Three former 49ers coaches are among nine semifinalists announced Thursday for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
George Seifert, a two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach of the 49ers, joins former 49ers assistant coaches Mike Shanahan and Mike Holmgren as semifinalists, the Hall of Fame announced.
The other semifinalists are Bill Arnsparger, Tom Coughlin, Chuck Knox, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer and Clark Shaughnessy.
The members of the blue-ribbon coach committee will discuss the semifinalists at length during a virtual meeting on Nov. 19 to select one finalist to be considered by the full selection committee for the Hall of Fame Class of 2025.
Shanahan, Holmgren, Coughlin, Reeves, Schottenheimer and Shaughnessy were semifinalists a year ago when coaches and contributors competed in the same category. The Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors voted earlier this year to separate those groups and send one finalist from each category through to the annual selection meeting to determine the new class.
Seifert has five Super Bowl rings from his time with the 49ers. He was defensive backs coach in 1981 as he was responsible for getting three rookies — cornerbacks Ronnie Lott and Eric Wright, and safety Carlton Williamson — ready to play.
Seifert was promoted to defensive coordinator under Bill Walsh in 1983. The 49ers won two more Super Bowls with his innovative defense. He was hired as head coach in 1989 after Walsh’s retirement. In eight seasons as 49ers head coach, the team went 128-98 (.766) with seven playoff appearances and two Super Bowl titles.
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Shanahan and Holmgren served as offensive coordinators under Seifert during Super Bowl-winning seasons before achieving their own successes as head coaches.
Shanahan won two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos and compiled an overall record of 178-144 in 20 seasons as a head coach. He also worked as a head coach with the Los Angeles Raiders and Washington.
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Holmgren was hired as the Green Bay Packers’ head coach in 1992. He achieved an overall record of 174-122, including a Super Bowl victory with the Packers and a Super Bowl appearance with the Seattle Seahawks.
On Wednesday, the Hall of Fame announced the nine semifinalists in the contributors category: K.S. “Bud” Adams, Ralph Hay, Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, Robert Kraft, Art Modell, Art Rooney Jr., Seymour Siwoff, Doug Williams and John Wooten.
- Editor's note: NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco is on the 50-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors.
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