Tag: Hall of Fame

Final 15 revealed for Hall of Fame Class of ’26

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Drew Brees and Eli Manning and one of the most clutch kickers in league history, Adam Vinatieri, are among 15 finalists up for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

The Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee meets prior to Super Bowl LX, and any players selected will be revealed on Feb. 5 during the “NFL Honors” broadcast in San Francisco.

Brees, Manning, Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and edge rusher Terrell Suggs (Ravens, Cardinals, Chiefs) are among the candidates up for debate by the Selection Committee in February.

Four other players — Willie Anderson, Torry Holt, Luke Kuechly and Vinatieri — reached the committee’s Final 7 for election with the Class of 2025 and were automatically advanced in the 2026 class.

Holt and returning finalist Reggie Wayne (Colts) have been finalists seven times and this is the fifth year Anderson is among the group openly debated for election.

Former Cowboys safety Darren Woodson (fourth time as a finalist) is in his 18th year of eligibility. He’s joined by first-timer and former Dallas tight end Jason Witten. Brees, Fitzgerald, running back Frank Gore (five teams in 16 seasons) and former Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams are also first-time finalists. Williams has been eligible for six years.

Up to five “Modern Era” players for the Class of 2026 can be elected by the Selection Committee, which requires a minimum positive vote of 80%.

Seniors category finalists Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood, coach finalist Bill Belichick and contributor finalist Robert Kraft are candidates for the Class of 2026 with voting held separately and a maximum of three of these five finalists can be elected.

Between four and eight total enshrinees can be elected in a given year according to the Hall of Fame bylaws.

Willie Anderson, a right tackle with four All-Pro seasons for the Bengals, has been eligible for 13 years and this is the 12th year for Holt. Holt had 920 career receptions for 13,382 yards and 74 TDs and caught at least 80 passes in eight consecutive seasons with the Rams.

The 2026 Modern-Era Finalists (positions, years and teams):

Willie Anderson, Right Tackle — 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens
Drew Brees, Quarterback — 2001-05 San Diego Chargers, 2006-20 New Orleans Saints
Jahri Evans, Guard — 2006-16 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay Packers
Larry Fitzgerald, Wide Receiver — 2004-20 Arizona Cardinals
Frank Gore, Running Back — 2005-14 San Francisco 49ers, 2015-17 Indianapolis Colts, 2018 Miami Dolphins, 2019 Buffalo Bills, 2020 New York Jets
Torry Holt, Wide Receiver — 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars
Luke Kuechly, Linebacker — 2012-19 Carolina Panthers
Eli Manning, Quarterback — 2004-19 New York Giants
Terrell Suggs, Outside Linebacker/Defensive End — 2003-18 Baltimore Ravens, 2019 Arizona Cardinals, 2019 Kansas City Chiefs
Adam Vinatieri, Kicker — 1996-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-19 Indianapolis Colts
Reggie Wayne, Wide Receiver — 2001-14 Indianapolis Colts
Kevin Williams, Defensive Tackle — 2003-13 Minnesota Vikings, 2014 Seattle Seahawks, 2015 New Orleans Saints
Jason Witten, Tight End — 2003-17, 2019 Dallas Cowboys, 2020 Las Vegas Raiders
Darren Woodson, Safety — 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys
Marshal Yanda, Guard/Tackle — 2007-19 Baltimore Ravens

–Field Level Media

Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick among 5 Hall of Fame finalists

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Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft were reunited, sort of, on Wednesday, when the co-architects of the New England Patriots’ dynasty were both named finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026.

Belichick, 73, who guided the Patriots to six Super Bowl championships, is the finalist in the coaching category in his first year of eligibility.

Kraft, 84, who has owned the Patriots since 1994, is the lone finalist in the contributor category. It is his first time to make it this far in the voting process.

There are also three finalists in the seniors category: quarterback Ken Anderson, running back Roger Craig and defensive end L.C. Greenwood.

Two different nine-member committees selected Belichick and Kraft for consideration by Hall of Fame voters next month. They need to receive 80% of the vote from the full selection committee to be enshrined next summer in Canton, Ohio.

Side-by-side inductions would undoubtedly make for good theater, as Kraft and Belichick have had a falling out since the end of their glory days with Tom Brady under center. They officially parted ways in January 2024 after Belichick set a franchise record with 266 wins over 24 seasons.

According to ESPN sources, Belichick is believed to be a favorite for induction while Kraft’s fate is more uncertain.

All five finalists named Wednesday will be competing directly against each other, as committee members can only vote for three of the five finalists. A maximum of three can be elected. If none receives 80% approval, the individual with the most support will join the Class of 2026.

Belichick, who also won two Super Bowl rings as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, has an overall record as an NFL head coach of 333-178 — second only to Don Shula’s 347 career victories. Belichick just completed his first season as the head coach at North Carolina with a 4-8 record.

Kraft’s Patriots have been to 10 Super Bowls. The team he paid $172 million for in 1994 is now worth an estimated $9.25 billion.

Anderson, 76, played 16 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals (1971-86) and was the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1981. The four-time Pro Bowler led the team to Super Bowl XVI.

Craig, 65, played his first eight seasons with the San Francisco 49ers (1983-90), earning three Super Bowl rings. In 1985, he became the first player with 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving in the same season.

Greenwood, who died in 2013 at age 67, won four Super Bowls as part of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ “Steel Curtain” defense and earned six Pro Bowl selections in the 1970s.

There are still 26 players under consideration in the modern era category for the Class of 2026, which will be announced on Feb. 8.

–Field Level Media

Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald headline HOF semifinalists

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In their first year on the ballot, Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Larry Fitzgerald, Frank Gore and Jason Witten are semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026.

They were among the 26 modern era candidates announced on Tuesday, a list that will be whittled down to 15 finalists by a 50-member selection committee.

Four returning finalists are already locked into the last 15 after reaching the final seven in 2025: Willie Anderson, Torry Holt, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri.

Eight others are returning finalists: Eli Manning, Fred Taylor, Steve Smith Sr., Reggie Wayne, Jahri Evans, Marshal Yanda, Terrell Suggs and Darren Woodson.

The other nine semifinalists, including first-timers Lomas Brown and Kevin Williams, are Hines Ward, Richmond Webb, Steve Wisniewski, Rodney Harrison, Earl Thomas, Vince Wilfork and Robert Mathis.

In addition to voting on 15 modern era finalists before the Super Bowl in February, the selection committee will consider three seniors, one coach and one contributor.

Between four and eight new members will become the Class of 2026. In the first year of this format in 2025 only four men got in.

Brees trails only Tom Brady on the all-time list for passing yards (80,358) and touchdown passes (571) and led the New Orleans Saints to a Super Bowl XLIV title.

Fitzgerald ranks second only to Jerry Rice in receiving yards (17,492) and receptions (1,432) and played his entire career with the Arizona Cardinals.

Rivers was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection who played 16 of his 17 seasons with the San Diego and Los Angeles Chargers and passed for 63,440 yards and 421 TDs.

Gore ranks third on the NFL’s all-time rushing list with 16,000 yards, trailing only Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton. He was named to five Pro Bowls.

Witten made 11 Pro Bowls, played 16 of his 17 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and ranks No. 2 among tight ends in receptions (1,228) and receiving yards (13,046).

–Field Level Media

Roger Craig, Ken Anderson among Hall of Fame semifinalists

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Running back Roger Craig and quarterback Ken Anderson are among nine semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 in the seniors category.

Wide receivers Henry Ellard, Stanley Morgan and Otis Taylor, defensive lineman L.C. Greenwood, offensive lineman Joe Jacoby, cornerback Eddie Meador and special teams ace Steve Tasker were the others announced Wednesday.

A blue-ribbon committee reduced the list from 34 candidates among players who did not appear in a game after the 2000 season. The panel will whittle the list to three finalists for consideration by the full selection committee before Super Bowl LX in February.

Craig, 65, won three Super Bowls and made four Pro Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers in the 1980s, earning a spot on the Hall of Fame’s All-Decade team. In 1985, he became the first player in NFL history with 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 receiving in the same season.

Anderson, 76, played all 16 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and was the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1981. He led the league in passing yards in 1974 and 1975 and earned four Pro Bowl selections.

Ellard, 64, earned three Pro Bowl and two All-Pro selections during his prime with the Los Angeles Rams, leading the NFL with 1,414 receiving yards in 1988 — the first of his seven 1,000-yard campaigns.

Morgan, 70, was a four-time Pro Bowl pick and a big-play specialist with the New England Patriots. He topped the league in yards-per-reception in three straight seasons from 1979-81.

Taylor, who died in 2023 at the age of 80, played with the Kansas City Chiefs from 1965-75. The two-time All-Pro had six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl IV win against Minnesota.

Greenwood, who died in 2013 at 67, was a part of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ fabled “Steel Curtain” defense and won four Super Bowls in the 1970s. He was a six-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time All-Pro.

Jacoby, 66, was one of the anchors of Washington’s elite offensive line known as “The Hogs,” who helped the team capture three Super Bowl championships.

Meador, who died in 2023 at age 86, was a six-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro who made the Hall of Fame’s 1960s All-Decade team as a star in the Rams’ secondary.

Tasker, 63, was selected to seven Pro Bowls and appeared in four consecutive Super Bowls with the Buffalo Bills in the 1990s.

–Field Level Media

Saints quarterback Drew Brees his former teammate and successor with the Chargers, quarterback Philip Rivers (17) are among 2026 Hall of Fame nominees. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald among 2026 HOF candidates

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Former Chargers teammates Philip Rivers and Drew Brees are among first ballot modern-era candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 announced Wednesday.

Brees, who went on to win a Super Bowl and reach prolific production levels as a quarterback with the New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, tight ends Jason Witten and Greg Olsen and linebacker Thomas Davis also are on the list of newly eligible candidates with a total of 128 modern-era players receiving nominations.

At least three of the candidates will make of the Hall of Fame class announced before Super Bowl LX in February in Santa Clara, Calif.

The nominees are narrowed by the Hall of Fame selection committee to 25 semifinalists during the regular season.

From there a vote to reduce the list to 15 finalists among modern-era candidates is held and ultimately the class of 3-5, as stipulated by Hall of Fame rules, is decided from a list of seven during an annual selection meeting held Super Bowl week.

Only 11 true open spots exist because of the automatic advancement of candidates who reached the “final seven” vote last year.

Several of the quarterbacks eligible for the Hall are intertwined.

In 2004, Rivers was drafted and traded to the Chargers from the New York Giants for Eli Manning, another Super Bowl winner eligible for induction. Manning, selected No. 1 by the Chargers, was in the final 15 for the Class of 2025 in his first year of eligibility. When Brees became a free agent after the 2005 season, the Chargers offered less than he expected, opening the door for the Saints to sign Brees. He played in New Orleans until retiring in 2020.

Brees was Super Bowl XLIX MVP, a 13-time Pro Bowl selection and retired with 571 career touchdown passes and over 80,000 passing yards.

Rivers was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection in his 17 NFL seasons, all but one of which came with the Chargers. He played for the Colts in 2020.

Manning won Super Bowl XLII (2008) and Super Bowl XLVI (2012) with the Giants, beating seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady both times.

Former Jaguars running back Fred Taylor, wide receivers Torry Holt (Rams), Reggie Wayne (Colts) and Steve Smith Sr. (Panthers, Ravens), offensive tackle Willie Anderson, guards Mashal Yanda (Ravens) and Jahri Evans (Saints), linebackers Luke Kuechly (Panthers) and Terrell Suggs (Ravens, Cardinals), safety Darren Woodson (Cowboys) and kicker Adam Vinatieri (Patriots, Colts) also are returning 2025 finalists who weren’t selected.

Pro Football Hall of Fame selection bylaws automatically advance any players who were in the final seven vote the prior year. This year, Anderson, Holt, Kuechly and Vinatieri begin the process in the final 15 for 2026.

–Field Level Media

Texas Tech alum and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes attends a press conference at Jones AT&T Stadium, Friday, August 23, 2024.

Patrick Mahomes enters high school HOF, partners with Texas schools

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Three-time Super Bowl winner Patrick Mahomes was among nine people enshrined in the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame on Saturday — and he left a piece of himself in his home state.

Mahomes played at Whitehouse High School, near Tyler, Texas, and went on to Texas Tech before the Kansas City Chiefs selected him in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Mahomes announced on Instagram after the ceremony that he and his sponsor, Adidas, will be partnering with 15 high schools, including his alma mater.

“Whitehouse, Texas is where it all began,” Mahomes said. “It’s an honor to be inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame.”

He continued:

“As a part of this recognition, I’m proud to announce that @adidasfballus and I are signing 15 high schools to Team Mahomes that will represent my Gladiator logo on uniform, starting with Whitehouse High School. This is just the beginning.”

Mahomes played football, basketball and baseball at Whitehouse, graduating in 2014. As a senior, he passed for 4,619 yards and 50 touchdowns, and he also ran for 948 yards and 15 scores.

Last summer, Texas Tech signed on to the Gladiator team, becoming the first program to have the logo featured on official collegiate apparel.

Other benefits available to the high school team under the partnership were not announced.

Also enshrined Saturday was Robert Griffin III, the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner. He played at Copperas Cove High School, near Waco, Texas, before enrolling at Baylor in 2008.

–Field Level Media

New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman (11) runs onto the field at MetLife Stadium for warmups. The New York Jets host the New England Patriots in NFL Week 7 on Monday, Oct. 21, 2019, in East Rutherford. Nyj Vs Ne Week 7

Fans vote WR Julian Edelman into Pats’ Hall of Fame

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New England fans have voted former wide receiver Julian Edelman into the Patriots Hall of Fame.

Edelman, 38, won three Super Bowls and spent his entire NFL career with the Patriots (2009-16, 2018-20).

Drafted in the seventh round out of Kent State in 2009, he converted from college quarterback to receiver and retired with 620 catches for 6,822 yards and 36 touchdowns in 137 games (85 starts).

Edelman ranks second in Patriots history in receptions behind Wes Welker (672). He is fourth in receiving yards and ninth in touchdown catches.

“Julian Edelman is one of the great success stories in our franchise’s history,” owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. “There aren’t many players who earn an NFL roster spot at a position they have never played before. Julian not only did that as a seventh-round draft selection, but he finished his career with the second-most receptions in franchise history (620) and as a three-time Super Bowl champion, including his last as Super Bowl MVP.

“No one was more committed to his craft and honing his skills than Jules. His explosiveness off the line, quickness in his cuts and elusiveness after the catch made him one of the hardest players to defend. His clutch catches in our biggest games and overall toughness made him a fan favorite.”

Edelman also rushed 58 times for 413 yards and completed 6 of 6 passes for 128 yards and one touchdown.

Edelman was named the MVP of Super Bowl LIII after catching 10 passes for 141 yards in a 13-3 win against the Los Angeles Rams.

This was Edelman’s first year of eligibility for the team’s Hall of Fame, which requires a player to be retired for at least four seasons.

Edelman was a finalist for the 2025 induction class along with kicker Adam Vinatieri and offensive lineman Logan Mankins.

–Field Level Media

ORG XMIT: Patriots head coach Bill Parcells confers on the sideline with quarterback Drew Bledsoe during the game. Pats vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 1/12/97. Journal photo by Glenn Osmundson. Old Pats 2

Bill Parcells selected to Patriots Hall of Fame

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Former New England head coach Bill Parcells will be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame as a contributor.

Franchise owner Robert Kraft made the announcement Tuesday in a news release.

Parcellls guided the Patriots to a 32-32 regular-season record from 1993-96. While the .500 mark pales by comparison to what was to come for the franchise under Bill Belichick, it marked a turning point for New England, which was 14-50 in the four seasons before his arrival.

“In the early 1990s, the Patriots were in disarray,” Kraft said. “But the hiring of Bill Parcells in 1993, a two-time Super Bowl champion, brought instant credibility to the franchise. We had never had a head coach with his credentials. He was a master motivator and always got the most out of his players. In my first season as owner, he led us on that unforgettable seven-game win streak to qualify for the playoffs.

“Two years later, he accomplished something Patriots fans had never seen before, leading us to our first two home playoff wins in franchise history, and another trip to the Super Bowl. Those are memories I will never forget and achievements worthy of this honor. As a five-time finalist for our Hall of Fame, I am sure he would have been voted in eventually, but I wanted to expedite the process so he can enjoy the ceremony. I look forward to welcoming Bill back to Foxborough and celebrating his induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame.”

The Patriots’ honor comes 12 years after Parcells, now 83, was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is the only coach in NFL history to lead four different teams to the playoffs and three different teams to a conference championship game.

Parcells had a career 172-130-1 record with the New York Giants (1983-90 with two Super Bowl wins), Patriots, New York Jets (1997-99) and Dallas Cowboys (2003-06).

–Field Level Media

Aug 4, 2023; Canton, OH, USA; A general overall view of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Waiting for Gold: Class of ’25 finalists anxious to hear Hall of Fame fate

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Fifteen former players will take a deep breath and hope to hear their name called when the Pro Football Hall of Fame announces its newest slate of modern-era selections on Thursday night ahead of Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.

The Hall of Fame Selection Committee can elect up to five players from the 15-member list. The announcement will air during the NFL Honors broadcast starting at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday on Fox and the NFL Network.

The group includes six first-time nominees: Eli Manning, Terrell Suggs, Steve Smith Sr., Luke Kuechly, Adam Vinatieri and Marshal Yanda. Nine other nominees return as finalists, with Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne experiencing the longest waits as they enter their sixth cycle hoping to be selected.

Manning said he was trying to keep this week in perspective as he waits to hear whether he is a first-ballot selection into the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
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“It’s one of those things, you can’t control it,” Manning said to NFL Network. “So why worry about it? You’ll know one way or the other.

“It’s not that I’m not going to lose sleep over this. … (But) I’m going to enjoy being in New Orleans no matter what.”

Vinatieri also spoke about his nerves heading into the selection. He is hoping to become the third primary kicker to reach the Hall of Fame, joining Jan Stenerud and Morten Andersen.

“Holding my breath, obviously, but there’s no guarantee at this level,” Vinatieri said to radio station WEEI in Boston. “Everybody that’s in the top 15 is definitely worthy, and probably rightfully so. We’ll see. I don’t know what the expectation should be, but I’m very optimistic.”

Five defensive players are among the 15 finalists: ends Jared Allen and Suggs, linebacker Kuechly, cornerback Eric Allen and safety Darren Woodson. A trio of offensive linemen — Willie Anderson, Jahri Evans and Yanda — also are on the list.

Running back Fred Taylor, wideouts Smith Sr., Holt and Wayne, and tight end Antonio Gates also are on the doorstep of hearing their name called.

In addition to the 15 modern-era finalists, the selection committee reviews three senior finalists, one coach and one contributor. The committee can select up to eight people from all of the groups of finalists.

The senior finalists are Maxie Baughan, Sterling Sharpe and Jim Tyrer. Super Bowl-winning coach Mike Holmgren and contributor Ralph Hay also are candidates.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s induction ceremony is expected to take place during the first week of August in Canton. The ceremony will be part of an Enshrinement Week that also is set to include the annual preseason Hall of Fame Game and the Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner.

Modern-era finalists:

CB Eric Allen (two-time finalist); 14 seasons: 1988-94 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders
The six-time Pro Bowl player from Arizona State finished with 54 career interceptions, which ranks No. 21 all time. He returned eight interceptions for touchdowns, which is tied for eighth in NFL history.

DE Jared Allen (five-time finalist); 12 seasons: 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers
A fourth-round draft pick from Idaho State, the four-time All-Pro had 136 sacks. Every player ahead of him on the all-time sack list, other than fellow first-time finalist Terrell Suggs, is in the Hall of Fame

OT Willie Anderson (four-time finalist); 13 seasons: 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens
The 6-foot-5, 340-pound Anderson started 184 of 195 career games and was named to four Pro Bowls in a row from the 2003-06 seasons. He blocked for nine 1,000-yard rushers in his career, and he helped pave the way for Corey Dillon to set single-game records for rushing yards by a rookie (246) and rushing yards by any player (278). Each record stood for nearly three years, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

G Jahri Evans (two-time finalist); 12 seasons: 2006-16 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay Packers
Evans greatly overachieved as a fourth-round pick (No. 108 overall) out of Division II Bloomsburg (Pa.) University. He started each of the 183 games in which he played, and he was selected to six consecutive Pro Bowls from the 2009-14 seasons. He was part of a Saints team that won Super Bowl XLIV, and he was named to the Saints Hall of Fame in 2021.

TE Antonio Gates (two-time finalist); 16 seasons: 2003-18 San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers
Gates entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent after playing basketball at Kent State. He went on to become one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history. The eight-time Pro Bowl selection caught 116 touchdown passes, which ranks No. 1 all time among tight ends and No. 7 all time among all receivers. He had 21 career multi-touchdown games, which also is the most by any tight end. He was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2000s.

WR Torry Holt (six-time finalist); 11 seasons: 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars
Holt was a key member of the “Greatest Show on Turf” teams in St. Louis that included Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, Ricky Proehl and others. To cap his rookie season, he had seven catches for a 109 yards and a touchdown to help the Rams beat the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV. He led the NFL in receiving yards in 2000 and 2003, and he had 80-plus catches in eight consecutive seasons. Holt was named to seven Pro Bowls.

LB Luke Kuechly (first-time eligible, finalist); 8 seasons: 2012-19 Carolina Panthers
As the No. 9 overall pick out of Boston College in 2012, Kuechly immediately took over as the heart of the Panthers’ defense. He twice led the NFL in tackles, including in his rookie season. He topped 100 tackles in each of his eight seasons, and he also notched 18 interceptions, 12.5 sacks and 31 quarterback hits in his career. He won the Butkus Award as the top linebacker in the NFL in 2014, 2015 and 2017 and a five-time All-Pro before retiring at age 28 after suffering multiple concussions in his career.

QB Eli Manning (first-time eligible, finalist); 16 seasons: 2004-2019 New York Giants
Peyton’s little brother was the No. 1 pick in 2004 by the Chargers and was traded to the New York Giants, where he spent 16 seasons, started 210 consecutive games (of 236), won two Lombardi trophies and was two-time Super Bowl MVP.

WR Steve Smith Sr. (first-time finalist); 16 seasons: 2001-13 Carolina Panthers, 2014-16 Baltimore Ravens
The Panthers selected Smith in the third round (No. 74) out of Utah in 2001, and he quickly emerged as a top-tier talent. He was the only rookie to make the Pro Bowl that season, which was the first of five Pro Bowls that he would reach. He finished his career with 1,031 catches for 14,731 yards and 81 touchdowns. He also scored six touchdowns on special teams (four punt returns, two kick returns).

OLB Terrell Suggs (first-time eligible, finalist); 17 seasons: 2003-18 Baltimore Ravens, 2019 Arizona Cardinals, 2019 Kansas City Chiefs
Suggs was one of the most dominant players on one of the most dominant defenses in the NFL for more than a decade. The seven-time Pro Bowl selection racked up double-digit sacks in seven seasons and finished his career with 139 sacks. He was named as the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2003, and he won Defensive Player of the Year in 2011.

RB Fred Taylor (two-time finalist); 13 seasons: 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2009-10 New England Patriots
The former Florida Gator was the Jaguars’ first-round pick (No. 9 overall) in 1998, and he scored 17 touchdowns from scrimmage as a rookie to set a franchise record that still stands. He topped 1,000 rushing yards seven times in his career, including his best season in 2003 when he rushed for 1,572 yards. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry during his career and finished with 74 touchdowns (66 rushing, eight receiving).

K Adam Vinatieri (first-time eligible, finalist); 24 seasons: 1996-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-19 Indianapolis Colts
Vinatieri earned four Super Bowl rings — three with the Patriots and one with the Colts. He is the career points leader for both franchises, with 1,158 career points for New England and 1,515 career points for Indianapolis. He also is the NFL’s all-time leader in points (2,673), field goals (599) and 100-point seasons (21). He was named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team and the league’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s.

WR Reggie Wayne (six-time finalist); 14 seasons: 2001-14 Indianapolis Colts
Wayne stood out during both the regular season and the playoffs during his long career, which included 12 trips to the postseason. He topped 1,000 receiving yards eight times, and he was selected to the Pro Bowl six times in a seven-year period. He also won a Super Bowl with the Colts, and he caught 93 passes in the postseason, which ranked second all-time when he retired. He finished his career with 1,070 catches for 14,345 yards and 82 touchdowns.

S Darren Woodson (three-time finalist); 12 seasons: 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys
Woodson was a key defender on three Super Bowl-winning teams in Dallas (XXVII, XXVIII, XXX). He was named to five Pro Bowls and he finished his career as the Cowboys’ all-time leader with 1,350 tackles. He had 26 interceptions including the postseason, and he returned two of those interceptions for touchdowns. He was named to the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor in 2015.

G/OT Marshal Yanda (first-time eligible, finalist); 13 seasons: 2007-19 Baltimore Ravens
Yanda earned eight Pro Bowl selections and helped the Ravens win Super Bowl XLVII against the San Francisco 49ers. He started 166 of 177 career games. After an injury cut short his season in 2017, he returned to finish his career with back-to-back Pro Bowl campaigns in 2018-19. He was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s.

–Field Level Media

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is one of 167 nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025.

Eli Manning, Marshawn Lynch, lead 2025 Hall of Fame nominees

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Giants quarterback Eli Manning and few other familiar Super Bowl performers are among 167 modern-day nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025.

Running back Marshawn Lynch, kicker Adam Vinatieri, defensive end Terrell Suggs and late wide receiver Demaryius Thomas are among first-year nominees with Lombardi Trophy resumes. That list also includes offensive tackle Joe Staley, safety Earl Thomas, center Ryan Kalil and tight end Vernon Davis.

In an evolved process, the 2025 selection protocol changed to include a committee assigned to “screen” the larger list of modern-day candidates to 50 finalists over the next month. From there, the 50-person Hall of Fame Selection Committee trims the list to 25 semifinalists and a second vote narrows the pool to 15 finalists. The committee debates the merits of the finalists and selects the new class to be introduced one day prior to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans in February.

Players are required to be five full seasons from their last game to be eligible for nomination, meaning anyone who last played during the 2019 season is eligible for the first time in the 2025 class.

Multiple finalists from the 2024 Hall of Fame class are nominated again, including wide receivers Reggie Wayne and Torry Holt, pass rusher Jared Allen, offensive linemen Willie Anderson and Jahri Evans, running back Fred Taylor and defensive backs Eric Allen and Darren Woodson.

Manning is one of 10 quarterbacks nominated for the 2025 class. Late Titans quarterback Steve McNair, former Eagles and Vikings quarterback Randall Cunningham and Tony Romo (Cowboys) are repeat nominees.

A two-time Super Bowl winner and the No. 1 pick in 2004, Manning played 16 seasons in the NFL with the New York Giants. He was MVP of both Super Bowl wins and he played 236 regular-season games (234 starts) with the Giants, who acquired the Ole Miss product in a draft-day trade — from the Chargers for No. 4 pick Philip Rivers. Manning beat the Patriots in Super Bowls XLII — New England was 18-0 — and XLVI with fourth-quarter drives to take the lead. Manning is one of 21 quarterbacks to win a Super Bowl without losing one.

Older brother Peyton Manning was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021. Former Eli Manning teammate Tiki Barber is a 2025 nominee also bidding to join his brother in Canton. Barber was a running back with the Giants and is the twin of longtime Buccaneers cornerback Ronde Barber, who was a member of the 2023 Hall of Fame Class.

The running back nominees include Shaun Alexander (Seahawks), Jamal Lewis (Ravens), Clinton Portis (Washington, Broncos), Corey Dillon (Bengals, Patriots) and Thomas Jones (Jets, Bears). Adrian Peterson, who retired in 2021, and Frank Gore, are not yet eligible. Gore is fifth on the NFL’s all-time rushing list with 16,000 yards in a career that spanned five teams from 2005-2020 and Peterson is No. 5 on the list (14,918).

Lynch was known as “Beast Mode” for his powerful running style. He retired for the first time in 2015 due to injuries, then returned to play for his then-hometown Oakland Raiders in 2017. After another retirement, Lynch returned to join the Seattle Seahawks for the last game of the regular season and playoffs. A first-round pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2007, he joined the Seahawks in 2010. He had 10,413 rushing yards and 94 touchdowns and played a starring role with the Seahawks in two Super Bowls. Lynch was a member of Seattle’s Super Bowl-winning team (XLVIII) in his fourth season with the team.

Barber is narrowly ahead of Lynch on the NFL’s all-time rushing list — with 10,449 yards — and one of 31 backs with more than 10,000 career rushing yards. Sixteen are in the Hall of Fame. Former McNair teammate and longtime Titans running back Eddie George is between Barber and Lynch on the NFL’s all-time rushing list and one of 31 running backs nominated.

Vinatieri played 24 seasons in the NFL with the Patriots and Colts. Undrafted in 1996, Vinatieri would become synonymous with playoff success on Bill Belichick-coached teams, winning four Super Bowl (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLI). He signed with Indianapolis following the 2005 season to help Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy and quarterback Peyton Manning win the Super Bowl with the Colts in February 2007.

A number of other players tied to the Patriots dynasty are nominees, including Vince Wilfork, Mike Vrabel, Logan Mankins, Willie McGinest and 2024 finalist Rodney Harrison.

Vinatieri retired in 2019 after 24 seasons as the NFL’s all-time leading scorer (2,673 points) and holding league records for field goals made (599), postseason points (238) and field goals made in overtime (12).

Previous Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt and Vinatieri special teams teammate in Indianapolis, punter Pat McAfee, are 2025 nominees.

A two-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection, Thomas was Peyton Manning’s lead receiver when the Broncos claimed Super Bowl 50 over the Carolina Panthers in 2016. Thomas caught 63 touchdowns in his career and totaled 9,763 receiving yards in his career which included part of the 2018 season with the Houston Texans and short stints with the Patriots and Jets in 2019. He died at age 33 in 2021.

2025 MODERN-DAY NOMINEES
* – 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist

QUARTERBACKS (10): Marc Bulger, Randall Cunningham, Jake Delhomme, Doug Flutie, Rich Gannon, Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb, Eli Manning, Steve McNair, Tony Romo

RUNNING BACKS (31): Shaun Alexander, Terry Allen, Jamal Anderson, Tiki Barber, Larry Centers (FB), Jamaal Charles, Stephen Davis, Corey Dillon, Warrick Dunn, Charlie Garner, Eddie George, Priest Holmes, Steven Jackson, Chris Johnson, Thomas Jones, John Kuhn (FB), Vonta Leach, Dorsey Levens, Jamal Lewis, Marshawn Lynch, Eric Metcalf (also WR/PR/KR), Glyn Milburn (also WR), Lorenzo Neal (FB), Clinton Portis, Tony Richardson (FB), Robert Smith, Darren Sproles (also PR/KR), Fred Taylor*, Chris Warren, Ricky Watters, Ricky Williams

WIDE RECEIVERS (21): Anquan Boldin, Donald Driver, Antonio Freeman, Irving Fryar, Torry Holt*, Joe Horn, Chad Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Derrick Mason, Herman Moore, Muhsin Muhammad, Jordy Nelson, Andre Rison, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Steve Smith Sr., Demaryius Thomas, Hines Ward, Reggie Wayne*, Wes Welker, Roddy White

TIGHT ENDS (6): Ben Coates, Vernon Davis, Antonio Gates, Jeremy Shockey, *Delanie Walker, Wesley Walls

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (26): Willie Anderson* (T), Bruce Armstrong (T/G), Matt Birk (C), Lomas Brown (T), Ruben Brown (G), Jahri Evans* (G), Travis Frederick (C), Jordan Gross (T), Ryan Kalil (C), Lincoln Kennedy (T), Olin Kreutz (C), T.J. Lang (G/T), Nick Mangold (C), Logan Mankins (G), Tom Nalen (C), Jeff Saturday (C), Mark Schlereth (G/C), Josh Sitton (G), Chris Snee (G), Joe Staley (T), Dave Szott (G), Brian Waters (G), Richmond Webb (T), Erik Williams (T), Steve Wisniewski (G), Marshal Yanda (G)

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (18): John Abraham (DE also LB), Jared Allen* (DE), La’Roi Glover (DT/NT), Casey Hampton (DT/NT), Robert Mathis (DE), Chester McGlockton (DT), Haloti Ngata (DT), Simeon Rice (DE), Clyde Simmons (DE/DT), Justin Smith (DE), Neil Smith (DE), Henry Thomas (DT/NT), Justin Tuck (DE), Ted Washington (NT/DT), Vince Wilfork (DT/NT), Jamal Williams (DT/NT), Kevin Williams (DT), Pat Williams (DT)

LINEBACKERS (20): Jessie Armstead, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Cornelius Bennett, Lance Briggs, Keith Brooking, NaVorro Bowman, Tedy Bruschi, Donnie Edwards, James Farrior, London Fletcher, James Harrison, Luke Kuechly, Willie McGinest (also DE), Ken Norton Jr., Julian Peterson, Bill Romanowski, Takeo Spikes, Terrell Suggs, Mike Vrabel, Lee Woodall

DEFENSIVE BACKS (18): Eric Allen* (CB), Eric Berry (DB), Antoine Bethea (S), Dré Bly (DB), Kam Chancellor (S), Nick Collins (DB), Antonio Cromartie (CB), DeAngelo Hall (DB), Rodney Harrison* (S), Eugene Robinson (DB), Samari Rolle (DB), Allen Rossum (DB), Bob Sanders (S), Aqib Talib (CB), Earl Thomas (S), Charles Tillman (CB), Troy Vincent (CB), Darren Woodson* (S)

PUNTERS/KICKERS (15): David Akers (K), Gary Anderson (K), Darren Bennett (P), Jason Elam (K), Jeff Feagles (P), Jason Hanson (K), John Kasay (K), Sean Landeta (P), Shane Lechler (P), Pat McAfee (P), Brian Moorman (P), Matt Stover (K), Matt Turk (P), Mike Vanderjagt (K), Adam Vinatieri (K)

SPECIAL TEAMS (2): Josh Cribbs (KR/PR also WR), Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB)

–Field Level Media