Patriots owner Robert Kraft leads the group of 9 contributors who are Hall of Fame semifinalists

Six-time Super Bowl-winning owner Robert Kraft and trailblazing quarterback Doug Williams were picked among the nine semifinalists in the contributor category for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

The names of the candidates released Wednesday came after a Blue Ribbon committee cut the list down from 25 people. The committee will next meet Nov. 12 to pick one finalist for consideration by the full selection committee for the Hall early next year.

The one contributor will be grouped with one coaching candidate and three seniors candidates. Between one and three of those five finalists will make it to the Hall based on getting at least 80% of the votes from the full committee.

Kraft bought the New England Patriots in 1994 and quickly turned them into one of the most successful franchises in the NFL. He hired Bill Belichick as coach in 2000 and oversaw the franchise winning six Super Bowl titles from the 2001-2018 seasons.

Three other owners are among the semifinalists, including two who moved their franchises during their tenure.

Art Modell was one of the league’s most influential owners as a longtime chairman of the NFL’s television committee. But he drew ire from fans in Cleveland after he moved his team to Baltimore in 1996.

Bud Adams was the founder of the Houston Oilers and a key figure in the AFL. He eventually moved his franchise to Tennessee and renamed it the Titans.

Ralph Hay owned the Canton Bulldogs from 1918-22 and hosted the meeting the led to the formation of the NFL.

Art Rooney Jr., a member of the family that owns the Steelers, also made the cut.

Williams was the first Black starting quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl with Washington in the 1987 season. He later worked in the team’s front office.

Among the other candidates are John Wooten, a longtime scout and executive who later became chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance that helped push the NFL to hire more minority head coaches; longtime executives Frank “Bucko” Kilroy; and Seymour Siwoff, the former owner and president of the Elias Sports Bureau.

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Robert Kraft, CEO of the New England Patriots walks onto the Wembley Stadium field during pregame of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in London. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Robert Kraft, CEO of the New England Patriots walks on the Wembley Stadium field during pregame of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in London. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo blocked a shot by LeBron James and stole the ball from him on consecutive possessions in the final minute, and the Milwaukee Bucks blew a fourth-quarter lead before rallying for a 105-101 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

Kevin Porter Jr. scored 22 points, and he hit two free throws to break a tie after Antetokounmpo blocked a driving layup attempt by James with 39 seconds left.

Antetokounmpo then knocked the ball out of James' hands from behind with 2 seconds left, and Porter hit two more free throws to seal Milwaukee's fifth win in seven games — its first over a team with a winning record since Dec. 11. Antetokounmpo finished with 21 points in his lowest-scoring effort since returning from his right calf strain.

Luka Doncic had 24 points and nine assists on 8-of-25 shooting for the Lakers. He had his lowest-scoring performance since Christmas, and he fouled out on Porter's 3-point attempt with 16.2 seconds to play.

James had 26 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, but Antetokoumpo got the best of the top scorer in NBA history at crunch time. Los Angeles has lost six of 10.

Milwaukee surged to a double-digit lead in the first half even with Antetokounmpo on a minutes restriction in his injury return. Doncic scored 12 points in the third quarter but also committed four fouls in the period, including his fifth of the game.

Los Angeles abruptly erased its deficit by going on a 17-4 run to open the fourth, with James putting the Lakers ahead when he stole the ball from Antetokounmpo for a layup with 6:02 left. Milwaukee missed nine of its first 12 shots in the period, but Porter's layup tied it with two minutes left.

Lakers starters Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura remain sidelined by injury, but Hachimura (calf) might return early next week from his six-game absence, coach JJ Redick said.

Bucks: At Denver on Sunday.

Lakers: At Sacramento on Monday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart, left, tries to shoot as Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, left, and Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. go after a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)