressive spending helped give the upstart league instant credibility.
In 2008, Adams received the inaugural Lamar Hunt Award for Professional Football, which recognized his vision and his role in helping the NFL reach preeminent status.
Adams was the founder and owner of the Oilers/Titans for 53-plus years (1960-2012).
Over the years, his teams produced 21 playoff seasons, two AFL Championships (1960 & 61), an AFC Championship win (1999), four AFC Championship Game Appearances, and a Super Bowl appearance (XXXIV). The 21 playoff appearances between 1960-2012 ranked eighth among NFL teams during that period.
The organization has produced 17 players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In an interview with The Tennessean in 2013, the Titans owner wondered if he'd ever join football's hallowed halls. Adams passed away later that same year.
"Besides the playoffs, one thing I would like to accomplish is to be considered in the Pro Football Hall of Fame,'' Adams said. "I realize there may be some hard feelings about me moving the team to Nashville, but I truly feel my body of work…
"I don't like tooting my own horn. But at my age, and now being the senior NFL owner, there is no one from back in those days that can really speak up for me now."
Reduction votes also are occurring in the Modern-Era Players, Seniors and Coach categories. Eventually, 20 Finalists will be presented at the Selection Committee's annual meeting in advance of Super Bowl LX: 15 Modern-Era Players, three Seniors, one Coach and one Contributor.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026 will be announced at "NFL Honors" in San Francisco in February and enshrined in August in Canton.
**Here are brief bios on the nine semifinalists in the category, from the Hall of Fame:**
K.S. "Bud" Adams: During his 54 years as founder, owner, chairman of the board, president and CEO of the Titans/Oilers franchise, Adams was a pivotal figure in the formation of the AFL and its subsequent merger with the NFL.
Roone Arledge: Television industry executive and producer whose creativity, leadership and technical innovations revolutionized the presentation of both news and sports.
Ralph Hay: Owned the Canton Bulldogs from 1918-1922 and hosted the NFL's formational meeting in his automobile dealership in downtown Canton.
Frank "Bucko" Kilroy: Worked in player personnel and scouting for the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys. He was the Patriots' general manager from 1979 to 1982 and vice president from 1983 to 1993.
Robert Kraft: Owner, chairman and CEO of the New England Patriots since 1994. His teams have won six Super Bowls. Key member of several influential NFL owners' committees.
Art Rooney Jr.: Employed with the Steelers since 1961, from 1964 through 1986, worked in the Steelers' Scouting Department. Currently a Steelers vice president and member of the Board of Directors.
Clark Shaughnessy: Head coach of the Los Angeles Rams from 1948-49 and assistant coach for the Washington Redskins from 1944-47 and Chicago Bears from 1951-1962. Credited with modernizing the T-formation and other offensive and defensive innovations.
Seymour Siwoff: Owner and president of Elias Sports Bureau, the official statisticians of the NFL, from 1952-2019.
Buddy Young: First African American executive in any major sports league when NFL hired him in 1964 in its scouting and public relations department. Was working as director of player relations in NFL when he died at age 57 in a car accident.