Pro Football Hall of Fame to enshrine five in Class of 2026

Ceremony scheduled for Aug. 8 in Canton

Five former players have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026. The Hall’s 50-person Selection Committee met virtually in January to conduct its annual vote.

The Class of 2026 presented by Visual Edge IT was announced during “NFL Honors, presented by Invisalign,” a two-hour primetime awards special broadcast from the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on NBC and NFL Network and streamed on Peacock and NFL+.

The newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame are quarterback DREW BREES, running back ROGER CRAIG, wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD, linebacker LUKE KUECHLY and placekicker ADAM VINATIERI. Craig was among the Finalists in the combined Seniors/Coach/Contributor group; the others came through the Modern-Era Players category. 

Brees, Craig and Vinatieri learned of their election when another Hall of Famer knocked on the door of their homes. Fitzgerald and Kuechly experienced a “reverse knock” – showing up at a site where a Hall of Famer was waiting to deliver the news. Those encounters can be seen Saturday, Feb. 7, when NFL Network debuts a one-hour special “Hall of Fame Knocks: Class of 2026” at 10 p.m. ET.



The Hall of Famers who delivered the news to the new class members were:

• DAN FOUTS, who like Drew Brees played quarterback for the San Diego Chargers.
• RONNIE LOTT and CHARLES HALEY, teammates of Roger Craig’s with the 49ers.
• RANDY MOSS, an early influence on a young Larry Fitzgerald as a member of the Vikings.
• JULIUS PEPPERS, a pro teammate of Luke Kuechly’s with the Panthers.
• MORTEN ANDERSEN, holder of the NFL scoring record until current leader Adam Vinatieri surpassed him.

The annual selection meeting capped the lengthy 2026 selection process. The newly elected Hall of Famers were chosen from a list of 20 Finalists that had been determined over the past several months by the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee; three smaller committees that narrowed the respective lists in the separate Coach, Contributor and Seniors categories; and two screening committees that initially pared the massive list of nominees in the Modern-Era Players and Seniors categories. 

This final step in the selection process for the Class of 2026 was completed with oversight from the firm Ernst & Young LLP, a Hall partner since 2019. EY’s Agreed-Upon Procedures included validating the completeness of the ballots and tabulating the ballots in accordance with the bylaws established by the Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors.

The Hall of Fame’s membership, including the newly elected class, now stands at 387. 

The Class of 2026 presented by Visual Edge IT will be enshrined Saturday, Aug. 8, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. Enshrinement tickets will go on sale in the coming weeks. Weekend packages are available now from On Location. (See below for more information).

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE CLASS OF 2026

Drew Brees

Times as Finalist: 1 | Year of eligibility: 1
Position: Quarterback
Height.: 6-0 | Weight: 209
NFL career: 2001-05 San Diego Chargers, 
2006-2020 New Orleans Saints 
Seasons: 20 | Games: 287
College: Purdue
Drafted: 2nd Round (32nd Overall), 2001
Born: Jan. 15, 1979, in Austin, Texas

Selected with the first pick of the second round (32nd overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft by Chargers … After struggling for three seasons in San Diego, was named PFWA’s Most Improved Player and AP Comeback Player of the Year in 2004 with 3,159 passing yards and posting an 11-4 record as Chargers’ starter … Selected to his first of 13 Pro Bowls that season … Led the NFL in passes completed and percentage of passes completed for six seasons … Led the NFL in passing yardage seven times – all within the 2006 to 2016 seasons after joining New Orleans Saints, when he totaled at least 4,388 yards annually and surpassed the 5,000-yard mark five times … Led the NFL in passing touchdowns 2008-09, 2011-12 … AP Offensive Player of the Year 2008, 2011 … Super Bowl XLIV MVP after leading Saints past Indianapolis Colts … Co-winner of 2006 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award … Career regular-season stats include 80,358 passing yards and 571 passing touchdowns; both rank second in NFL history.  

Roger Craig

Times as Finalist: 3 | Year of eligibility: 28
Position: Running Back
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 222
NFL career: 1983-1990 San Francisco 49ers, 
1991 Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-93 Minnesota Vikings 
Seasons: 11 | Games: 165
College: Nebraska
Drafted: 2nd Round (49th Overall), 1983
Born: July 10, 1960, in Preston, Miss.

Selected with the 49th overall pick of the 1983 NFL Draft after collegiate career at the University of Nebraska that in no way foreshadowed the versatility he would show as a pro … Caught 16 passes in college career; caught 48 as NFL rookie in Bill Walsh’s offense with the 49ers … First-year pro stats also included 725 rushing yards, eight rushing touchdowns, 427 receiving yards and four TD catches … Following season totaled 1,324 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns in helping 49ers to an 18-1 overall record that culminated with a 38-16 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX … Scored three touchdowns (one rushing, two receiving) in that victory … In Year 3 of pro career, became first player to surpass 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season, a mark since matched by only two other players (MARSHALL FAULK, Christian McCaffrey) … Named 1988 AP Offensive Player of the Year after second season of 2,000+ scrimmage yards that included a then-team record 1,502 rushing yards … Career rushing stats: 8,189 yards, 56 touchdowns … Career receiving stats: 566 catches, 4,911 yards, 17 TDs … Three-time Super Bowl champion.

Larry Fitzgerald

Times as Finalist: 1 | Year of eligibility: 1
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 218
NFL career: 2004-2020 Arizona Cardinals 
Seasons: 17 | Games: 263
College: Pittsburgh
Drafted: 1st Round (3rd Overall), 2004
Born: Aug. 31, 1983, in Minneapolis

Selected with the third overall pick of the 2004 NFL Draft and spent entire career with Arizona Cardinals … Immediate starter who contributed 58 receptions for 780 yards and eight touchdowns in first year … In second season, surpassed 1,000 yards (1,409) with a league-leading 103 receptions … Would eclipse 100 catches in a season five times in his career and surpass 90 in three other times … Led NFL in receiving touchdowns twice, 2008-09 … Career stats include 1,432 receptions for 17,492 yards – both ranking second in NFL history … Sixth on the all-time receiving touchdowns list with 121 … Helped Cardinals reach Super Bowl XLIII following 2008 season … In the 2008 playoffs, made 30 receptions for 546 yards (18.2 avg.) with seven touchdowns … Selected to 11 Pro Bowls … Named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s and the NFL 100 All-Time Team … 2016 co-winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

Luke Kuechly

Times as Finalist: 2 | Year of eligibility: 2
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 238
NFL career: 2012-2019 Carolina Panthers
Seasons: 8 | Games: 118
College: Boston College
Drafted: 1st Round (9th Overall), 2012
Born: April 20, 1991, in Cincinnati, Ohio

Run-stopping ability combined with pass coverage skills made him rare inside linebacker to crack Top 10 of NFL drafts in his era … Led National Football League in tackles twice, including rookie season … Won Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2012 … In 2013, upped postseason honors with AP Defensive Player of the Year Award, fist-team AP All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors … In a late December game that season, credited with 24 tackles against the New Orleans Saints, tying an NFL record … Surpassed 100 tackles all eight of his NFL seasons, becoming fifth NFL player since tackles were recorded to reach that mark in eight consecutive seasons … Finished career with nearly 1,100 tackles, 18 interceptions, 66 passes defensed, 12.5 sacks and 31 quarterback hits … His 18 interceptions led all linebackers over the 2012-19 seasons … Named to NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s … Won Butkus Award as NFL’s top linebacker three times (2014, 2015, 2017) ... Received Art Rooney Award for sportsmanship in 2017.

Adam Vinatieri

Times as Finalist: 2 | Year of eligibility: 2
Position: Kicker
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 212
NFL career: 1996-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-2019 Indianapolis Colts
Seasons: 24 | Games: 365
College: South Dakota State
Drafted: Undrafted
Born: Dec. 28, 1972, in Yankton, S.D.

Signed with New England Patriots as undrafted free agent in 1996 … Scored 120 points in first season, earning spot on NFL All-Rookie Team … Over next nine seasons, set nearly every significant kicking and scoring record for Patriots, including career points (1,158), consecutive games with a field goal (25) and longest field goal (57 yards) … Provided margin of victory in two of New England’s three Super Bowl wins during his tenue with last-second field goals against the St. Louis Rams (20-17 in Super Bowl XXXVI) and Carolina Panthers (32-29 in Super Bowl XXXVIII) … Joined Colts as free agent prior to 2006 season and played with team for 14 seasons, setting most franchise kicking and scoring records, including career points (1,515) and most field goals from 50 yards plus (37) … Won fourth Super Bowl ring with Colts … Holds NFL record for career points (2,673), consecutive field goals made (44), career field goals (599) and most seasons with 100+ points (21) among many other season and career marks … Member of the NFL 100 All-Time Team and NFL All-Decade Team of the 2000s.

Selection process

DREW BREES, LARRY FITZGERALD, LUKE KUECHLY and ADAM VINATIERI were elected from the Modern-Era Players pool of candidates that began the Class of 2026 cycle with 128 nominees who last played professional football in the 2020 season. That list was reduced three times (to 52 nominees, 26 Semifinalists and 15 Finalists) before the annual selection meeting.

The other Finalists this year were Willie Anderson, Jahri Evans, Frank Gore, Torry Holt, Eli Manning, Terrell Suggs, Reggie Wayne, Kevin Williams, Jason Witten, Darren Woodson and Marshal Yanda.

During the selection meeting, the list of 15 Finalists was cut to 10, then to 7 before the final vote. In that final vote, a maximum of five and minimum of three individuals could have been elected to the new class, each needing 80% approval from the selectors, who could cast a ballot for five of the remaining seven. By reaching the final 7 but not getting elected (falling short of 80% approval), Anderson, Suggs and Yanda automatically advance to the Finalist stage for the Class of 2027 under the Hall of Fame’s bylaws for the selection process.

ROGER CRAIG was elected from a second pool of five candidates that included the Finalists chosen by the Seniors Blue-Ribbon Committee (Craig, Ken Anderson and L.C. Greenwood), Coach Blue-Ribbon Committee (Bill Belichick) and Contributor Blue-Ribbon Committee (Robert Kraft). Under the Hall’s bylaws, from one to three individuals could have been elected from this group; only Craig reached the required voting threshold.  

Enshrinement Week presented by Novartis

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 will be enshrined in Canton in August. The week’s events will include:

• Thursday, Aug. 6: Hall of Fame Game presented by Novartis (teams to be determined).
• Friday, Aug. 7: Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner presented by Haggar.
• Saturday, Aug. 8: Class of 2026 Enshrinement presented by Visual Edge IT.
• Sunday, Aug. 9: Concert for Legends featuring Lainey Wilson

How to get event tickets

   

• Individual tickets for the Class of 2026 Enshrinement will go on sale Feb. 9. 
• Individual tickets to the Aug. 9 Concert for Legends featuring Lainey Wilson are available here.
• Individual tickets to the Hall of Fame Game will be available in the coming weeks.

VIP travel & hospitality Enshrinement Week package

 

Fans seeking unparalleled access to events surrounding Enshrinement Week presented by Novartis can secure ticket packages from On Location, the official hospitality provider of the NFL. On Location’s ticket packages unlock exclusive moments, such as on field photo opportunities after the Hall of Fame Game, pictures on the Enshrinement stage Saturday and access to a special section to greet returning Hall of Famers as they arrive for Saturday’s ceremony. Visit OnLocationExp.com/PFHOF to explore official ticket packages for Enshrinement Week.