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Ron Wolf named finalist for Hall of Fame induction

Former Packers GM Ron Wolf has been named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2015 in the new “contributor” category. Bill Polian is also a finalist in the category.

The Hall of Fame changed its selection process in creating the contributor category. The finalists will be treated similar to the annual senior nominee(s), voted on separately from the other 15 modern-era finalists. Contributor and senior nominees will need 80 percent of the vote from the full selection committee for induction, but their potential election will not count against the maximum number of five modern-era inductees.

Wolf was the architect who returned the Packers to prominence, and he’s noted mostly for three key moves — hiring Mike Holmgren as head coach, trading for Brett Favre to be QB and signing DE Reggie White in free agency. Holmgren and Favre arrived in 1992, White in ’93. By 1995, the Packers advanced to the NFC Championship game, and in 1996 they won the franchise’s first Super Bowl in 29 years.

“What an honor!,” Wolf said in a statement released by the Hall of Fame. “I’m overwhelmed. I realize that none of this would be possible without an awful lot of support from a lot of other people. So, for me, this is more an organizational thing than just one individual.”

The selection committee will vote and announce the Class of 2015 on Jan. 31, one day before the Super Bowl. Mick Tingelhoff is a senior nominee this year, while the 15 modern-era finalists have not yet been announced.

Kevin Greene named Hall of Fame semifinalist again

Packers outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene has been named a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2014.

As a semifinalist, Greene is one of 25 modern-era candidates still under consideration for Hall of Fame induction this year. This marks the eighth straight year Greene has reached the semifinalist stage, and he has been a finalist — one of the final 10 — each of the last two years.

During Greene’s 15-year career with four different teams, he recorded 160 sacks, third most in league history behind Bruce Smith and Reggie White. Greene has been a member of the Packers coaching staff since 2009.

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