While most of the sporting world is looking toward the Super Bowl, the NFL Honors has always been our primary focus, as it features the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Class. This year, we learned that five new entrants, Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly, Adam Vinatieri, and Roger Craig (Senior), will be Canton-bound.
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, and is a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee on his first attempt.
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). Like Brees, Fitzgerald only needed one year of eligibility to enter the Hall.
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. He enters the Hall in his second year of the ballot.
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). Like Kuechly, he is a second-year inductee.
Roger Craig: Running Back, SFO 1983-90, RAI 1991 & MIN 1992-93. The first player to accumulate 1,000 Yards Rushing and Receiving, Craig won three Super Bowls, was the Offensive Player of the Year, earned four Pro Bowls, and was a First Team All-Pro. From Scrimmage, he had 73 Touchdowns and 13,100 Yards. Craig was a Modern Finalist in 2010 and a Senior Finalist in 2020, and is the only candidate to enter via the Seniors/Coaches/Contributor section.
Thanks to Clark Judge, who posted his roundup on Jack Silverstein’s WordPress site (take a look at this, as it is worth the read, and while you are there, read Jack’s other articles!), we have additional information about the cuts.
Jahri Evans, Torry Holt, Eli Manning, Reggie Wayne, and Kevin Williams were cut from 15 to 10, with Holt’s first cut being the biggest surprise, as he was a top-seven finisher last year. Holt still has time, but this is a significant step backward.
Frank Gore, Jason Witten, and Darren Woodson were then cut from 10 to 7, and Willie Anderson, Marshal Yanda, and Terrell Suggs made it to the final seven before failing to make the vote. As such, Anderson, Suggs, and Yanda are automatic finalists for 2027.
In late March, we will begin work on revising our Notinhalloffame list of those to consider for the PFHOF. This will reflect the removal of the five who were elected, the addition of the big names who are eligible, and changes to existing players based on your votes and comments.
We here at Notinhalloffame would like to congratulate the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
Comments powered by CComment