Oh, what a happy day to be a Hall of Fame enthusiast!

The Pro Football Hall of Fame has announced its 15 Modern Semi-Finalists for the Class of 2026, down from a list of 26.

To qualify, a player must have retired less than 25 years ago and at least five years ago:

*Denotes they were a Finalist last year.

**Denotes they are eligible for the first time.

Quarterbacks (2): Philip Rivers did not advance.

**Drew Brees: SDG 2001-05 & NOR 2006-20.  After five years in San Diego, Brees ascended to superstar status in New Orleans.  Brees led the Saints to their first and only Super Bowl win, was a two-time Offensive Player of the Year, and was selected to 13 Pro Bowls.  He threw for 80,358 Yards and 571 Touchdowns.  Ranked #1 on notinhalloffame.com.  First Time as a Finalist.

*Eli Manning: NYG 2005-19.  Manning went to two Super Bowls and won them, as did the Super Bowl MVPs.  A four-time Pro Bowl and Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, Manning passed for 57,023 Yards and 366 Touchdowns.  Ranked #107 on notinhalloffame.com.  Second Time as a Finalist.

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

There is no surprise here, as Drew Brees should cruise into the Hall on his first attempt, and Eli Manning was also expected to advance.  Manning, who is in his second year of eligibility, likely won’t enter the PFHOF in ’26, but no worries, Giants fans; nobody (except Jim Tyrer, and we know why) was a first ballot Finalist and failed to enter Canton.

The wildcard was Rivers, who returned to the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts.  Assuming he will not return in 2026, Rivers now views his new year of eligibility as 2031. 

Running Backs (1): Fred Taylor did not advance.

**Frank Gore:  SFO 2005-14, IND 2015-17, MIA 2018, BUF 2019 & NYJ 2020.  Gore was a six-time Pro Bowl Selection, who amassed a whopping 16,000 Rushing Yards (third all-time), 19,985 APY, and 99 Touchdowns.  Ranked #19 on notinhalloffame.com.  First Time as a Finalist.  

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

We thought that Frank Gore’s appearance on the ballot would negatively impact Fred Taylor, and this is precisely what happened.  Gore has significantly more yardage than Taylor, and we have a rare occurrence of a multi-time Finalist (Taylor was a Finalist the last two years) failing to get through.  As for Gore, he is the ultimate compiler and was never a top-five Running Back (well, maybe once).  Gore’s Hall of Fame candidacy fascinates us.

Wide Receivers (3): (Steve Smith Sr. & Hines Ward did not advance)

**Larry Fitzgerald:  ARI 2004-20.  Fitzgerald had a stellar career, earning 11 Pro Bowls, one First Team All-Pro selection, and was named the 2016 Walter Payton Man of the Year.  Twice leading the league in Receptions as well as Touchdown Passes, Fitzgerald had 1,432 Receptions (Second all-time), 17,492 Yards (second all-time), and 121 Touchdowns (sixth all-time).   Ranked #2 on notinhalloffame.com.  First time as a Finalist.

*Torry Holt: STL 1999-2008 & JAX 2009.  A Super Bowl Champion with the St. Louis Rams, Holt went to seven Pro Bowls and led the NFL in Receiving Yards twice (2000 & 2003).  The one-time First Team All-Pro finished his career with 13,382 Yards and 74 TDs.  Holt has been a multi-time Finalist.  Ranked #9 on notinhalloffame.com.  Seventh time as a Semi-Finalist.

Reggie Wayne:  IND 2001-12.  Wayne was a career Colt, winning a Super Bowl there while earning six Pro Bowls and a First Team All-Pro.  He led the NFL in Receiving Yards in 2007 (1,510) and has significantly more Yards (14,345) than any other Preliminary candidate.  He also has 82 Touchdowns.  Ranked #23 on notinhalloffame.com.  Seventh time as a Finalist (2020-26).

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

The Wide Receiver slot has been log-jammed for years, and the arrival of Larry Fitzgerald (the second lock behind Brees) clearly pushed Steve Smith Sr. aside. 

Of note, Holt was among the last seven in the voting last season, ensuring he would be an automatic Finalist, but, as phenomenal as he was, his resume falls below Fitzgerald's.  Wayne, who, like Holt, is on his seventh Finalist ballot, also looks to be below Fitzgerald, and with the current process, it is difficult to see two Wide Receivers advancing.

Also, I predicted years ago that Hines Ward would go 20-for-20, meaning he would reach 20 Semi-Finals without advancing to the finals.  As Bon Jovi sang in “Living on a Prayer, “Whoa, we’re halfway there.”

Tight Ends (1): 

**Jason Witten:  2003-17 & 2019 & LVR 2020.  Witten went to a whopping 11 Pro Bowls, with two of those seasons netting him First Team All-Pros.  The 2012 Walter Payton Award winner had 13,046 Yards with 74 TDs.  Ranked #11 on notinhalloffame.com.  First time as a Finalist.

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

Jason Witten is a Pro Football Hall of Famer.  There is no doubt of that, and thankfully, he does not have to worry about Antonio Gates, who entered last year.  If he does not enter this year, Rob Gronkowski is on the horizon and will jump over (and should) Witten.  Witten will eventually enter Canton, but the current structure does him no favors in 2026.

Offensive Lineman (3): (Lomas Brown, Richmond Webb, and Steve Wisniewski did not advance)

*Willie Anderson (T):  CIN 1996-2007 & BAL 2008.  Anderson was chosen for four consecutive Pro Bowls (2003-06), with his last three being First Team All-Pro worthy.  Anderson has been a Finalist for the previous three years.  Ranked #101 on notinhalloffame.com.  Fifth time as a Finalist (2021-26).

*Jahri Evans (G):  NOR 2006-16 & GNB 2017.  Evans went to six consecutive Pro Bowls (2009-14) and was a First Team All-Pro in the first four.  He is also a Super Bowl Champion with the Saints.  Ranked #29 on notinhalloffame.com.  Third time as a Finalist (2021-26).

*Marshal Yanda (G):  BAL 2007-19. A Super Bowl Champion with Baltimore, Yanda went to eight Pro Bowls with two First Team and five Second Team All-Pros.  Ranked #4 on notinhalloffame.com.  Second time as a Finalist (2025-26).

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

I said when we looked at the Semi-Finalists that I would be thrilled if Wisniewski, Brown, and/or Webb got into that room to be discussed as a PFHOF Finalist, but I doubted that I would be delighted.  That is precisely what transpired, and for Wiz, this is the end of the modern pool, as he falls into the abyss of the senior pool.  Webb has only one year left, and both he and Wiz are Hall of Fame material; there is no doubt about that.

As for the rest, Anderson was guaranteed to be a Finalist based on last year’s top-seven finish, and Yanda and Evans are returnees.  Anderson appears to be atop the queue, and Evans and Yanda both debuted in their respective years as a Finalist, so it should be only a matter of time for those two Guards.  The O-Line looks to be as jammed as the WR slot.

Defensive Linemen: (1) (Robert Mathis and Vince Wilfork did not advance)

Kevin Williams (DT/DE):  MIN 2003-13, SEA 2014 & NOR 2015.  Williams had six Pro Bowls and five First Team All-Pros in a career spent mainly in Minnesota.  He recorded 63 Sacks and 113 Tackles for Loss.  Ranked #26 on notinhalloffame.com.  First time as a Finalist.

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

This is the biggest surprise for me.  It is not that they chose Kevin Williams; that should have happened long ago.  It is that they remembered him at all, after forgetting his existence over the first five years of his eligibility, and here he is, making his first Semi and Final.  He did so by leapfrogging two guys (Robert Mathis and Vince Wilfork), who, with all respect to those two stars, he should have been ahead of to begin with.

Yep, very happy on this one!

Linebackers: (2)

*Luke Kuechly: CAR 2012-19.   Kuechly was a strong contender to enter Canton on his first year of eligibility, as he is a former Defensive Rookie of the Year (2012) and Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.  A two-time leader in Combined Tackles, Kuechly was a seven-time Pro Bowl and five-time First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #3 on notinhalloffame.com.  Second time as a Finalist 2025-26.

*Terrell Suggs (Also DE):  BAL 2003-18, ARI 2019 & KAN 2019.  Suggs was the 2003 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, and eight years later, he was the consensus Defensive Player of the Year.  He went to seven Pro Bowls, was a one-time First Team All-Pro, and compiled 139 Sacks, 202 Tackles for Loss, and 200 Quarterback Hits.  He was also a significant part of Baltimore’s second Super Bowl, and, as a veteran, he retired after winning a second one with Kansas City.  Ranked #10 on notinhalloffame.com.  Second time as a Finalist 2025-26.

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

Two Linebackers.  Two former Defensive Players of the Year winners.  Two players who easily could have entered on their first ballot.  Two players face the same struggle as last year based on the current process.   The main difference is that Kuechly was a guaranteed Finalist based on finishing in the top seven last year.

Defensive Backs: (1) (Rodney Harrison and Earl Thomas did not advance)

*Darren Woodson (S):  DAL 1992-03.  Woodson was part of the Cowboys’ three Super Bowl Titles in the early '90s, a five-time Pro Bowl, and a three-time First Team All-Pro.  He has been a Semi-Finalist multiple times before and has 23 career Interceptions with 11 Sacks and 967 Combined Tackles.  Ranked #65 on notinhalloffame.com.  Fourth time as a Semi-Finalist 2015, 2017, & 2019-26.

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

Earl Thomas has the goods to be a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, and it is curious to see him drop off after being a Finalist in his first year of eligibility.  With Rodney Harrison also dropping off, this is a good ballot for Woodson, who is the only DB left.  We saw the Hall induct Eric Allen late in his eligibility, and Woodson is in his 18th year.

Place Kickers: (1)

*Adam Vinatieri: NWE 1996-2005 & IND 2006-19.  Entering his first year on the ballot, Vinatieri was a clutch performer who won four Super Bowls and was a three-time First Team All-Pro.  He is the all-time leader in Points Scored (2,673) and Field Goals Made (599). Ranked #88 on notinhalloffame.com.  Second time as a Semi-Finalist 2025-26.

Vinatieri was one of the last seven from last year and was grandfathered in as a guaranteed Finalist.

To enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame, these candidates must receive 80% of the vote, after it is pared down to seven candidates. 

In a separate vote, Senior candidates Ken Anderson, Roger Craig, and L.C. Greenwood, Coach candidate Bill Belichick, and Contributor candidate Robert Kraft will also have to receive 80% for enshrinement

The Class of 2026 will be inducted on August 8.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate this group of Finalists.

 

 

 

 

 

P

Can we say again, how much we love November?

The Pro Football Hall of Fame has announced its 26 Modern Semi-Finalists for the Class of 2026, down from a list of 52.

To qualify, a player must have retired less than 25 years ago and at least five years ago:

This group will be pared down to 15 Finalists this winter by the 50-person Hall of Fame committee.

*Denotes they were a Finalist last year.

**Denotes they are eligible for the first time.

Quarterbacks (3): No Quarterbacks were cut from 52.

**Drew Brees: SDG 2001-05 & NOR 2006-20.  After five years in San Diego, Brees ascended to superstar status in New Orleans.  Brees led the Saints to their first and only Super Bowl win, was a two-time Offensive Player of the Year, and was selected to 13 Pro Bowls.  He threw for 80,358 Yards and 571 Touchdowns.  Ranked #1 on notinhalloffame.com.  First time as a Semi-Finalist.

*Eli Manning: NYG 2005-19.  Manning went to two Super Bowls and won them, as did the Super Bowl MVPs.  A four-time Pro Bowl and Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, Manning passed for 57,023 Yards and 366 Touchdowns.  Ranked #107 on notinhalloffame.com. Second time as a Semi-Finalist (2025-26).

**Philip Rivers:  SDG/LAC 2004-19 & IND 2020.  A Charger for all but his final season, Rivers was chosen for eight Pro Bowls and was fourth in OPOY voting three years in a row (2008-10).  He threw for 63,440 Yards and 221 Touchdowns.  Ranked #21 on notinhalloffame.com.  First time as a Semi-Finalist.

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

Drew Brees was a lock, and is a lock moving forward.  Was Rivers a minor surprise?  Perhaps, and while we have him as the better QB than Eli Manning, Manning’s two Super Bowls propelled him to become a first-year Finalist, and nobody who reached that stage in year one (except Jim Tyrer) has ever failed to advance to Canton.  Rivers feels like a longish shot to advance to the Finals, as three QBs (assuming that Eli advances) in the Final round is rare.  If I were in the camp of Philip Rivers for the PFHOF, I would consider the Semi-Final debut as a huge win.

Running Backs (2): (cut from 8)

**Frank Gore:  SFO 2005-14, IND 2015-17, MIA 2018, BUF 2019 & NYJ 2020.  Gore was a six-time Pro Bowl Selection, who amassed a whopping 16,000 Rushing Yards (third all-time), 19,985 APY, and 99 Touchdowns.  Ranked #19 on notinhalloffame.com.  First time as a Semi-Finalist.

*Fred Taylor:  JAX 1998-2008 & NWE 2009-10.  Taylor was a Pro Bowl Selection in 2007, and he accumulated 14,079 Yards from Scrimmage with 11,695 yards on the ground.   He also had 74 Touchdowns.  Ranked #157 on notinhalloffame.com.  Seventh time as a Semi-Finalist (2020-26).

The Running Backs who did not advance were Warrick Dunn, Eddie George, Marshawn Lynch, LeSean McCoy, and Ricky Watters.

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

First off, Ricky Watters’ omission from the Semis is criminal.  This was his final year on the Modern ballot, and now he goes to the Senior Pool, where players have a much more challenging road to the Hall of Fame.  Also, Marshawn Lynch and LeSean McCoy have outstanding resumes, and of all the Running Backs who were preliminary candidates, if you had one rushing play to punch it in, wouldn’t you pick Lynch?

Pete Carroll wouldn’t, but wouldn’t you?

This leaves us with Gore and Taylor.  Taylor has been a long-time Finalist, but now he has a peer with more Yards than he.  Could Gore pass him on the ballot with his accumulations?  That is Gore’s path, as he was never a top-five Running Back (well, maybe once).  Gore’s Hall of Fame candidacy fascinates us.

Wide Receivers (5): (Cut from 8)

**Larry Fitzgerald:  ARI 2004-20.  Fitzgerald had a stellar career, earning 11 Pro Bowls, one First Team All-Pro selection, and was named the 2016 Walter Payton Man of the Year.  Twice leading the league in Receptions as well as Touchdown Passes, Fitzgerald had 1,432 Receptions (Second all-time), 17,492 Yards (second all-time), and 121 Touchdowns (sixth all-time).   Ranked #2 on notinhalloffame.com.  First time as a Semi-Finalist.

*Torry Holt: STL 1999-2008 & JAX 2009.  A Super Bowl Champion with the St. Louis Rams, Holt went to seven Pro Bowls and led the NFL in Receiving Yards twice (2000 & 2003).  The one-time First Team All-Pro finished his career with 13,382 Yards and 74 TDs.  Holt has been a multi-time Finalist.  Ranked #9 on notinhalloffame.com.  Twelfth time as a Semi-Finalist (2015-26).

Steve Smith Sr.:  2001-16, CAR, BAL.  Smith led the NFL in Receptions (103), Receiving Yards (1,563), and Receiving Touchdowns (12) in 2005, and he was a two-time First Team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler.  Smith accumulated 14,731 Yards with 81 TDs and was a previous Semi-Finalist.  Ranked #25 on notinhalloffame.com.  Fifth time as a Semi-Finalist (2022-26).

Hines Ward:  PIT 1998-2011.  Ward won two Super Bowls with the Steelers and was the MVP in one of them.  A multi-time Semi-Finalist, he has four consecutive Pro Bowls (2001-04), 85 Touchdowns, and 12,083 Yards on his resume.  Ranked #47 on notinhalloffame.com.  Tenth time as a Semi-Finalist (2017-26).

Reggie Wayne:  IND 2001-12.  Wayne was a career Colt, winning a Super Bowl there while earning six Pro Bowls and a First Team All-Pro.  He led the NFL in Receiving Yards in 2007 (1,510) and has significantly more Yards (14,345) than any other Preliminary candidate.  He also has 82 Touchdowns.  Ranked #23 on notinhalloffame.com.  Seventh time as a Semi-Finalist (2020-26).

The Wide Receivers who did not advance were Anquan Boldin, Jimmy Smith, and Rod Smith.

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

I don’t have any problem with the Wide Receivers being removed, but I will again go on record that Hines Ward will go 20-for-20 as a Hall of Fame Semi-Finalist without advancing to the final round.  Also, how loaded is it moving forward that Boldin did not return as a Semi-Finalist?

Tight Ends (1): (Cut from 2)

**Jason Witten:  2003-17 & 2019 & LVR 2020.  Witten went to a whopping 11 Pro Bowls, with two of those seasons netting him First Team All-Pros.  The 2012 Walter Payton Award winner had 13,046 Yards with 74 TDs.  Ranked #11 on notinhalloffame.com.  First time as a Semi-Finalist.

The Tight Ends who did not advance were Greg Olson. 

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

Jason Witten is a Pro Football Hall of Famer.  There is no doubt of that, and thankfully, he does not have to worry about Antonio Gates, who entered last year.  If he does not enter this year, Rob Gronkowski is on the horizon and will jump over (and should) Witten.  Witten will enter Canton and is likely to be a Finalist this year, but the current structure does him no favors in 2026.

Offensive Lineman (6): (Cut from 11)

*Willie Anderson (T):  CIN 1996-2007 & BAL 2008.  Anderson was chosen for four consecutive Pro Bowls (2003-06), with his last three being First Team All-Pro worthy.  Anderson has been a Finalist for the previous three years.  Ranked #101 on notinhalloffame.com.  Sixth time as a Semi-Finalist (2021-26).

Lomas Brown (T): DET 1985-95 ARI 1996-98, CLE 1999, NYG 2000-01 & TAM 2002.  Brown had seven straight Pro Bowls (1990-96), and in his last season in the NFL, he helped Tampa Bay win a Super Bowl.  Ranked #138 on notinhalloffame.com.  First time as a Semi-Finalist.

*Jahri Evans (G):  NOR 2006-16 & GNB 2017.  Evans went to six consecutive Pro Bowls (2009-14) and was a First Team All-Pro in the first four.  He is also a Super Bowl Champion with the Saints.  Ranked #29 on notinhalloffame.com.  Fourth time as a Semi-Finalist (2021-26).

Richmond Webb (T):  MIA 1990-2000 & CIN 2001-02.  Webb was a Pro Bowl Selection in his first seven seasons, with two earning First Team All-Pro nods.  He was also named the Sporting News and the UPI Rookie of the Year.  Ranked #43 on notinhalloffame.com.  Second time as a Semi-Finalist (2025-26).

Steve Wisniewski (G):  RAI 1989-94 & OAK 1995-2001.  A former Semi-Finalist, Wisniewski played his entire career with the Raiders and was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and a two-time First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #24 on notinhalloffame.com.  Third time as a Semi-Finalist (2014 & 2025-26).

*Marshal Yanda (G):  BAL 2007-19. A Super Bowl Champion with Baltimore, Yanda went to eight Pro Bowls with two First Team and five Second Team All-Pros.  Ranked #4 on notinhalloffame.com.  Second time as a Semi-Finalist (2025-26).

The Offensive Linemen who did not advance were Ruben Brown, Olin Kreutz, Logan Mankins. Maurkice Pouncey & Erik Williams.

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

I said it two years ago, and it looks to be the case:  Jason Kelce will be the next Center in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  There are some solid candidates out there (Nick Mangold and Jeff Saturday), and an arguably better one, Maurkice Pouncey, did not make it to the semi-finals for 2026.

As for the six who are here, I love that we have three who are nearing the end of their candidacy and have made it here.  With all due respect to Anderson, Evans, and Yanda, if the three Offensive Linemen put forth were Brown, Webb, and Wisniewski, I would be thrilled, if only because it gets them in that room, which none of them have ever been to.

Somehow, I doubt I will be thrilled.

Defensive Linemen: (3) (Cut from 6)

Robert Mathis (DE):  IND 2003-16.  Mathis won a Super Bowl with the Colts, thrice led the NFL in Forced Fumbles, and is the all-time leader in that category with 54.  He had 123 career Sacks, leading the NFL in that category in 2013 with 19, and also earned his only First-Team All-Pro with a second-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting.  Mathis went to five Pro Bowls.  Ranked #112 on notinhalloffame.com.  Fifth time as a Semi-Finalist (2022-26).

 

Vince Wilfork (DT/NT):  NWE 2002-14, HOU 2015-16.  A prior semi-finalist, Wilfork won two Super Bowls with the Patriots while earning five Pro Bowls and one First Team All-Pro selection.  Ranked #136 on notinhalloffame.com.  Fifth time as a Semi-Finalist (2022-26).

Kevin Williams (DT/DE):  MIN 2003-13, SEA 2014 & NOR 2015.  Williams had six Pro Bowls and five First Team All-Pros in a career spent mainly in Minnesota.  He recorded 63 Sacks and 113 Tackles for Loss.  Ranked #26 on notinhalloffame.com.  First time as a Semi-Finalist.

The Defensive Linemen who did not advance were John Abraham, Haloti Ngata & Simeon Rice.

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

I am very happy and satisfied that Kevin Williams has finally been recognized.   Seriously, it is that big for many Hall of Fame watchers that this happened.

Linebackers: (2) (Cut from 4)

*Luke Kuechly: CAR 2012-19.   Kuechly was a strong contender to enter Canton on his first year of eligibility, as he is a former Defensive Rookie of the Year (2012) and Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.  A two-time leader in Combined Tackles, Kuechly was a seven-time Pro Bowl and five-time First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #3 on notinhalloffame.com.  Second time as a Semi-Finalist 2025-26.

*Terrell Suggs (Also DE):  BAL 2003-18, ARI 2019 & KAN 2019.  Suggs was the 2003 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, and eight years later, he was the consensus Defensive Player of the Year.  He went to seven Pro Bowls, was a one-time First Team All-Pro, and compiled 139 Sacks, 202 Tackles for Loss, and 200 Quarterback Hits.  He was also a significant part of Baltimore’s second Super Bowl, and, as a veteran, he retired after winning a second one with Kansas City.  Ranked #10 on notinhalloffame.com.  Second time as a Semi-Finalist 2025-26.

The Linebackers who did not advance were London Fletcher and James Harrison.

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

Two Linebackers.  Two former Defensive Players of the Year winners.  Two players who easily could have entered on their first ballot.  Two players face the same struggle as last year based on the current process.

Defensive Backs: (3) (Cut from 6)

Rodney Harrison (S):  SFG 1994-2002 & NWE 2003-08.  Harrison won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and was a Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro twice.  He would have 34 career Interceptions, 30.5 Sacks, and 1,206 Combined Tackles.  Ranked #159 on notinhalloffame.com.  Fifth time as a Semi-Finalist 2021 & 2023-26.

*Earl Thomas (S):  SEA 2010-18 & BAL 2019.  A seven-time Pro Bowler, Thomas was selected for three straight First Team All-Pros (2012-14) and won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks.  The Safety had 30 Interceptions and 713 Tackles.  Ranked #11 on notinhalloffame.com.  Second time as a Semi-Finalist 2025-26.

*Darren Woodson (S):  DAL 1992-03.  Woodson was part of the Cowboys’ three Super Bowl Titles in the early '90s, a five-time Pro Bowl, and a three-time First Team All-Pro.  He has been a Semi-Finalist multiple times before and has 23 career Interceptions with 11 Sacks and 967 Combined Tackles.  Ranked #65 on notinhalloffame.com.  Tenth time as a Semi-Finalist 2015, 2017, & 2019-26.

The Defensive Backs who did not advance were Asante Samuel, Charles Tillman, and Troy Vincent.

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

Safeties have such a hard time entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but this year, there are no Corners to block them.  Saying that, despite the talent of all three, the path to Canton will not materialize for any of them in 2026.

Place Kickers: (1) (Cut from 2)

*Adam Vinatieri: NWE 1996-2005 & IND 2006-19.  Entering his first year on the ballot, Vinatieri was a clutch performer who won four Super Bowls and was a three-time First Team All-Pro.  He is the all-time leader in Points Scored (2,673) and Field Goals Made (599). Ranked #88 on notinhalloffame.com.  Second time as a Semi-Finalist 2025-26.

The only Place Kicker who did not advance was Gary Anderson. 

Of note, Punter Shane Lechler and Special Teams player Brian Mitchell were also cut.

Last year, only Brian Mitchell was at this stage.

This group will be reduced to 15 Finalists in January.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate this group of former players who have reached this stage.

The news coming from Canton continues, as the Pro Football Hall of Fame has reduced their Modern Era Preliminary Nominees from 128 to 52.

To qualify, a player must have retired less than 25 years ago and at least five years ago:

This group will be pared down to 25 names this fall by the 50-person Hall of Fame committee.

*Denotes they were a Finalist last year.

**Denotes they are eligible for the first time.

Quarterbacks (2): (cut from 10)

**Drew Brees: SDG 2001-05 & NOR 2006-20.  After five years in San Diego, Brees ascended to superstar status in New Orleans.  Brees led the Saints to their first and only Super Bowl win, was a two-time Offensive Player of the Year, and was selected to 13 Pro Bowls.  He threw for 80,358 Yards and 571 Touchdowns.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.  Ranked #1 on notinhalloffame.com.

*Eli Manning: NYG 2005-19.  Manning went to two Super Bowls and won them, as did the Super Bowl MVPs.  A four-time Pro Bowl and Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, Manning passed for 57,023 Yards and 366 Touchdowns.  Ranked #107 on notinhalloffame.com.

**Philip Rivers:  SDG/LAC 2004-19 & IND 2020.  A Charger for all but his final season, Rivers was chosen for eight Pro Bowls and was fourth in OPOY voting three years in a row (2008-10).  He threw for 63,440 Yards and 221 Touchdowns.  Ranked #21 on notinhalloffame.com.

The Quarterbacks who did not advance were Randall Cunningham, Jake Delhomme, Rich Gannon, Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair & Alex Smith.

Last year, the three QBs who made it to this stage were Eli Manning and Steve McNair. 

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

Cunningham and McNabb are in trouble, especially Cunningham, who now disappears into the Senior abyss.  These are two QBs who clearly have no momentum to get a shot in the modern wing, and now there are two (Brees & Rivers) who have passed them.  The wild card is Rivers, who, if he does not reach the Semis right away, will see a slew of similar QBs creeping up on him in the upcoming years.

Running Backs (8): (cut from 21)

Warrick Dunn:  TAM 1997-2001 & 2008 & ATL 2002-07.  Dunn was the 1997 Offensive Rookie of the Year and was a three-time Pro Bowler who rushed for 10,957 Yards and 49 Touchdowns.  He had another 15 TDs and 4,339 Yards from the air.  Ranked #304 on notinhalloffame.com.

Eddie George:  HOU 1996, TEN 1997-2003 & DAL 2004.  George went to four straight Pro Bowls (1997-2000) and was a First Team All-Pro in 2000.  He would rush for 10,441 Yards and had 12,688 Yards from Scrimmage with 78 TDs.  Ranked #175 on notinhalloffame.com.

**Frank Gore:  SFO 2005-14, IND 2015-17, MIA 2018, BUF 2019 & NYJ 2020.  Gore was a six-time Pro Bowl Selection, who amassed a whopping 16,000 Rushing Yards (third all-time), 19,985 APY, and 99 Touchdowns.  Ranked #19 on notinhalloffame.com.

Marshawn Lynch:  BUF 2007-10, SEA 2011-15 & 2019 & OAK 2018.  Lynch propelled Seattle to a Super Bowl and was a two-time leader in Rushing Touchdowns.  “Beast Mode” went to five Pro Bowls, earned a First Team All-Pro, and had 12,627 Yards from Scrimmage with 94 TDs.  Ranked #44 on notinhalloffame.com.

**LeSean McCoy:  PHI 2009-14, BUF 2015-18, KAN 2019 & TAM 2020.  A six-time Pro Bowl and two-time First Team All-Pro, McCoy won the 2013 Rushing Title, while also leading the NFL in Yards from Scrimmage.  He was second in OPOY voting that year.  Overall, he rushed for 11,102 Yards, had an even 15,000 Yards From Scrimmage, and had 89 Touchdowns.  Ranked #110 on notinhalloffame.com.

Lorenzo Neal (FB):  NOR 1993-96, NYJ 1997, TAM 1998, TEN 1999-2000, CIN 2001-02, SDG 2003-07 & BAL 08.  Playing as a Fullback, Neal would go to four Pro Bowls and was named to two First Team All-Pros.  Ranked #178 on notinhalloffame.com.

*Fred Taylor:  JAX 1998-2008 & NWE 2009-10.  Taylor was a Pro Bowl Selection in 2007, and he accumulated 14,079 Yards from Scrimmage with 11,695 yards on the ground.   He also had 74 Touchdowns.  Ranked #157 on notinhalloffame.com.

Ricky Watters: SFO 1992-01, SFO, PHI, SEA.  Watters was a Super Bowl Champion with the 49ers and made the Pro Bowl in his first five years in the NFL.  He would lead the NFL in Yards from Scrimmage in 1996, totaling 14,891.  Ranked #41 on notinhalloffame.com.

The Running Backs who did not advance were Shaun Alexander, Mike Alstott, Tiki Barber, Larry Centers, Jamaal Charles, Corey Dillon, Arian Foster, Priest Holmes, Steven Jackson, Chris Johnson, Thomas Jones, Jamal Lewis, and Eric Metcalf.

Last year, the three RBs who made it to this stage were Shaun Alexander, Tiki Barber, Eddie George, Marshawn Lynch, Fred Taylor, and Ricky Watters. 

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

I honestly don’t know why former MVP Shaun Alexander can’t make it to this stage at the very least.  Somehow, the MVP and over 100 TDs aren’t enough. 

Also, where is Tiki Barber?  I have never been sold on his HOF candidacy, but he was a Semi-Finalist two years ago.  Both Alexander and Barber had made it to the last 50 last year, and what does this say about their chances from now on?   Not too good.

With all due respect to Warrick Dunn, is he better than Tiki and Shaun?

Selfishly, happy to see Lorenzo Neal advance.  There are a lot of people who want to see this, and they have turned me on to the case of this Fullback.

Wide Receivers (7): (Cut from 18)

Anquan Boldin:  ARI 2003-09, BAL 2010-12 & SFO 2014-15 & DET 2016.  A three-time Pro Bowl Selection and AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, Boldin had seven 1,000 Yard Receiving seasons, tallying 13,779 in total with 82 Touchdowns.  He is also a past winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Year (2015) and Alan Page Community Award.  Ranked #92 on notinhalloffame.com.

**Larry Fitzgerald:  ARI 2004-20.  Fitzgerald had a stellar career, earning 11 Pro Bowls, one First Team All-Pro selection, and was named the 2016 Walter Payton Man of the Year.  Twice leading the league in Receptions as well as Touchdown Passes, Fitzgerald had 1,432 Receptions (Second all-time), 17,492 Yards (second all-time), and 121 Touchdowns (sixth all-time).   Ranked #2 on notinhalloffame.com. 

*Torry Holt: STL 1999-2008 & JAX 2009.  A Super Bowl Champion with the St. Louis Rams, Holt went to seven Pro Bowls and led the NFL in Receiving Yards twice (2000 & 2003).  The one-time First Team All-Pro finished his career with 13,382 Yards and 74 TDs.  Holt has been a multi-time Finalist.  Ranked #9 on notinhalloffame.com.

Jimmy Smith:  DAL 1992, JAX 1995-2005.  Smith was selected to five consecutive Pro Bowls (1997-01) and, in 1999, led the NFL in Receptions (116).  He would retire with 12,287 Receiving Yards and 67 Touchdowns.  Ranked #170 on notinhalloffame.com.

Rod Smith:  DEN 1995-2006.  Smith would win two Super Bowls with the Broncos and was a three-time Pro Bowl Selection.  He recorded 11,389 Yards with 68 TDs.  Ranked #76 on notinhalloffame.com.

Steve Smith Sr.:  2001-16, CAR, BAL.  Smith led the NFL in Receptions (103), Receiving Yards (1,563), and Receiving Touchdowns (12) in 2005, and he was a two-time First Team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler.  Smith accumulated 14,731 Yards with 81 TDs and was a previous Semi-Finalist.  Ranked #25 on notinhalloffame.com.

Hines Ward:  PIT 1998-2011.  Ward won two Super Bowls with the Steelers and was the MVP in one of them.  A multi-time Semi-Finalist, he has four consecutive Pro Bowls (2001-04), 85 Touchdowns, and 12,083 Yards on his resume.  Ranked #47 on notinhalloffame.com.

Reggie Wayne:  IND 2001-12.  Wayne was a career Colt, winning a Super Bowl there while earning six Pro Bowls and a First Team All-Pro.  He led the NFL in Receiving Yards in 2007 (1,510) and has significantly more Yards (14,345) than any other Preliminary candidate.  He also has 82 Touchdowns.  Ranked #23 on notinhalloffame.com.

The Wide Receivers who did not advance were Donald Driver, Chad Johnson, Brandon Lloyd, Brandon Marshall. Derrick Mason, Herman Moore, Mushin Muhammed, Jordy Nelson, Wes Welker, and Roddy White.

Last year, the three WRs who made it to this stage were Anquan Boldin, Torry Holt, Jimmy Smith, Steve Smith Sr., Hines Ward, and Reggie Wayne.

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

I don’t have any problem with the Wide Receivers being removed, but I will again go on record that Hines Ward will go 20-for-20 as a Hall of Fame Semi-Finalist without advancing to the final round. 

Tight Ends (2): (Cut from 6)

**Greg Olsen:  CHI 2007-10, CAR 2011-19 & SEA 2020.  Olsen was at his best in Carolina, where he went to three consecutive Pro Bowls (2014-15).  He compiled 8,683 Yards with 60 Touchdowns.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

**Jason Witten:  2003-17 & 2019 & LVR 2020.  Witten went to a whopping 11 Pro Bowls, with two of those seasons netting him First Team All-Pros.  The 2012 Walter Payton Award winner had 13,046 Yards with 74 TDs.  Ranked #11 on notinhalloffame.com.

Last year, the TEs who made it to this stage were Ben Coates and Antonio Gates (who was inducted).

The Tight Ends who did not advance were Vernon Davis, Zach Miller, Delanie Walker, and Wesley Walls. 

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

Is Greg Olsen better than I remember? 

Offensive Lineman (12): (Cut from 22)

*Willie Anderson (T):  CIN 1996-2007 & BAL 2008.  Anderson was chosen for four consecutive Pro Bowls (2003-06), with his last three being First Team All-Pro worthy.  Anderson has been a Finalist for the previous three years.  Ranked #101 on notinhalloffame.com.

Lomas Brown (T): DET 1985-95 ARI 1996-98, CLE 1999, NYG 2000-01 & TAM 2002.  Brown had seven straight Pro Bowls (1990-96), and in his last season in the NFL, he helped Tampa Bay win a Super Bowl.  Ranked #138 on notinhalloffame.com.

Ruben Brown (G):  BUF 1995-2003 & CHI 2004-07.  Brown was a nine-time Pro Bowl Selection who started his 181 Games.  Ranked #113 on notinhalloffame.com.

*Jahri Evans (G):  NOR 2006-16 & GNB 2017.  Evans went to six consecutive Pro Bowls (2009-14) and was a First Team All-Pro in the first four.  He is also a Super Bowl Champion with the Saints.  Ranked #29 on notinhalloffame.com.

Olin Kreutz (C):  CHI 1998-2010 & NOR 2011.  Kreutz went to six straight Pro Bowls (2001-06) and was a one-time First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #125 on notinhalloffame.com.

Nick Mangold (C):  NYJ 2008-16. Mangold played his entire career with the Jets, where he went to seven Pro Bowls and two First Team All-Pros.  Ranked #85 on notinhalloffame.com.

Logan Mankins (G):  NWE 2005-13 & TAM.2014-15   A seven-time Pro Bowler, Mankins started all of his 161 Games at. Left Guard.  Ranked #89 on notinhalloffame.com.

**Maurkice Pouncey (C) PIT 2010-20.  Pouncey was one of the top Centers of the 2010s, who was a Pro Bowl Selection in nine of his ten seasons.  He was also a two-time First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #24 on notinhalloffame.com.

Richmond Webb (T):  MIA 1990-2000 & CIN 2001-02.  Webb was a Pro Bowl Selection in his first seven seasons, with two earning First Team All-Pro nods.  He was also named the Sporting News and the UPI Rookie of the Year.  Ranked #43 on notinhalloffame.com.

Erik Williams (T):  DAL 1991-2000 & BAL 2001.  Williams won three Super Bowls with Dallas and went to four Pro Bowls.  He was also named to the First Team All-Pro twice.

Steve Wisniewski (G):  EAI 1989-94 & OAK 1995-2001.  A former Semi-Finalist, Wisniewski played his entire career with the Raiders and was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and a two-time First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #24 on notinhalloffame.com.

*Marshal Yanda (G):  BAL 2007-19. A Super Bowl Champion with Baltimore, Yanda went to eight Pro Bowls with two First Team and five Second Team All-Pros.  Ranked #4 on notinhalloffame.com.

The Offensive Linemen who did not advance were Matt Birk, Ryan Clady, David DeCastro, Jordan Gross, Ryan Kalil, Jeff Saturday, Josh Sitton, Joe Staley, and Brian Waters.

Last year, the OLs who made it to this stage were Willie Anderson, Lomas Brown, Ruben Brown, Jahri Evans, Olin Kreutz, Logan Mankins, Jeff Satruday, Joe Staley, Richmond Webb, Wrik Williams, Steve Wisniwski, and Marshal Yanda.

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

While I did not think David DeCastro would make the Semis, he would at least make this cut.  Tom Nalen continues to get no love, but I'm happy that Nick Mangold has reached this level, unlike last year.  It was also a mild surprise to see Jeff Saturday and Joe Staley fail to reach this stage, but three cheers for Richmond Webb and Steve Wisnieuski for their advancement. I am hoping to see both in the Semis.

Defensive Linemen: (6) (Cut from 13)

John Abraham (DE, also LB):  NYJ 2000-05, ATL 2006-12 & ARI 2013-14.  Recording 133.5 Sacks and 148 Tackles for Loss, Abraham was a five-time Pro Bowl and two-time First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #77 on notinhalloffame.com.

Robert Mathis (DE):  IND 2003-16.  Mathis won a Super Bowl with the Colts, thrice led the NFL in Forced Fumbles, and is the all-time leader in that category with 54.  He had 123 career Sacks, leading the NFL in that category in 2013 with 19, and also earning his only First-Team All-Pro with a second-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting.  Mathis went to five Pro Bowls.  Ranked #112 on notinhalloffame.com.

Haloti Ngata (DT):  BAL 2006-14, DET 2015-17 &, PHI 2018.  Ngata won a Super Bowl with Baltimore, where he went to five straight Pro Bowls (2009-13) and earned two First Team All-Pro Selections.  Ranked #45 on notinhalloffame.com.

Simeon Rice (DE):  ARI 1996-2000, TAM 2001-06, DEN 2007 & IND 2007.  Rice won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers and was a three-time Pro Bowler.  He would have 122.0 Sacks over his career.  Ranked #140 on notinhalloffame.com.

Vince Wilfork (DT/NT):  NWE 2002-14, HOU 2015-16.  A prior semi-finalist, Wilfork won two Super Bowls with the Patriots while earning five Pro Bowls and one First Team All-Pro selection.  Ranked #136 on notinhalloffame.com.

Kevin Williams (DT/DE):  MIN 2003-13, SEA 2014 & NOR 2015.  Williams had six Pro Bowls and five First Team All-Pros in a career spent mainly in Minnesota.  He recorded 63 Sacks and 113 Tackles for Loss.  Ranked #26 on notinhalloffame.com.

The Defensive Linemen who did not advance were Geno Atkins, Jurrell Casey, Elvis Dumerville, La’Roi Glover, Jay Ratliff, Justin Smith & Ted Washington.

Last year, the DLs who made it to this stage were John Abraham, Jared Allen (Inducted), Robert Mathis, Haloti Ngata, Simeon Rice, Neil Smith (Moved to Seniors), Vince Wilfork, and Kevin Williams. 

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

I would have lost a small wager regarding Geno Atkins, as I thought he could reach this stage.   Beyond that, Kevin Williams NEEDS to get further than this stage.

Linebackers: (4) (Cut from 14)

London Fletcher:  STL 1998-2001, BUF 2002-06 & WAS 2007-13.  A previous Semi-Finalist. Fletcher would win a Super Bowl early in his career with the Rams, and later, he would make the Pro Bowl four years in a row (2009-12) as a Redskin. He accumulated 2,039 Combined Tackles over his career, 23 Interceptions, and 39 Sacks.  Ranked #58 on notinhalloffame.com.

James Harrison:  PIT 2002, 2003-12 & 2017 -17, CIN 2013, NWE 2017.  Harrison won two Super Bowls with the Steelers and had a five-year streak of Pro Bowls from 2007 to 2011.  The two-time First Team All-Pro won the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year Award and is a previous Semi-Finalist.  Ranked #42 on notinhalloffame.com.

*Luke Kucchly: CAR 2012-19.   Kuechly was a strong contender to enter Canton on his first year of eligibility, as he is a former Defensive Rookie of the Year (2012) and Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.  A two-time leader in Combined Tackles, Kuechly was a seven-time Pro Bowl and five-time First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #3 on notinhalloffame.com.

*Terrell Suggs (Also DE):  BAL 2003-18, ARI 2019 & KAN 2019.  Suggs was the 2003 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, and eight years later, he was the consensus Defensive Player of the Year.  He went to seven Pro Bowls, was a one-time First Team All-Pro, and compiled 139 Sacks, 202 Tackles for Loss, and 200 Quarterback Hits.  He was also a significant part of Baltimore’s second Super Bowl, and, as a veteran, he retired after winning a second one with Kansas City.  Ranked #10 on notinhalloffame.com.

The Linebackers who did not advance were NaVorro Bowman, Lance Briggs, Tedy Bruschi, Thomas Davis, James Farrior, A.J. Hawk, Clay Matthews III, Dat Nguyen, Takeo Spikes, and Lee Woodall.

Last year, the LBs who made it to this stage were Cornelius Bennett (moved to the seniors), London Fletcher, James Harrison, Luke Kuechly, and Terrell Suggs. 

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

There is no problem from my end as to the four Linebackers who advanced.

Defensive Backs: (6) (Cut from 15)

Rodney Harrison (S):  SFG 1994-2002 & NWE 2003-08.  Harrison won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and was a Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro twice.  He would have 34 career Interceptions, 30.5 Sacks, and 1,206 Combined Tackles.  Ranked #159 on notinhalloffame.com.

Asante Samuel (CB):  NWE 2003-07, PHI 2008-11 & ATL 2012-13.  A four-time Pro Bowl Selection and one-time First Team All-Pro, Samuel led the NFL in Interceptions twice and has 51 in total.  He also won two Super Bowls with the Patriots.  Ranked #190 on notinhalloffame.com.

*Earl Thomas (S):  SEA 2010-18 & BAL 2019.  A seven-time Pro Bowler, Thomas was selected for three straight First Team All-Pros (2012-14) and won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks.  The Safety had 30 Interceptions and 713 Tackles.  Ranked #11 on notinhalloffame.com.

Charles Tillman (CB):  CHI 2004-14 & CAR 2015.  Tillman is in his first year of eligibility and was a two-time Pro Bowl Selection.  He would have 38 career Interceptions and 44 Forced Fumbles with 930 Combined Tackles.  Ranked #222 on notinhalloffame.com.

Troy Vincent (CB):  MIA 1992-95, PHI 1996-2003, BUF 2004-05 & WAS 2006.   Vincent’s five Pro Bowls would all come consecutively (1999-2003) when he was with the Eagles. He earned First Team All-Pro honors in 2002 and had 47 Interceptions and 893 Combined Tackles.  In 2002, he also won the Walter Payton Man of the Year and Alan Page Community Award.  Ranked #260 on notinhalloffame.com.

*Darren Woodson (S):  DAL 1992-03.  Woodson was part of the Cowboys’ three Super Bowl Titles in the early '90s, a five-time Pro Bowl, and a three-time First Team All-Pro.  He has been a Semi-Finalist multiple times before and has 23 career Interceptions with 11 Sacks and 967 Combined Tackles.  Ranked #65 on notinhalloffame.com.

The Defensive Backs who did not advance were Eric Berry, Kam Chancellor, Nick Collins, DeAngelo Hall, James Hasty, Carnell Lake, Allen Rossum, Patrick Surtain, and Adrian Wilson.

Last year, the DBs who made it to this stage were Eric Allen (Inducted), Kam Chancellor, Rodney Harrison, Earl Thomas, Troy Vincent, and Darren Woodson. 

The Chairman’s gut reaction: 

This is similar to last year, with Peanut advancing further than he ever has.  Could the Peanut Punch become a Semi-Finalist for the first time?

Place Kickers: (2) (Cut from 5)

Gary Anderson:  PIT 1982-94, PHI 1995-06, SFO 1997, MIN 1998-2002 & TEN 2003-04.  Anderson went to four Pro Bowls and was the all-time leader in Points Scored and Field Goals Made at the time of his retirement.  A member of the 1980s and 1990s All-Decade Team, Anderson is currently third all-time in Points (2,434).  Ranked #209 on notinhalloffame.com.

*Adam Vinatieri: NWE 1996-2005 & IND 2006-19.  Entering his first year on the ballot, Vinatieri was a clutch performer who won four Super Bowls and was a three-time First Team All-Pro.  He is the all-time leader in Points Scored (2,673) and Field Goals Made (599). Ranked #88 on notinhalloffame.com.

The Place Kickers who did not advance were David Akers, Jason Hanson, and John Kasay.

Last year, the PKs who made it to this stage were Gary Anderson and Adam Vinatieri. 

Punters: (1) (Cut from 2)

Shane Lechler:  OAK 2000-12 & HOU 2013-17.  Lechler went to seven Pro Bowls and was an All-Decade Selection in the 2000s and 2010s.  He is also a four-time leader in Punting Yards and a five-time leader in Yards per Punt.  Ranked #111 on notinhalloffame.com.

The lone Punter who did not advance was Sean Landeta.

Last year, there were no Punters at this stage.

Special Teams (1): (Cut from 2)

Brian Mitchell (Also RB): WAS 1990-99, PHI 2000-02, NYG 2003.  Mitchell was a one-time Pro Bowl recipient and a four-time leader in All-Purpose Yards. He totaled 23,330 in APY and is second all-time in that statistic.  He also won a Super Bowl with Washington.  Ranked #160 on notinhalloffame.com.

The lone Special Teams player who did not advance was Josh Cribbs.

Last year, only Brian Mitchell was at this stage.

This group will be pared down to 25 in November and reduced to 15 in January.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate this group of former players who have reached this stage.

For us at Notinhalloffame.com, this is our march toward our Christmas. 

The Pro Football Hall of Fame has announced the Modern-Era Preliminary Nominees for the Class of 2026, a total of 128 former players, 13 of whom are first-time eligible.

To qualify, a player must have retired less than 25 years ago and at least five years ago:

This group will be pared down to 25 names this fall by the 50-person Hall of Fame committee.

*Means they were a Finalist last year.

**Means they are eligible for the first time.

Quarterbacks (10): (same number from last year)

**Drew Brees: SDG 2001-05 & NOR 2006-20.  After five years in San Diego, Brees ascended to superstar status in New Orleans.  Brees led the Saints to their first and only Super Bowl win and was a two-time Offensive Player of the Year, having also been selected to 13 Pro Bowls.  He threw for 80,358 Yards and 571 Touchdowns.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.  Ranked #1 on notinhalloffame.com

Randall Cunningham:  PHI 1985-95, MIN 1997-99, DAL 2000 & BAL 2001.  Cunningham is a three-time Bert Bell Award winner and a four-time Pro Bowl Selection.  He also threw for nearly 30,000 Yards, had 207 Touchdown Passes, and rushed for 4,928 Yards and 35 Touchdowns.  Ranked #38 on notinhalloffame.com.

Jake Delhomme:  NOR 1999-2002, CAR 2003-09, CLE 2010 & HOU 2011.  Delhomme led the Panthers to an NFC Championship in 2003 and to the Pro Bowl in 2005.  He passed for 20,975 Yards and 126 Touchdowns.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Rich Gannon:  MIN 1987-92, WAS  1993, KAN 1995-98 & OAK 1999-2002.  Gannon became a bona fide NFL star in his mid-30s when he joined his fourth team, Oakland.  Gannon was a four-time Pro Bowl Selection and a two-time Bert Bell winner who won the 2002 AP MVP.  The two-time First Team All-Pro threw for 28,743 Yards and 180 Touchdowns and was 2002’s passing leader and the QB of the AFC Champions.  Ranked #299 on notinhalloffame.com.

Jeff Garcia:  SFO 1999-2003, CLE 2004, DET 2005, PHI 2006 & TAM 2007-08.  Garcia went to four Pro Bowls and threw for 25,537 Passing Yards and 161 Touchdowns.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

*Eli Manning: NYG 2005-19.  Manning went to two Super Bowls and won them, as did the Super Bowl MVPs.  A four-time Pro Bowl and Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, Manning passed for 57,023 Yards and 366 Touchdowns.  Ranked #107 on notinhalloffame.com.

Donovan McNabb:  1999-01, PHI, WAS, MIN.  McNabb took the Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance and was a six-time Pro Bowler.  He threw for 37,276 Yards with 234 Touchdowns and ran for another 3,459 Yards and 29 TDs.  Ranked #84 on notinhalloffame.com.

Steve McNair:  HOU 1995-97, TEN 1997-2005 & BAL 2006-07.  In 1999, Steve McNair quarterbacked the Tennessee Titans to their first Super Bowl appearance, and in 2003, he was the AP MVP.  A three-time Pro Bowler, McNair threw for 31,204 Yards and 174 Touchdowns and rushed for 3,590 Yards and 37 TDs.  Ranked #128 on notinhalloffame.com.

**Philip Rivers:  SDG/LAC 2004-19 & IND 2020.  A Charger for all but his final season, Rivers was chosen for eight Pro Bowls and was fourth in OPOY voting three years in a row (2008-10).  He threw for 63,440 Yards and 221 Touchdowns.  Ranked #21 on notinhalloffame.com.

Alex Smith: SFO 2005-12, KAN 2013-17 & WAS 2018-20.   Smith went to three Pro Bowls and statistically threw for 35,650 Yards and 199 TDs.

(Quarterbacks added: **Drew Brees, **Philip Rivers & Alex Smith.  Quarterbacks removed: Marc Bulger, Doug Flutie & Tony Romo)

Running Backs (21): (Down from 31 last year)

Shaun Alexander:  SEA 2000-08 & WAS 2008.  Alexander went to three straight Pro Bowls (2003-05), and in the last one, he won the Rushing Title (1,880) and was named the consensus MVP.  Alexander twice led the NFL in Rushing Touchdowns and retired with 10,973 Yards From Scrimmage and 112 Touchdowns.  Ranked #91 on notinhalloffame.com. 

Mike Alstott (FB):  TAM 1996-06.  Playing his entire career with the Bucs, Alstott went to six straight Pro Bowls (1997-2002) and earned three consecutive First Team All-Pros (1997-99).  He was also a key member of Tampa’s first Super Bowl Championship and had 7,372 Yards from Scrimmage with 71 TDs.  Ranked #163 on notinhalloffame.com.

Tiki Barber:  NYG 1997-06.  Barber played the entirety of his career with the Giants, where he went to the Pro Bowl in his final three seasons.  He led the NFL in Yards from Scrimmage twice, and in the second of those years (2005), he was a First Team All-Pro and fourth in AP MVP voting.  Barber rushed for 10,449 Yards and had 5,183 Receiving Yards with 67 TDs from Scrimmage.  Ranked #146 on notinhalloffame.com.

Larry Centers FB:  PHO 1990-93, ARI 1994-98, WAS 1999-2000, BUF 2001-02, & NWE 2003.  Centers was a three-time Pro Bowl Selection and totaled 8,985 Yards from Scrimmage.  He was also a First Team All-Pro once, and in his final season, he helped the Patriots win a Super Bowl.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Jamaal Charles:  KAN 2008-16, DEN 2017 & JAX 2018.  Charles went to four Pro Bowls, was a two-time First Team All-Pro, and, in a career spent mainly in Kansas City, netted 10,156 Yards from Scrimmage with 64 Touchdowns. He also led the NFL in TDs in 2013 and was third in Offensive Player of the Year voting.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Corey Dillon:  CIN 1997-2003 & NWE 2004-06.  Dillon won the Super Bowl with the 2004 Patriots and was a four-time Pro Bowl Selection.  He accumulated 13,154 Yards from Scrimmage with 89 Touchdowns.  Ranked #209 on notinhalloffame.com.

Warrick Dunn:  TAM 1997-2001 & 2008 & ATL 2002-07.  Dunn was the 1997 Offensive Rookie of the Year and was a three-time Pro Bowler who rushed for 10,957 Yards and 49 Touchdowns.  He had another 15 TDs and 4,339 Yards from the air.  Ranked #304 on notinhalloffame.com.

Arian Foster:  HOU 2009-15 & MIA 2016.  Foster went to four Pro Bowls, and in 2010, he won the Rushing Title.  He also led the NFL twice in Rushing Touchdowns and amassed 8,878 Yards from Scrimmage with 68 TDs over his career.

Eddie George:  HOU 1996, TEN 1997-2003 & DAL 2004.  George went to four straight Pro Bowls (1997-2000) and was a First Team All-Pro in 2000.  He would rush for 10,441 Yards and had 12,688 Yards from Scrimmage with 78 TDs.  Ranked #175 on notinhalloffame.com.

**Frank Gore:  SFO 2005-14, IND 2015-17, MIA 2018, BUF 2019 & NYJ 2020.  Gore was a six-time Pro Bowl Selection, who amassed a whopping 16,000 Rushing Yards (third all-time), 19,985 APY, and 99 Touchdowns.  Ranked #19 on notinhalloffame.com.

Priest Holmes:  BAL 1997-2000 & KAN 2001-05 & 07.  Winning the Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens, Holmes had tremendous individual success with the Chiefs, where he was a three-time First Team All-Pro and the 2001 Rushing Champion and 2002 Offensive Player of the Year.  He led the NFL in Rushing Touchdowns and Yards from Scrimmage in 2002 & 20023.  He would tabulate 11,134 Yards from Scrimmage and 94 TDs.  Ranked #130 on notinhalloffame.com.

Steven Jackson:  STL, 2004-12, ATL 2013-14, NWE 2015.  A three-time Pro-Bowler, Jackson accrued 15,121 Yards from Scrimmage and 78 Touchdowns.  He is the Rams’ all-time leading rusher and was the top finisher in YFS in 2006.  Ranked #206 on notinhalloffame.com.

Chris Johnson:  TEN 2008-13, NYJ 2014 & ARI 2015-17.  Johnson won the AP 2009 Offensive Player of the Year Award in a campaign where he set the single-season record for Yards from Scrimmage (2,509) and subsequently won the NFL Rushing Title (2,006).  A three-time Pro Bowl and one-time First Team All-Pro, Johnson compiled 64 Touchdowns and 11,906 YFS.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Thomas Jones:  ARI 2000-03, TAM 2003, CHI 2004-06, NYJ 2007-09 & KAN 2010-11.  Jones is a member of the 10,000 Yard Rushing Club (10,591) and has 68 TDs on the ground.  He has also been selected to one Pro Bowl while a Jet.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Jamal Lewis:  BAL 2000 & 2002-06, CLE 2007-09.  In 2003, Lewis entered rarified air as he entered the 2,000 Yard club, rushing for 2,006 on the ground, and won the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.  He would rush for 10,607 Yards and 58 Touchdowns.  Ranked #248 on notinhalloffame.com.

Marshawn Lynch:  BUF 2007-10, SEA 2011-15 & 2019 & OAK 2018.  Lynch propelled Seattle to a Super Bowl and was a two-time leader in Rushing Touchdowns.  “Beast Mode” went to five Pro Bowls, earned a First Team All-Pro, and had 12,627 Yards from Scrimmage with 94 TDs.  Ranked #44 on notinhalloffame.com.

**LeSean McCoy:  PHI 2009-14, BUF 2015-18, KAN 2019 & TAM 2020.  A six-time Pro Bowl and two-time First Team All-Pro, McCoy won the 2013 Rushing Title, while also leading the NFL in Yards from Scrimmage.  He was second in OPOY voting that year.  Overall, he rushed for 11,102 Yards, had an even 15,000 Yards From Scrimmage, and had 89 Touchdowns.  Ranked #110 on notinhalloffame.com.

Eric Metcalf (Also WR/PR/KR):  CLE 1989-94, ATL 1995-96, SDG 1997, ARI 1998, CAR 1999, WAS 2001 & GNB 2002.  Incredibly versatile, Metcalf was also used as a Wide Receiver and Returner, and the three-time Pro Bowl and two-time First Team All-Pro totaled 17,230 All-Purpose Yards.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Lorenzo Neal (FB):  NOR 1993-96, NYJ 1997, TAM 1998, TEN 1999-2000, CIN 2001-02, SDG 2003-07 & BAL 08.  Playing as a Fullback, Neal would go to four Pro Bowls and was named to two First Team All-Pros.  Ranked #178 on notinhalloffame.com.

*Fred Taylor:  JAX 1998-2008 & NWE 2009-10.  Taylor was a Pro Bowl Selection in 2007, and he accumulated 14,079 Yards from Scrimmage with 11,695 yards on the ground.   He also had 74 Touchdowns.  Ranked #167 on notinhalloffame.com.

Ricky Watters: SFO 1992-01, SFO, PHI, SEA.  Watters was a Super Bowl Champion with the 49ers and would go to the Pro Bowl in his first five years in the NFL.  He would lead the NFL in Yards from Scrimmage in 1996 and would have 14,891 in total.  Ranked #41 on notinhalloffame.com.

Running Backs added: Mike Alstott (FB), Arian Foster, *Frank Gore &* LeSean McCoy. Running Backs removed: Terry Allen, Jamal Anderson, Stephen Davis, Charlie Garner, John Kuhn, Vonta Leach, Dorsey Levens, Glyn Milburn, Clinton Portis, Tony Richardson, Robert Smith, Darren Sproles, Chris Warren & Ricky Williams.

Wide Receivers (18): (Down From 21 Last Year)

Anquan Boldin:  ARI 2003-09, BAL 2010-12 & SFO 2014-15 & DET 2016.  A three-time Pro Bowl Selection and AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, Boldin had seven 1,000 Yard Receiving seasons, tallying 13,779 in total with 82 Touchdowns.  He is also a past winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Year (2015) and Alan Page Community Award.  Ranked #92 on notinhalloffame.com.

Donald Driver:  GNB 1999-12.  Driver was a Super Bowl Champion with the Packers, where he would also go to three Pro Bowls.  He would accumulate 10,137 Receiving Yards and 61 Touchdowns.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

**Larry Fitzgerald:  ARI 2004-20.  Fitzgerald had a stellar career, earning 11 Pro Bowls, one First Team All-Pro selection, and was named the 2016 Walter Payton Man of the Year.  Twice leading the league in Receptions as well as Touchdown Passes, Fitzgerald had 1,432 Receptions (Second all-time), 17,492 Yards (second all-time), and 121 Touchdowns (sixth all-time).   Ranked #2 on notinhalloffame.com. 

*Torry Holt: STL 1999-2008 & JAX 2009.  A Super Bowl Champion with the St. Louis Rams, Holt went to seven Pro Bowls and led the NFL in Receiving Yards twice (2000 & 2003).  The one-time First Team All-Pro finished his career with 13,382 Yards and 74 TDs.  Holt has been a multi-time Finalist.  Ranked #9 on notinhalloffame.com.

Chad Johnson:  CIN 2001-10, & NWE 2011.  Johnson went to six Pro Bowls as a Bengal and accumulated 11,059 Receiving Yards, punching 67 of them into the end zone.  “Ocho Cinco” was also a First Team All-Pro twice and was the league leader in Receiving Yards once.  Ranked #153 on notinhalloffame.com.

Brandon Lloyd: SFO 2003-05 & 2014, WAS 2006-07, DEN 2009-11, STL 2011 & NWE 2012.  Lloyd had one 1,000-yard year, and it was the campaign in which he led the NFL in Receiving Yards.  He had 36 Touchdowns with 5,989 Yards.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Brandon Marshall:  DEN 2006-09, MIA 2010-11, CHI 2012-14, NYJ 2015-16, NYG 2017 & SEA 2018.  Marshall was a six-time Pro Bowler, and one was a First Team All-Pro.  He amassed 12,351 Yards with 83 Touchdowns and had 1,000-yard seasons for four teams.  Ranked #181 on notinhalloffame.com.

Derrick Mason:  TEN 1997-2004, BAL 2005-10, NYJ 2011 & HOU 2011.  Mason recorded 12,061 Receiving Yards and was twice chosen for the Pro Bowl.  Ranked #240 on notinhalloffame.com.

Herman Moore:  DET 1991-2001 & NYG 2002.  Moore went to four consecutive Pro Bowls (1994-97) and earned three straight First Team All-Pros (1995-97).  He twice led the NFL in Receptions (1995 & 1997) and had 9,174 Yards with 62 TDs.  Ranked #343 on notinhalloffame.com.

Muhsin Muhammad:  CAR 1996-2004 & 2008-09 & CHI 2005-07.  Muhammad led all NFL Wide Receivers in Yards in 2004, the season he was chosen as a First-Team All-Pro. He tallied 11,438 Receiving Yards and 62 TDs.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Jordy Nelson:  GNB: 2008-18.  Nelson had 72 Touchdowns, 8,587 Yards, and a Super Bowl Ring with Green Bay.  He also went to one Pro Bowl.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Jimmy Smith:  DAL 1992, JAX 1995-2005.  Smith was chosen for five consecutive Pro Bowls (1997-01), and in 1999, he led the NFL in Receptions (116).  He would retire with 12,287 Receiving Yards and 67 Touchdowns.  Ranked #170 on notinhalloffame.com.

Rod Smith:  DEN 1995-2006.  Smith would win two Super Bowls with the Broncos and was a three-time Pro Bowl Selection.  He recorded 11,389 Yards with 68 TDs.  Ranked #76 on notinhalloffame.com.

Steve Smith Sr.:  2001-16, CAR, BAL.  Smith led the NFL in Receptions (103), Receiving Yards (1,563), and Receiving Touchdowns (12) in 2005, and he was a two-time First Team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler.  Smith accumulated 14,731 Yards with 81 TDs and was a previous Semi-Finalist.  Ranked #25 on notinhalloffame.com.

Hines Ward:  PIT 1998-2011.  Ward won two Super Bowls with the Steelers and was the MVP in one of them.  A multi-time Semi-Finalist, he has four consecutive Pro Bowls (2001-04), 85 Touchdowns, and 12,083 Yards on his resume.  Ranked #47 on notinhalloffame.com.

Reggie Wayne:  IND 2001-12.  Wayne was a career Colt, winning a Super Bowl there while earning six Pro Bowls and a First Team All-Pro.  He led the NFL in Receiving Yards in 2007 (1,510) and has significantly more Yards (14,345) than any other Preliminary candidate.  He also has 82 Touchdowns.  Ranked #23 on notinhalloffame.com.

Wes Welker:  SDG 2004, MIA 2004-06, NWE 2007-12, DEN 2013-14 & STL 2015.  Welker led the NFL thrice in Receptions, and the five-time Pro Bowl Selection had 9,924 career Receiving Yards and 50 Touchdowns.  Ranked #173 on notinhalloffame.com.

Roddy White:  ATL 2005-15.  White played the entirety of his career with the Falcons where he went to four consecutive Pro Bowls (2008-11) and was chosen for one First Team All-Pro in 2010 when he led the league in Receptions (115).  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Wide Receivers Added: **Larry Fitzgerald & Brandon Lloyd.  Wide Receivers Removed: Antonio Freeman, Irving Fryar, Joe Horn & Andre Rison.

Tight Ends (6): (The same number as Last Year)

Vernon Davis:  SFO 2006-15, DEN 2015 & WAS 2016-19.  Davis won a Super Bowl in his brief time in Denver and was a two-time Pro Bowl Selection in San Francisco.  He compiled 63 Touchdowns and 7,562 Yards over his career. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Zach Miller:  OAK 2007-10 & SEA 2011-14.  Miller went to the Pro Bowl once as a Raider and would later win a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks.  He had 3,804 Yards and 20 TDs.

**Greg Olsen:  CHI 2007-10, CAR 2011-19 & SEA 2020.  Olsen was at his best in Carolina, where he went to three consecutive Pro Bowls (2014-15).  He compiled 8,683 Yards with 60 Touchdowns.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Delanie Walker: SFO 2006-12 & TEN 2013-19.   Walker accumulated 36 Touchdowns and 5,888 Yards and was a three-time Pro Bowl Selectee in Tennessee.  Unranked on Notinhallofame.com.

Wesley Walls:  1989-03, SFO, NOR, CAR, GNB.  Walls was named to the Pro Bowl five times with the Carolina Panthers.  He would have 5,291 Yards with 54 TDs in his career.  Ranked #333 on notinhalloffame.com.

**Jason Witten:  2003-17 & 2019 & LVR 2020.  Witten went to a whopping 11 Pro Bowls, with two of those seasons netting him First Team All-Pros.  The 2012 Walter Payton Award winner had 13,046 Yards with 74 TDs.  Ranked #11 on notinhalloffame.com.

Tight Ends added: Zach Miller, **Greg Olsen & **Jason Witten.  Tight Ends Removed: Ben Coates (Aged out) & Antonio Gates (Inducted) & Jeremy Shockey.

Offensive Lineman (22): (Down four from 26 Last Year)

*Willie Anderson (T):  CIN 1996-2007 & BAL 2008.  Anderson was chosen for four consecutive Pro Bowls (2003-06), with his last three being First Team All-Pro worthy.  Anderson has been a Finalist for the previous three years.  Ranked #101 on notinhalloffame.com.

Matt Birk (C):  MIN 1998-2007 & BAL 2009-12.  Birk is a Super Bowl Champion with the Baltimore Ravens and would have had six Pro Bowls as a Minnesota Viking.  Ranked #137 on notinhalloffame.com.

Lomas Brown (T): DET 1985-95 ARI 1996-98, CLE 1999, NYG 2000-01 & TAM 2002.  Brown had seven straight Pro Bowls (1990-96), and in his last season in the NFL, he would win a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay.  Ranked #138 on notinhalloffame.com.

Ruben Brown (G):  BUF 1995-2003 & CHI 2004-07.  Brown was a nine-time Pro Bowl Selection who started his 181 Games.  Ranked #113 on notinhalloffame.com.

Ryan Clady (T):  DEN 2008-14 & NYJ 2016.  Clady was a four-time Pro Bowl Selection (all with Denver) and was twice a First Team All-Pro.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

**David DeCastro (G):  PIT 2012-20.  DeCastro was a Pro Bowl Selection in his last six seasons, with two of them earning First Team All-Pro Accolades.  Ranked #198 on notinhalloffame.com.

*Jahri Evans (G):  NOR 2006-16 & GNB 2017.  Evans went to six consecutive Pro Bowls (2009-14) and was a First Team All-Pro in the first four.  He is also a Super Bowl Champion with the Saints.  Ranked #29 on notinhalloffame.com.

Jordan Gross (T):  CAR 2003-13   Gross was a three-time Pro Bowl and one-time First Team All-Pro Selection at Tackler with the Panthers.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Ryan Kalil (C):  CAR 2007-18 & NYJ 2019.  Kalil went to five Pro Bowls and was twice chosen as a First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #316 on notinhalloffame.com.

Olin Kreutz (C):  CHI 1998-2010 & NOR 2011.  Kreutz went to six straight Pro Bowls (2001-06) and was a one-time First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #125 on notinhalloffame.com.

Nick Mangold (C):  NYJ 2008-16. Mangold played his entire career with the Jets, where he went to seven Pro Bowls and two First Team All-Pros.  Ranked #85 on notinhalloffame.com.

Logan Mankins (G):  NWE 2005-13 & TAM.2014-15   A seven-time Pro Bowler, Mankins started all of his 161 Games at. Left Guard.  Ranked #89 on notinhalloffame.com.

Tom Nalen (C): DEN 1994-07.  Nalen won two Super Bowls with the Broncos, was chosen for five Pro Bowls, and was a two-time First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #167 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Ranked #123 on notinhalloffame.com.

**Maurkice Pouncey (C) PIT 2010-20.  Pouncey was one of the top Centers of the 2010s, who was a Pro Bowl Selection in nine of his ten seasons.  He was also a two-time First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #24 on notinhalloffame.com.

Jeff Saturday (C):  IND 1999-2011 & GNB 2012.  Jeff Saturday won a Super Bowl with the Colts and he was a six-time Pro Bowl and two-time First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #78 on notinhalloffame.com.

Josh Sitton (G): GNB 2008-15, CHI 2016-17 & MIA 2018.  Sitton went to four Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl with Green Bay.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Joe Staley (T):  SFO 2007-19   Staley started all 181 Games as a Left Tackle with San Francisco, where he went to the Pro Bowls.  Ranked #126 on notinhalloffame.com.

Brian Waters (G):  KAN 2000-10, NWE 2011 & DAL 2013.  Waters would go to six Pro Bowls and was named to two First Team All-Pros.  Ranked #199 on notinhalloffame.com.

Richmond Webb (T):  MIA 1990-2000 & CIN 2001-02.  Webb was a Pro Bowl Selection in his first seven seasons, with two earning First Team All-Pro nods.  He was also named the Sporting News and the UPI Rookie of the Year.  Ranked #43 on notinhalloffame.com.

Erik Williams (T):  DAL 1991-2000 & BAL 2001.  Williams won three Super Bowls with Dallas and went to four Pro Bowls.  He was also twice named a First Team All-Pro.

Steve Wisniewski (G):  EAI 1989-94 & OAK 1995-2001.  A previous Semi-Finalist, Wisniewski played his entire career with the Raiders, and he was an eight-time Pro Bowl and two-time First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #24 on notinhalloffame.com.

*Marshal Yanda (G):  BAL 2007-19. A Super Bowl Champion with Baltimore, Yanda went to eight Pro Bowls with two First Team and five Second Team All-Pros.  Ranked #4 on notinhalloffame.com.

Offensive Linemen Added:  Ryan Clady, **David DeCastro, & **Maurkice Pouncey. Offensive Linemen Removed:  Bruce Armstrong (aged out), Travis Frederick, Lincoln Kennedy, T.J. Lang, Mark Schlereth, Chris Snee & Dave Szott.

Defensive Linemen: (13) (Down five from 18 Last Year)

John Abraham (DE, also LB):  NYJ 2000-05, ATL 2006-12 & ARI 2013-14.  Recording 133.5 Sacks and 148 Tackles for Loss, Abraham was a five-time Pro Bowl and two-time First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #77 on notinhalloffame.com.

**Geno Atkins (DT):  CIN 2010-20   Atkins went to eight Pro Bowls, earned two First Team All-Pro with 75.5 Sacks and 100 Tackles for Loss.  Ranked #80 on notinhalloffame.com.

**Jurrell Casey (DT):  TEN 2011-19 & DEN 2020.  Casey was a five-time Pro Bowl Selection who had 51 Sacks.  Ranked #244 on notinhalloffame.com.

Elvis Dumervil (DE):  DEN 2006-12, BAL 2013-16 & SFO 2017.  Dumervil went to five Pro Bowls, earned two First-Team All-Pro honors, and in 2009, he was third in the voting for Defensive Player of the Year, a year in which he led the league in Sacks.  He had 1055 career Sacks.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

La’Roi Glover (DT/NT):  OAK 1996, NOR 1997-2001, DAL 2002-05 & STL 2006-08.  Glover went to six straight Pro Bowls (2000-05), and in 2000, he would lead the NFL in Sacks (17.5), be second in Defensive Player of the Year voting, and be a First Team All-Pro that year. He would have 83.5 career Sacks.  Ranked #219 on notinhalloffame.com.

Robert Mathis (DE):  IND 2003-16.  Mathis won a Super Bowl with the Colts, thrice led the NFL in Forced Fumbles, and is the all-time leader in that category with 54.  He had 123 career Sacks, leading the NFL in that category in 2013 with 19, and also earning his only First-Team All-Pro with a second-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting.  Mathis went to five Pro Bowls.  Ranked #112 on notinhalloffame.com.

Haloti Ngata (DT):  BAL 2006-14, DET 2015-17 &, PHI 2018.  Ngata won a Super Bowl with Baltimore, where he went to five straight Pro Bowls (2009-13) and earned two First Team All-Pro Selections.  Ranked #45 on notinhalloffame.com.

Jay Ratliff (DE):  DAL 2005-12 & CHI 2013-15.  Ratliff went to four straight Pro Bowls (2008-11) and was a First Team All-Pro in 2009.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Simeon Rice (DE):  ARI 1996-2000, TAM 2001-06, DEN 2007 & IND 2007.  Rice won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers and was a three-time Pro Bowler.  He would have 122.0 Sacks over his career.  Ranked #140 on notinhalloffame.com.

Justin Smith (DE):  CIN 2001-07 & SFO 2008-14.  Smith went to five consecutive Pro Bowls in San Francisco, and in 2011, he was third in DPOY voting.  He had a nice balance of 887 Tackles and 87 Sacks.  Ranked #106 on notinhalloffame.com.

Ted Washington (NT/DT):  SFO 1991-93, BUF 1995-2000, CHI 2001-02, NWE 2003, OAK 2004-05 & CLE. 2006-07.  Washington won a Super Bowl early in his career with San Francisco and later was named to four Pro Bowls and a First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #225 in notinhalloffame.com.

Vince Wilfork (DT/NT):  NWE 2002-14, HOU 2015-16.  A prior semi-finalist, Wilfork won two Super Bowls with the Patriots while individually earning five Pro Bowls and one First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #136 on notinhalloffame.com.

Kevin Williams (DT/DE):  MIN 2003-13, SEA 2014 & NOR 2015.  Williams had six Pro Bowls and five First Team All-Pros in a career spent mainly in Minnesota.  He recorded 63 Sacks and 113 Tackles for Loss.  Ranked #26 on notinhalloffame.com.

Defensive Lineman added: **Geno Atkins, **Jurrell Casey, Elvis Dumervil, Jay Ratliff, and Justin Smith.   Defensive Lineman removed: Jared Allen (Inducted), Casey Hampton, Chester McGlockton, Clyde Simmons (aged out), Neil Smith (aged out), Henry Thomas (aged out), Justin Tuck, Jamal Williams, and Pat Williams

Linebackers: (14) (Down six from 20 last year)

NaVorro Bowman:  SFO 2010-17 & OAK 2017.  Bowman was a four-time First Team All-Pro with 798 career Tackles and was the leading tackler of the 2015 campaign.  Ranked #265 on notinhalloffame.com.

Lance Briggs:  CHI 2003-14.  Briggs went to seven straight Pro Bowls (2005-11) and was a First Team All-Pro in the first year of that streak.  He had 1,181 career Combined Tackles, 16 Interceptions, and 15.0 Sacks.  Ranked #129 on notinhalloffame.com.

Tedy Bruschi:  NWE 1996-2008.  Bruschi won three Super Bowls with the Patriots and was a Pro Bowler in 2004.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

**Thomas Davis:  CAR 2005-18, LAC 2019 & WAS 2020.  Davis was a three-time Pro Bowl Selection who had 1,216 career Tackles.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

James Farrior:  NYJ 1997-2001 & PIT 2002-11.  Farrior had 1,440 Tackles and 35.5 Sacks over his long career, and he was also a two-time Super Bowl winner with the Steelers.  The two-time Pro Bowl Selection was the runner-up for the 2004 AP DPOY.  Ranked #278 on notinhalloffame.com.

London Fletcher:  STL 1998-2001, BUF 2002-06 & WAS 2007-13.  A previous Semi-Finalist. Fletcher would win a Super Bowl early in his career with the Rams, and later on in his career, he would make the Pro Bowl four years in a row (2009-12) as a Redskin. He accumulated 2,039 Combined Tackles over his career, 23 Interceptions, and 39 Sacks.  Ranked #58 on notinhalloffame.com.

James Harrison:  PIT 2002, 2003-12 & 2017 -17, CIN 2013, NWE 2017.  Harrison won two Super Bowls with the Steelers and had a five-year streak of Pro Bowls from 2007 to 2011.  The two-time First Team All-Pro won the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year Award and is a previous Semi-Finalist.  Ranked #42 on notinhalloffame.com.

A.J. Hawk:  GNB 2006-14, CIN 2015 & ATL 2016.  Hawk was a Pro Bowl Selection once and had 946 Tackles.   Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

*Luke Kucchly: CAR 2012-19.   Kuechly was a strong contender to enter Canton on his first year of eligibility as he is a former Defensive Rookie of the Year (2012) and Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.  A two-time leader in Combined Tackles, Kuechly was a seven-time Pro Bowl and five-time First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #3 on notinhalloffame.com.

Clay Matthews III:  GNB 2009-2018 & LAR 2019.  A six-time Pro Bowl and Super Bowl Champion with Green Bay, Matthews III was the runner-up for the 2010 AP DPOY, and he won the PFWA and the Sporting News DPOY that year.   He had 91.5 Sacks with 130 Tackles for Loss.  Ranked #225 on notinhalloffame.com.

Dat Ngyuen:  DAL 1999-05.   Ngyuen had 515 Tackles over his career.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Takeo Spikes:  CIN 1998-2003, BUF 2002-06, PHI 2007, SFO 2008-10 & SDG 2011-12.  Spikes was chosen for two Pro Bowls and was a First Team All-Pro in 2004.  He was also one Interceptor shy of the 20-20 club and accumulated 1,431 combined career tackles.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

*Terrell Suggs (Also DE):  BAL 2003-18, ARI 2019 & KAN 2019.  Suggs was the 2003 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, and eight years later, he was the consensus Defensive Player of the Year.  He went to seven Pro Bowls, was a one-time First Team All-Pro, and compiled 139 Sacks, 202 Tackles for Loss, and 200 Quarterback Hits.  He was also a significant part of Baltimore’s second Super Bowl, and as a veteran, he retired, having won a second one with Kansas City.  Ranked #10 on notinhalloffame.com.

Lee Woodall:  SFO 1994-99, CAR 2000 & DEN 2001.  Woodall won a Super Bowl with the 49ers and was also a two-time Pro Bowl Selection.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Linebackers added: **Thomas Davis, A.J. Hawk. Clay Matthews III, and Dat Ngyuen.  Linebackers removed:  Jessie Armstead, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Cornelius Bennett (aged out), Keith Brooking, Donnie Edwards, Willie McGinest, Ken Norton Jr., Julian Peterson, Bill Romanowski, Jessie Tuggle (aged out), and Mike Vrabel.

Defensive Backs: (15) (Down three from 18 Last Year)

Eric Berry (DB): KAN 2010-18.  Berry was a five-time Pro Bowl and three-time First Team All-Pro Safety with 14 Interceptions and 445 Tackles.  Ranked #172 on notinhalloffame.com.

Kam Chancellor (S):  SEA 2010-17.  Chancellor won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks while going to do four Pro Bowls over his career.  He compiled 12 Interceptions with 607 Tackles.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Nick Collins (S):  GNB 2005-11.  Collins won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers and was a Pro Bowler three times. He led the NFL in Interception Return Yards in 2008 and had 21 career Interceptions.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

DeAngelo Hall (CB):  ATL 2004-07, OAK 2008 & WAS 2008-17.  Hall was a three-time Pro Bowler, recording 43 career Interceptions and 814 Combined Tackles.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Rodney Harrison (S):  SFG 1994-2002 & NWE 2003-08.  Harrison won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and was a Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro twice.  He would have 34 career Interceptions, 30.5 Sacks, and 1,206 Combined Tackles.  Ranked #159 on notinhalloffame.com.

James Hasty (CB):  NYJ 1988-94, KAN 1995-00 & OAK 2001.  Hasty had 45 career Interceptions and was twice named to the Pro Bowl.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Carnell Lake (DB):  PIT 1989-98, JAX 1999 & BAL 2001.  Lake was a five-time Pro Bowl Selection who was fifth in DPOY voting in 1997.  He had 16 Interceptions and 25 Sacks over his career.  Ranked #221 on notinhalloffame.com.

Allen Rossum (CB):  PHI 1998-99, GNB 2000-01, ATL 2002-06, PIT 2007, SFO 2008-09 & DAL 2009.  Rossum is listed as a Cornerback but was more of a Returner.  He was a Pro Bowler in 2004 and had 15,046 All-Purpose Yards.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Asante Samuel (CB):  NWE 2003-07, PHI 2008-11 & ATL 2012-13.  A four-time Pro Bowl Selection and one-time First Team All-Pro, Samuel led the NFL in Interceptions twice and has 51 in total.  He also won two Super Bowls with the Patriots.  Ranked #190 on notinhalloffame.com.

Patrick Surtain (CB):  MIA 1998-04 & KAN 2005-08.  Surtain went to three straight Pro Bowls as a Dolphin (2002-04) and had 37 Interceptions.

*Earl Thomas (S):  SEA 2010-18 & BAL 2019.  A seven-time Pro Bowler, Thomas was selected for three straight First Team All-Pros (2012-14) and won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks.  The Safety had 30 Interceptions and 713 Tackles.  Ranked #11 on notinhalloffame.com.

Charles Tillman (CB):  CHI 2004-14 & CAR 2015.  Tillman is in his first year of eligibility and was a two-time Pro Bowl Selection.  He would have 38 career Interceptions and 44 Forced Fumbles with 930 Combined Tackles.  Ranked #222 on notinhalloffame.com.

Troy Vincent (CB):  MIA 1992-95, PHI 1996-2003, BUF 2004-05 & WAS 2006.   Vincent’s five Pro Bowls would all come consecutively (1999-2003) when he was with the Eagles. He earned First Team All-Pro honors in 2002 and had 47 Interceptions and 893 Combined Tackles.  In 2002, he also won the Walter Payton Man of the Year and Alan Page Community Award.  Ranked #260 on notinhalloffame.com.

Adrian Wilson (S):  ARI 2001-12.  Wilson played his entire career in Arizona, where he was a five-time Pro Bowl and one-time First Team All-Pro.  He had 27 Interceptions and 903 Tackles.  Unranked on Notionalloffame.com.

*Darren Woodson (S):  DAL 1992-03.  Woodson was part of the Cowboys’ three Super Bowl Titles in the early '90s, a five-time Pro Bowl, and a three-time First Team All-Pro.  He has been a Semi-Finalist multiple times before and has 23 career Interceptions with 11 Sacks and 967 Combined Tackles.  Ranked #65 on notinhalloffame.com.

Defensive Backs added: James Hasty, Carnell Lake, Asante Samuel, Patrick Surtain, and Adrian Wilson.  Defensive Backs removed: Eric Allen (Inducted), Antoine Bethea, Dre Bly, Antonio Cromartie, Eugene Robinson (aged out), Samari Rolle, Bob Sanders, and Aqib Talib.

Place Kickers: (5) (Down three from 8 Last Year)

David Akers:  WAS 1998, PHI 1999-2010, SFO 2011-12 & DET 2013.  Akers was a six-time Pro Bowl and two-time First Team All-Pro Selection.  He was also a two-time leader in Points Scored and Field Goals Made.  Ranked #290 on notinhalloffame.com.

Gary Anderson:  PIT 1982-94, PHI 1995-06, SFO 1997, MIN 1998-2002 & TEN 2003-04.  Anderson went to four Pro Bowls and was the all-time leader in Points Scored and Field Goals Made at the time of his retirement.  A member of the 1980s and 1990s All-Decade Team, Anderson is currently third all-time in Points (2,434).  Ranked #209 on notinhalloffame.com.

Jason Hanson:  DET 1992-12.  The longest-tenured Lion in franchise history, Hanson went to two Pro Bowls and is fourth All-Time in Points Scored.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

John Kasay:  SEA, 1991-94,  CAR 1995-2010 & NOR 2011.  Kasay was a 19-year veteran who went to one Pro Bowl.  Kasay kicked 461 Field Goals over his career and is ninth all-time in Points Scored.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

*Adam Vinatieri: NWE 1996-2005 & IND 2006-19.  Entering his first year on the ballot, Vinatieri was a clutch performer who won four Super Bowls and was a three-time First Team All-Pro.  He is the all-time leader in Points Scored (2,673) and Field Goals Made (599). Ranked #88 on notinhalloffame.com.

Place Kickers added:  None.  Place Kickers removed: Jason Elam, Matt Stover & Mike Vanderjadt.

Punters: (2) (Down five from 7 last year)

Sean Landeta:  NYG 1985-93, RAM 1993-94, STL 1995-9 & 2003-046, TAM 1997, GNB 1998 & PHI 2000-01 & 05.  Landeta won two Super Bowls with the Giants and was chosen for three First Team All-Pros.  He is currently third all-time in Punting Yards.  Ranked #211 on notinhalloffame.com.

Shane Lechler:  OAK 2000-12 & HOU 2013-17.  Lechler went to seven Pro Bowls and was an All-Decade Selection in the 2000s and 2010s.  He is also a four-time leader in Punting Yards and a five-time leader in Yards per Punt.  Ranked #110 on notinhalloffame.com.

Punters added: None.  Punters removed: Darren Bennett, Jeff Feagles, Pat McAfee, Brian Moorman, and Matt Turk.

Special Teams (2): (No Change from last year)

Josh Cribbs (Also WR):  CLE 2005-12, NYJ 2013 & IND 2014.  Cribbs was a three-time Pro Bowl and one-time First Team All-Pro, collecting 15,453 All-Purpose Yards.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Brian Mitchell (Also RB): WAS 1990-99, PHI 2000-02, NYG 2003.  Mitchell was a one-time Pro Bowl recipient and a four-time leader in All-Purpose Yards. He totaled 23,330 in APY and is second all-time in that statistic.  He also won a Super Bowl with Washington.  Ranked #160 on notinhalloffame.com.

With all due respect to many of these candidates, several of these Preliminary Nominees have no realistic chance of being in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but it is a phenomenal process to test the waters overall on a player’s career.

This group will be screened down to 50 Names, which will be announced in mid-October.

This group will be pared down to 25 in November and reduced to 15 in January.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate this group of former players who made it to this stage.

 

 

 

As we continue to work on our new projects at Notinhalloffame.com, we never forget about our core lists. We are therefore happy to announce that we have revised our list of those to consider for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The players we rank are determined by traditional statistics, advanced statistics (where applicable), playoff accomplishments, and accolades, but are adjusted annually based on your input and comments.   It's a fun process for us, made even better by all of you!

The entire list can be found here, but traditionally, whenever we announce a major list revision, we give you the top ten:

At #1 is Drew Brees.   Brees enters the ballot for the first time and should easily cruise into Canton.  The former Quarterback led the Saints to their only Super Bowl win, and is a 13-time Pro Bowl and two-time Offensive Player of the Year.  He also threw for a staggering 80,358 Yards and 571 Touchdowns.

#2 is Larry Fitzgerald.  The longtime Wide Receiver is also in his first year of eligibility and is likely to receive the necessary support for immediate induction.  He compiled 17,492 Yards with 121 Touchdowns, and was chosen for 11 Pro Bowls.   Fitzgerald is also a former Walter Payton Man of the Year Award winner.

#3 is Luke Kuechly.  Playing his entire career with the Carolina Panthers, Kuechly was a Finalist last year and likely fell off due to the small class.  Entering year two of his candidacy, the former Defensive Player of the Year is our top-ranked defensive player.

#4 is Marshal Yanda.  Like Kuechly, Yanda is in his second year of eligibility and was a Finalist last year.  The former Offensive Lineman was an eight-time Pro Bowl Selection and owns a Super Bowl ring with the Baltimore Ravens.

#5 is L.C. Greenwood.  A member of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ four Super Bowl teams from the 1970s, Greenwood was also a two-time First Team All-Pro, All-Decade Selection, and six-time Pro Bowler.

#6 is Lavvie Dilweg.  We go way back on this one, as Dilweg, who last played in 1931.  Nominated in 2020 as part of the Centennial Class, the End was a three-time NFL Champion with the Green Bay Packers and was a five-time First Team All-Pro.

#7 is Jason Witten.  We have a third new entrant in Witten, who had 11 Pro Bowls, 13,046 Yards, and 74 Touchdowns.  He is the highest-ranked Tight End.

#8 is Ken Anderson.  Anderson won all versions of the MVP in 1981 and was also a four-time Pro Bowl Selection.  He has been gaining traction in recent years among senior voters.

#9 is Torry Holt.  The celebrated Wide Receiver and Super Bowl Champion with the St. Louis Rams has been a Finalist the last six years.  He has 920 Receptions, 13,439 Yards, and 71 Touchdowns and was chosen for seven Pro Bowls.

#10 is Terrell Suggs.  Suggs was first eligible last year and made it to the Finals, boding well for an impending induction.  He won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens, was the 2011 Defensive Player of the Year, has 139 Sacks, and is the all-time leader in Tackles for Loss (202).

Notably, the other first-time eligibles are Frank Gore (#19), Philip Rivers (#21), Maurkice Pouncey (#50), Geno Atkins (#80), LeSean McCoy (#110), David DeCastro (#198), Jurell Casey (#244), and Mitchell Schwartz (#294).

As always, it is onward and upwards for us at Notinhalloffame.com.

As Pro Football players often delay their retirement, hoping to latch on to another team, it leads to staggering additions to our Notinhalloffame.com Football Futures List.

As such, we have new add-ons in the 2025 Section, and are pleased to unveil our 2026 Section.

Here are the add-ons of former players eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2025:

Antoine Bethea:  Bethea was a Super Bowl champion as a rookie with the Indianapolis Colts, and the Cornerback went on to be a three-time Pro Bowler.

Brynden Trawick:  Trawick was a Pro Bowler in 2017 when he was with Tennessee.

Cameron Wake:  Wake went to five Pro Bowls after a late start considering he had to begin his pro career in Canada.  The Linebacker had 100.5 career Sacks.

C.J. Anderson:  Anderson was a Pro Bowl Running Back who helped Denver win Super Bowl 50.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie:  Rodgers-Cromarte was a 12-year vet at Cornerback who was twice a Pro Bowl, once with Arizona (2009) and once with the Giants (2015).

Donald Penn:  Penn was a three-time Pro Bowl at Offensive Tackle.

Matt Bryant:  Bryant was a Kicker best known for his time in Atlanta.  He was a Pro Bowler in 2016.

Mike Pouncey:  Pouncey played most of his career at Center, going to three Pro Bowls as a Dolphin and one as a Charger.

Patrick Chung:  Chung played his entire pro career with the Patriots where he the Safety won three Super Bowls.

Patrick DiMarco:  DiMarco was an undrafted Fullback who went to the 2015 Pro Bowl as a Falcon.

The entire 2025 list of eligible candidates can be found here.

The 2026 list of eligible candidates that have been profiled are:

Alex Smith:  Smith had over 35,000 Passing Yards and was a three-time Pro Bowler.  He played for San Francisco, Kansas City and Washington.

Anthony Costanzo:  Costanzo played ten seasons in the NFL, where the Offensive Lineman played exclusively with the Colts.

Anthony Sherman:  Sherman was an excellent blocking Fullback who was a member of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV winning team.  He went to the Pro Bowl in 2018.

Drew Brees:  Brees is currently the all-time leader in Passing Yards (80,358) and is second in Touchdown Passes (571).  The former Offensive Player of the Year led the Saints to a win at Super Bowl XLIV.

Greg Olson:  Olson was a three-time Pro Bowl Selection who was best known for his tenure in Carolina.  The Tight End accumulated 8,683 Yards and 60 Touchdowns.

Jason Witten:  Witten played most of his career with Dallas, and is one of the most successful Tight Ends ever.  The 11-time Pro Bowler had 13,046 Yards and 74 Touchdowns.

Jordan Reed:  Reed was a Pro Bowl in 2016 who played for San Francisco and Washington.

Julian Edelman:  Edelman played his entire pro career for New England and the Wide Receiver helped them win three Super Bowls.  He is second all-time in playoff Receiving Yards.

Matt Schaub:  Schaub was a Pro Bowl Quarterback in 2009, but was a backup more years than not.

Maurkice Pouncey:  Pouncey played at Center his entire pro career with the Steelers, where he was a nine-time Pro Bowl and two-time First Team All-Pro.

Mike Iupati:  Iupati went to four straight Pro Bowls (2012-15), and was a First Team All-Pro in 2012.  The Offensive Linemen played for San Francisco, Arizona and Seattle.

Philip Rivers:  Rivers played all but his final year with the Chargers, and he was an eight-time Pro Bowler who threw for 63,440 Yards and 421 Touchdowns.

Sean Lee:  Lee played his entire career with the Cowboys, and the Linebacker went to two Pro Bowls (2015 & 2016).

Thomas Davis:  Davis played his best years in Carolina, and was a three-time Pro Bowler at Linebacker.

We will continue to add players as they retire.

You know what we want you to do!

Cast your vote, and give us your comments.

As always, we thank you for your support.

Drafted in the 3rd Round out of Tennessee in 2003, Witten would see significant playing time in his rookie year but in 2004 he would rise to Pro Bowl status with a 980 Yard season. This would be the first of many seasons where the Dallas Cowboy would be considered an elite Tight End.

From 2005 to 2010 he would be named to six more Pro Bowls, which would also include two First Team All Pro Selections. Four more Pro Bowls would follow (2012-14 & 2017). Four of his seasons would see Witten exceed over 90 Receptions and 1,000 Yards, incredible numbers for a Tight End.

Witten first retired after the 2017 season with 11 Pro Bowls, and went into the broadcast booth for ESPN for their Monday Night Football package.  He unretired, coming back in 2019, and joined the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020 before retiring for good.

Witten retired as the all-time Cowboys leader in Receptions (1,215) and Receiving Yards (12,977) and with 13,046 Yards and 74 Touchdowns in total, behind only Tony Gonzalez among Tight Ends.

We have another major retirement in the National Football League as Jason Witten has called it a career.

Drafted in the 3rd Round out of Tennessee in 2003, Witten would see significant playing time in his rookie year but in 2004 he would rise to Pro Bowl status with a 980 Yard season. This would be the first of many seasons where the Dallas Cowboy would be considered an elite Tight End.

From 2005 to 2010 he would be named to six more Pro Bowls, which would also include two First Team All Pro Selections. Four more Pro Bowls would follow (2012-14 & 2017). Four of his seasons would see Witten exceed over 90 Receptions and 1,000 Yards, incredible numbers for a Tight End.

Witten first retired after the 2017 season, and went into the broadcast booth for ESPN for their Monday Night Football package.  He unretired, coming back in 2019, and joined the Las Vegas Raiders last year.

Witten retires as the all-time Cowboys leader in Receptions (1,215) and Receiving Yards (12,977).  and he retires with 13,046 Yards and 74 Touchdowns in total.

With his 11 Pro Bowls and statistical accumulation he has an excellent shot at entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026. He will certainly have a prime position on our Notinhalloffame.com Football list.  In our 2020 pre-season rank of active players and their Hall of Fame credentials, Witten was placed #9 overall and #2 in Tight Ends behind Rob Gronkowski.

We will be creating his Notinhalloffame.com profile shortly in the 2026 section.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to thank Jason Witten for all of the memories on the field and we wish him the best in his post-playing career.

Jason Witten is without question the greatest Tight End in the history of the Dallas Cowboys.

We are excited here at Notinhalloffame.com that we are unveiling a new section, which looks at the top active players in the big four of sports and how they are positioned at the start of each seasons in regards to Hall of Fame credentials.

We are beginning with Pro Football, and how perfect is that considering the seasons kicks off this week.  Rather than list everyone directly, we have isolated them based on their position and with the exception of Special Teams, we have created a new stat based on the last five modern players (not senior inductees) of their respective position and how the current player compares with that.

This will be updated annually, so this 100 was finalized this week. We will not be updating again until the end of the season.

The new section begins here

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to thank you all for your continued support and we hope that you enjoy this new section!

One of the current projects that we are working on is updating our Football Futures, which are the former players who are not yet eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. One of the people we were going to input was former Dallas Cowboys’ Tight End, Jason Witten.  With today’s news, we are not going to do that anymore. 

Witten was on Monday Night Football last year and at the time of his retirement he had been chosen for 11 Pro Bowls and collected 1,152 Receptions with 12,448 Yards.  Witten was also a First Team All Pro twice.

He is 37 and is already the all-time leader in Cowboys franchise history in Receptions and Receiving Yards.  In the season he retired (2017) he was named to the Pro Bowl so there is reason to think that he can still produce.

Many (including us) consider Jason Witten to be a future Hall of Fame inductee.  The clock just got set back a little.å

We have another major retirement in the National Football League as it is being reported that Dallas Cowboy Tight End Jason Witten will be retiring and joining the ESPN broadcast team.

Drafted in the 3rd Round out of Tennessee in 2003, Witten would see significant playing time in his rookie year but in 2004 he would rise to Pro Bowl status with a 980 Yard season. This would be the first of many seasons where the Dallas Cowboy would be considered an elite Tight End.

From 2005 to 2010 he would be named to six more Pro Bowls, which would also include two First Team All Pro Selections. Four more Pro Bowls would follow (2012-14 & 2017). Four of his seasons would see Witten exceed over 90 Receptions and 1,000 Yards, incredible numbers for a Tight End.

Witten retires with 12,448 Receiving Yards and 1,152 Receptions, which ranks him second overall in both stats behind Tony Gonzalez for Tight Ends. It also places him twenty-first and fourth respectively among all receivers. With hi 11 Pro Bowls and statistical accumulation he has an excellent shot at entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023. He will certainly have a prime position on our Notinhalloffame.com Football list.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to thank Jason Witten for all of the memories on the field and wish him the best at his impending career at ESPN.