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Pro Football Hall of Fame makes sweeping changes after Bill Belichick fiasco

> Committee size: Reduces panel from 50 Selectors to 28. Their voting status (25 voting, 3 nonvoting participants) will be determined on an annual basis.

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> Committee structure: Changes from a geographically based model with one selector per NFL club, 17 at-large selectors and one Pro Football Writers of America representative to 27 at-large selectors and one PFWA representative.

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> Player eligibility: Changes from separate Modern-Era Players and Seniors categories — with players moving to the Seniors category after 25 years of retirement — to a single pool for all eligible players following the mandatory five-year retirement period.

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> Contributor eligibility: Expands from individuals who “contributed to the game outside of playing or coaching” to consideration of a candidate’s full football résumé that may include playing, coaching and other contributions to the sport.

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> Candidates considered at annual meeting: Changes from 15 Modern-Era Players, three Seniors, one Coach and one Contributor to 13 Players plus one Coach and one Contributor with the Coach and Contributor determined by the respective subcommittees.

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> Seniors on final ballot: Eliminates the previous maximum of three Seniors, with all eligible Players now considered together in a single pool regardless of how long they have been retired.

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> Carryover candidates: Eliminates provision allowing candidates who reached the final seven to return automatically as Finalists the following year.

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