The Pro Football Hall of Fame whittles its nominees from triple digits down to 25 this time every year.
Former Raiders coach Tom Flores is almost always on the big list. He had never been a semifinalist despite being the first Latino head coach to win one, then two Super Bowls, winning another as an assistant and playing on an AFL title team in 1967.
The lack of advancement baffles many who believe Flores should be enshrined in Canton, Ohio. Flores previously admitted frustration with the process, but never lost hope that one day he would progress further down the selection process.