Former Browns G John Wooten has advanced in the process for potential election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2027. Wooten is one of five nominees in the Contributor category who have "contributed to the sport of professional football in distinct ways," according to a press release from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The other four nominees for the Contributor category are Ralph Hay, Robert Kraft, Virginia McCaskey and Doug Williams. The Hall of Fame's Contributor Subcommittee will convene on Nov. 17 to select one member of the group for possible election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Wooten played for the Browns for nine of his ten seasons in the NFL, from 1959 to 1967. He was drafted by the Browns in the fifth round of the 1959 NFL Draft. Over the course of his tenure with Cleveland, Wooten started 94 games and was selected to Pro Bowls in 1965 and 1966, according to Pro Football Reference. He also was on the Browns' 1964 team that won the NFL Championship and was inducted as a Browns Legend in 2010.
At the University of Colorado, Wooten was of the first two African American varsity players on the team. He earned First-Team All-American honors in 1958 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012.
Following his playing career, Wooten became a scout and worked in player personnel roles in the front offices of the Cowboys, Eagles and Ravens for almost 30 years. Wooten served as the Vice President of Player Personnel with Philadelphia and was a director of pro personnel with Dallas.
Wooten was named the first chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance in 2003, an organization that works to promote inclusion and leadership opportunities for minorities in professional football. The Browns were awarded the inaugural John B. Wooten award in 2022, which is presented by the Fritz Pollard Alliance, to the team that embodies diversity in the workplace.
Prior to Super Bowl LXI, 15 candidates will be presented at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee's annual meeting, including 13 players, one coach and one contributor. The Hall of Fame's Class of 2027, which will consist of three to seven inductees, will be announced during the NFL Honors ceremony. Inductees will be officially enshrined into the Hall of Fame in August of 2027.
