A look at the 128 Preliminary Hall of Fame Candidates (Modern)
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.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame cuts the modern list to 50 for the Class of 2025
Damn, we love this time of year!
A month ago, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the 167 Preliminary Modern candidates for the Class of 2025. This year, a special committee was tasked with reducing this group to 50, and next month, they will be reduced to 25 Semi-Finalists.
*Means they were a Finalist last year
**Means they are eligible for the first time.
Let’s examine this group by position.
Quarterbacks (2):
**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 #99 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 #125 on Notinhalloffame.com.
The eight Quarterbacks eliminated were:
Marc Bulger: STL 2002-09.
Randall Cunningham: PHI 1985-95, MIN 1997-99, DAL 2000 & BAL 2001. Ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jake Delhomme: NOR 1999-2002, CAR 2003-09, CLE 2010 & HOU 2011.
Doug Flutie: CHI 1986, NWE 1987-89 & 2005, BUF 1998-2000 & SDG 2001-04.
Rich Gannon: MIN 1987-92, WAS 1993, KAN 1995-98 & OAK 1999-2002. Ranked #290 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jeff Garcia: SFO 1999-2003, CLE 2004, DET 2005, PHI 2006 & TAM 2007-08.
Donovan McNabb: PHI 1999-2001, WAS 2002 & MIN 2003. Ranked #80 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Tony Romo: DAL 2004-16. Ranked #326 on Notinhalloffame.com.
The Chairmans Quarterback Notes:
Yep, we all knew Eli would be here, and his two Super Bowl rings clash with his .500 record, and we bluntly ask: was there ever a time when it could honestly be said that Manning was the best three any time at his position? Shouldn’t that matter? It feels like Eli is on a collision course for a Finalist spot (and maybe even an immediate induction), which feels wrong.
The QB omission that worries me here is the influential Randall Cunningham, a multi-time Bert Bell Award winner whose time on the modern ballot is wasting away. An honorable mention here goes to Donovan McNabb, who, regardless of the venue or conversation, is criminally disrespected.
Running Backs (6):
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 #81 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 #153 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 #174 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 #29 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 #47 on Notinhalloffame.com.
The 25 Running Backs eliminated were:
Terry Allen: MIN 1991-92 & 94, WAS 1995-98, NWE 1999, NOR 2000 & BAL 2001.
Jamal Anderson: ATL 1994-01.
Larry Centers FB: PHO 1990-93, ARI 1994-98, WAS 1999-2000, BUF 2001-02, & NWE 2003.
Jamaal Charles: KAN 2008-16, DEN 2017 & JAX 2018.
Stephen Davis: WAS 1996-06, CAR 2003-05 & STL 2006.
Corey Dillon: CIN 1997-2003 & NWE 2004-06. Ranked #240 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Warrick Dunn: Ranked #301 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Charlie Garner: PHI 1994-98, SFO 1999-2000, OAK 2001-03 & TAM 2004.
Priest Holmes: BAL 1997-2000 & KAN 2001-05 & 07. Ranked #131 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Steven Jackson: STL, 2004-12, ATL 2013-14, NWE 2015. Ranked #196 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Chris Johnson: TEN 2008-13, NYJ 2014 & ARI 2015-17.
Thomas Jones: ARI 2000-03, TAM 2003, CHI 2004-06, NYJ 2007-09 & KAN 2010-11.
John Kuhn (FB): PIT 2006, GNB 2007-15, NOR 2017.
Vonta Leach (FB): GNB 2004-06, 2004-13, HOU 2006-2010 & BAL 2011-13.
Dorsey Levens: GNB 1994-2001, PHI 2002 & 2003 & NYG 2004.
Jamal Lewis: Ranked #238 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.
Glyn Milburn (Also WR & KR): DEN 1993-95, DET 1996-97, CHI 1998-2001 & SDG 2001.
Lorenzo Neal (FB): NOR 1993-96, NYJ 1997, TAM 1998, TEN 1999-2000, CIN 2001-02, SDG 2003-07 & BAL 08.
Clinton Portis: DEN 2002-03 & WAS 2004-10.
Tony Richardson (FB): KAN 1995-2005, MIN 2006-07, NYJ 2008-10.
Robert Smith: MIN 1993-2000.
Darren Sproles: SDG 2005-10, NOR 2011-13 & PHO 2014-19.
Chris Warren: SEA 1990-97, DAL 1998-2000, PHI 2000.
Ricky Williams: NOR 1999-2001, MIA 2002, 2005 & 2007-10, BAL 2011.
The Chairman’s Running Back Notes:
I love seeing Alexander here, but here is a question: Am I the only one who had Taylor sixth in this group? Taylor is like Eli, as I openly ask when he was seriously considered among the top three RBs in football. Does first ballot Back Marshawn leapfrog him?
Wide Receivers (21): (Down From 23 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 #83 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 #6 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 #165 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 #24 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 #45 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 #11 on Notinhalloffame.com.
The 15 Wide Receivers eliminated are:
Donald Driver: GNB 1999-12.
Antonio Freeman: GNB 1995-2001 & 2003 & PHI 2002.
Irving Fryar: NWE 1984-92, MIA 1993-95, PHI 1996-97 & WAS 1999-2000. Ranked #143 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Joe Horn: KAN 1996-99, NOR 2000-06 & ATL 2007.
Chad Johnson: CIN 2001-10, & NWE 2011. Ranked #145 on Notinhalloffame.com.
*Brandon Marshall: DEN 2006-09, MIA 2010-11, CHI 2012-14, NYJ 2015-16, NYG 2017 & SEA 2018. Ranked #172 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Derrick Mason: TEN 1997-2004, BAL 2005-10, NYJ 2011 & HOU 2011. Ranked #231 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Herman Moore: DET 1991-2001 & NYG 2002. Ranked #333 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Muhsin Muhammad: CAR 1996-2004 & 2008-09 & CHI 2005-07.
Jordy Nelson: GNB: 2008-18.
Andre Rison: IND 1989, ATL 1990-94, CLE 1995, JAX 1996, GNB 1996, KAN 1997-99 & OAK 2000. Ranked #202 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Rod Smith: DEN 1995-2006. Ranked #61 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Wes Welker: SDG 2004, MIA 2004-06, NWE 2007-12, DEN 2013-14 & STL 2015. Ranked #170 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Roddy White: ATL 2005-15.
The Chairman’s Wide Receiver Notes:
I have no issues with the six who advanced, and the only mild disappointment is Fryar’s omission, as his time is running out.
Tight Ends (6): (Up 3 from Last Year)
Ben Coates: NWE 1991-99 & BAL 2000. Coates was a Pro Bowler for five straight years from 1994 to 1998 and was a two-time First Team All-Pro. He would accumulate 5,555 Yards with 50 Touchdowns. Ranked #106 on Notinhalloffame.com.
*Antonio Gates: SDG 2003-16 & LAC 2017-18. Gates went to the Pro Bowl every year from 2004 to 2011 and was a three-time First Team All-Pro. A Finalist last year, he had 116 Touchdowns and 11,841 Yards. It was a mild surprise that he was not inducted in the previous year. Ranked #1 on Norinhalloffame.com.
The four Tight Ends eliminated were:
Vernon Davis: SFO 2006-15, DEN 2015 & WAS 2016-19.
Jeremy Shockey: NYG 2002-07, NOR 2009-10 & CAR 2011.
Delanie Walker: SFO 2006-12 & TEN 2013-19.
Wesley Walls: 1989-03, SFO, NOR, CAR, GNB. Ranked #322 on Notinhalloffame.com.
The Chairman’s Tight End notes:
None. These two belong, and Gates will enter this year. Bank on it.
Offensive Lineman (12):
*Willie Anderson (T): CIN 1996-2007 & BAL 2008. Anderson was chosen for four Pro Bowls in a row (2003-06), with his last three being First Team All-Pro worthy. Anderson has been a Finalist for the previous two years. Ranked #115 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 #152 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 #119 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 #33 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 #109 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 #78 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jeff Saturday (C): IND 1999-2011 & GNB 2012. Jeff Saturday won a Super Bowl with the Colts and was a six-time Pro Bowl and two-time First Team All-Pro. Ranked #75 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 #111 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 #48 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 #21 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 #3 on Notinhalloffame.com.
The 14 Offensive Linemen eliminated were:
Bruce Armstrong (T/G): 1987-00, NWE. Ranked #209 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Matt Birk (C): MIN 1998-2007 & BAL 2009-12. Ranked #137 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Travis Frederick (C): DAL 2012-17 & 2019.
Jordan Gross (T): CAR 2003-13
Ryan Kalil (C): CAR 2007-18 & NYJ 2019.
Lincoln Kennedy (T-G): ATL 1993-95 & OAK 1096-2003.
T.J. Lang (G): GNB 2009-16 & DET 2017-18.
Nick Mangold (C): NYJ 2008-16. Ranked #92 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Tom Nalen (C): DEN 1994-07. Ranked #132 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Mark Schlereth (G/C): WAS 1989-94 & DEN 1995-2000.
Josh Sitton (G): GNB 2008-15, CHI 2016-17 & MIA 2018.
Chris Snee (G): NYG 2004-13.
Dave Szott (G): KAN 2990-3000, WAS 2001 & NYJ 2002-03.
Brian Waters (G): KAN 2000-10, NWE 2011 & DAL 2013. Ranked #193 on Notinhalloffame.com.
The Chairman’s Offensive Line Notes:
It is nice to see the Browns here (Lomas and Ruben) and Webb and Wisniewski, who have limited time left and need to become a Finalist soon. As for the Centers, while I have no issues with Kreutz and Saturday, Nalen and Mangold feel like better choices.
Defensive Linemen: (8)
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 #62 on Notinhalloffame.com.
**Jared Allen (DE): KAN 2004-07, MIN 2008-13, CHI 2014-15, CAR 2015. Allen twice led the NFL in Sacks (2007 & 2011) and would have 136.0 in total. Allen also was the 2011 runner-up for the AP Defensive Player of the Year, though he did win the Sporting News DPOY. In his first four years of eligibility, Allen was a Finalist, a five-time Pro Bowler, and a First Team All-Pro in four of those years. Ranked #18 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 #108 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 #39 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 #135 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Neil Smith (DE): KAN 1988-96, DEN 1997-99 & SDG 2000. Smith would go to six Pro Bowls and was also a First Team All-Pro in 1993 when he was the league leader in Sacks (15). He would also win two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos and had 104.5 career Sacks. Ranked #32 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 individually earning five Pro Bowls and one First Team All-Pro. Ranked #140 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 #25 on Notinhalloffame.com.
The 9 eliminated Defensive Lineman were:
La’Roi Glover (DT/NT): OAK 1996, NOR 1997-2001, DAL 2002-05 & STL 2006-08. Ranked #212 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Casey Hampton (DT/NT): PIT 2001-12. Ranked #314 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Chester McGlockton (DT): RAI 1992-94, OAK 1995-97, KAN 1998-2000, DEN 2001-02 & NYJ 2003.
Clyde Simmons: (DE/DT): PHI 1986-92, ARI 1994-93, JAX 1996-97, CIN 1998 & CHI 1999-2000. Ranked #330 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Henry Thomas (DT/NT): MIN 1987-94, DET 1995-96 & NWE 1997-2000. Ranked #266 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Justin Tuck (DE): NYG 2005-13 & OAK 2014-15.
Ted Washington (NT/DT): SFO 1991-93, BUF 1995-2000, CHI 2001-02, NWE 2003, OAK 2004-05 & CLE. 2006-07. Ranked #246 in Notinhalloffame.com.
Jamal Williams (DT/NT): SDG 1998-2009 & DEN 2010.
Pat Williams (DT): BUF 1997-2004 & MIN 2005-10.
The Chairman’s Defensive Lineman Notes:
Two names: They got it right with Neil Smith and Kevin Williams, two Linemen who should have been Finalists years ago, both of whom have never been Semi-Finalists. Hopefully, they both advance.
Linebackers: (5) (Down from 25 last year)
Cornelius Bennett: 1987-00, BUF, ATL, IND. Bennett would go to five Pro Bowls and was a First Team All-Pro in 1988. The two-time UPI Defensive Player of the Year helped Buffalo win four AFC Championships, and he had 71.5 Sacks and 1,190 Combined Tackles. Ranked #95 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 #55 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 is 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 #2 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 huge part of Baltimore’s second Super Bowl, and as a veteran, he retired, winning a second one with Kansas City. Ranked #13 on Notinhalloffame.com.
The 15 Linebackers eliminated were:
Jessie Armstead: NYG 1992-2001 & WAS 2002-03. Ranked #263 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Brendon Ayanbadejo: MIA 2003-04, CHI 2005-07 &, BAL 2008-12.
NaVorro Bowman: SFO 2010-17 & OAK 2017. Ranked #262 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Lance Briggs: CHI 2003-14. Ranked #123 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Keith Brooking: ATL 1998-2012, DAL 2009-11 &, DEN. Ranked #285 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Tedy Bruschi: NWE 1996-2008.
Donnie Edwards: KAN 1996-2001 & 2007-08 & SDG 2002-06.
James Farrior: NYJ 1997-2001 & PIT 2002-11. Ranked #271 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Willie McGinest (Also DE): NWE 1994-2005 & CLE 2006-08.
Ken Norton Jr.: DAL 1988-93 & SFO 1994-2000.
Julian Peterson: SFO 2000-05, SEA 2006-08 & DET 2009-10. Ranked #313 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bill Romanowski: SFO 1988-93, PHI 1994-95, DEN 1996-2001 & OAK 2002-03.
Takeo Spikes: CIN 1998-2003, BUF 2002-06, PHI 2007, SFO 2008-10 & SDG 2011-12.
Jessie Tuggle: ATL 1987-2000. Ranked #126 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Mike Vrabel: PIT 1997-2000, NWE 2001-08 & KAN 2009-10.
Lee Woodall: SFO 1994-99, CAR 2000 & DEN 2001.
The Chairman’s Linebackers Notes:
I am thrilled that Bennett is here, as he is also among my most wanted defensive players to at least get into the Finalist room to have a deep discussion. Kuechly is no surprise, and I expect him to enter immediately. If there were any other former players, I would have liked to see advance would be Jessie Tuggle and Lance Briggs.
Defensive Backs: (6)
*Eric Allen (CB): 1988-01, PHI, NOR, OAK. Allen secured 54 Interceptions and 787 Tackles and would have six Pro Bowl Seasons, with one earning a First Team All-Pro Selection and a UPI Defensive Player of the Year Award. He was a Finalist last year. Ranked #46 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.
*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 #150 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 #8 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 #259 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 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 #70 on Notinhalloffame.com.
The 12 Defensive Backs eliminated were:
Eric Berry (DB): KAN 2010-18. Ranked #162 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Antoine Bethea (S): IND 2006-13, SFO 2013-16 & ARI 2017-19.
Dre Bly (DB): STL 1999-2002, DET 2003-06, DEN 2007-08 & SFO 2009.
Nick Collins (S): GNB 2005-11.
Antonio Cromartie (CB): 2006-16, SDG, NYJ, ARI, IND.
DeAngelo Hall (CB): ATL 2004-07, OAK 2008 & WAS 2008-17
Eugene Robinson (DB): Ranked #241 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Samari Rolle (CB): TEN 1998-2004 & BAL 2005-08.
Allen Rossum (CB): PHI 1998-99, GNB 2000-01, ATL 2002-06, PIT 2007, SFO 2008-09 & DAL 2009.
Bob Sanders (S): IND 2004-10 & SDG 2011.
Aqib Talib (CB): TB 2008-12, NEW 2012-13, DEN 2014-17 & LAR 2018-19. Ranked #108 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Charles Tillman (CB): CHI 2004-14 & CAR 2015. Ranked #220 on Notinhalloffame.com.
The Chairman’s Defensive Backs Notes:
I was surprised to see Chancellor here, as I would have Eric Berry or Charles Tillman in this spot. Thomas has had his past issues, and despite being (in my opinion) the best DB on the list, they could hold him back in favor of Allen.
Special Teams: (3)
Gary Anderson PK: 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 #206 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 #151 on Notinhalloffame.com.
**Adam Vinatieri PK: 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 #93 on Notinhalloffame.com.
The 18 Special Teams players eliminated were:
David Akers PK: WAS 1998, PHI 1999-2010, SFO 2011-12 & DET 2013. Ranked #280 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Darren Bennett P: SDG 1995-2003 & MIN 2004-05.
Jason Elam PK: DEN 1993-2007 & ATL 2008-09.
Jeff Feagles P: NWE 1988-89, PHI 1989-93, ARI 1994-97, SEA 1998-2002 & NYG 2004-09.
Jason Hanson PK: DET 1992-12.
Sean Landeta P: NYG 1985-93, RAM 1993-94, STL 1995-9 & 2003-046, TAM 1997, GNB 1998 & PHI 2000-01 & 05.
Shane Lechler P: Ranked #110 on Notinhalloffame.com.
John Kasay PK: SEA, 1991-94, CAR 1995-2010 & NOR 2011.
Pat McAfee P: IND 2009-16.
Josh Cribbs PR/KRWR: CLE 2005-12, NYJ 2013 & IND 2014.
Brian Moorman P: BUF 2001-13 & DAL 2012.
Matt Stover PK: CLE 1991-95, BAL 1996-2008 & IND 2009.
Matt Turk P: WAS 1995-99, MIA 2000-01 & 2003-03, NYJ 2002, STL 2006, HOU 2007-11, JAX 2011.
Mike Vanderjadt PK: IND 1998-2005 & DAL 2006.
The Chairman’s Special Teams Notes:
Only one thing: Will Vinatieri make it in year one?
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.
Notinhalloffame List Update: 111-120 on Football Revised
The problem with running a Hall of Fame-related website is that many of the big ones we cover all have announcements within months of each other. The backbone of what we do is list-related, so this results in a long push to revise what we already have; specifically, now with our Football and Basketball Lists.
At present, we have a minor update as we have completed the twelfth ten of the 2024 Football List, which you can comment on and vote on:
The new 111 to 120:
111. Joe Staley
112. Robert Mathis
113. Larry Brown
114. Erich Barnes
115. Willie Anderson
116. Jack Kemp
117. Rick Casares
118. Billy “White Shoes” Johnson
119. Ruben Brown
120. Wilber Marshall
Rankings are impacted annually based on your comments and votes.
Thank you all for your patience. We will soon unveil more changes to the football and basketball lists.
126. Joe Staley
One of the best football players, regardless of the position that Central Michigan ever produced, has to be Joe Staley.
16. Joe Staley
The 2007 28thOverall Draft Pick from Central Michigan, Joe Staley started at Right Tackle in his rookie year for San Francisco before being moved to Left Tackle, where he remained their starter for well over a decade.
The Buck Stops Here -- Hall of Fame News -- Season 1 Episode 17
