National Football League

Jerry Jones, Paul Tagliabue are one step closer to the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:27 p.m. ET

Andrew Lynch

Two of the people most responsible for the NFL's growth into a global sports juggernaut are on the verge of joining football's most prestigious group.

On Tuesday, members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's contributor committee gathered to discuss 10 possible nominees for enshrinement in Canton, Ohio. Each year, that committee can name two contributors whose Hall of Fame candidacies are then voted on by the full committee in the days leading up to the Super Bowl — and for 2016, those nominees are Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

Breaking News: @dallascowboys Jerry Jones and former @NFL commish Paul Tagliabue selected as Contributor Finalists for #PFHOF17
— Pro Football HOF (@ProFootballHOF) August 16, 2016

This year's potential contributor nominees included Jones, Tagliabue, Bobby Beathard, Gil Brandt, Pat Bowlen, Bucko Kilroy, Art McNally, Steve Sabol, George Young and John Wooten.

Jones famously purchased the Cowboys in 1989 before firing longtime coach Tom Landry, as Dallas had missed the postseason three straight times, the first such playoff drought since the team's first six years in the league. By 1992, the Cowboys were Super Bowl champions. Although Jones has had his hits and misses in leading Dallas since then, he's been one of the most important figures in bringing the NFL back to Los Angeles and helping the game grow into America's new pastime.

He found a business partner in Tagliabue. The former lawyer for the league took over as commissioner in 1989 as well, succeeding Pete Rozelle. Tagliabue helped shepherd in an era of expansion for the NFL, growing the league from 28 teams in 1994 to 32 as of 2002. According to an ESPN.com study, league revenue increased by 266 percent under Tagliabue's watch from 1995 to 2005.

There's still work to be done for both candidates, despite Cowboys coach Jason Garrett's belief that Jones is a "first-ballot Hall of Famer." Jones and Tagliabue still need to be affirmed by 80 percent of the full voting committee to earn entry into the Hall.