Hall of Fame Contributors Committee again rejects McNally as finalist, continuing the shutout of officials in the Hall

In a disappointing move, the Pro Football Hall of Fame will not have a game official on the final ballot.

Art McNally, 95, a former referee and the head of officiating in the NFL from 1968 to 1990, was one of 10 individuals under consideration for the Hall last year. This year, the Contributors Committee reverted back to advancing one finalist per year, and this year they selected the late Pittsburgh Steelers scout Bill Munn.

BREAKING: Former @steelers "Super Scout" Bill Nunn has been selected as a Finalist for the Class of 2021. #PFHOF21

More: https://t.co/ESFtDSYlSB pic.twitter.com/c6txAmk7jY

— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) August 25, 2020

The Hall of Fame changed its selection process for the 2015 enshrinement to ensure some candidates in the contributor category make it to the final ballot. The Contributors Committee selected one or two finalists in alternating years to the ballot. Before that, officials were added to the long list of nominees, but never survived the first cut. As such, the merits of debating any official in the Hall of Fame never made it to the selection phase, with the exception of the 2020 centennial class, where McNally was one of 10 finalists for 3 contributor inductions. The alternating procedure ran its intended course, and now reverts to a single nomination each year, starting this year.

Football Zebras made the case for Art McNally’s nomination back in February 2018.

Why Art McNally is long overdue to be the first official in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

The closest the Hall has come to inducting anyone in officiating is Hugh “Shorty” Ray, the league’s inimitable technical adviser of rules. In his time, the officials were supervised by the commissioner, and Ray’s role was instrumental in rules changes and for advising the commissioner on rules-related matters. Ray did not officiate nor supervise the officials at the pro level.

The shutout continues for any official to even be worthy of consideration from the entire Selection Committee. Next chance is for the Class of 2022.