To summarize, the Hall of Fame is where your legendary players go after retirement. You play this beautiful game of football to be one of the best to grace the gridiron. Making the Hall is an honor earned by only 382 players. Players get inducted every year, so it’s interesting to see who gets their bust in Canton. With the 15 modern-day semifinalists being announced, let’s dive into the five players who should be enshrined.
First Ballot Hall of Famer: Drew Brees
He won’t be the last player who will make it on the first ballot this year, but let’s start with Drew Brees. He was the quarterback for the San Diego Chargers from 2001 to 2005, and from 2006 to 2020, he played for the New Orleans Saints. Brees suffered a right shoulder dislocation with a complete labrum tear and rotator cuff tear in 2005, which left his playing days up in the air. The Saints and Sean Payton took a chance on him and never looked back.
Once he got to the Saints, he was a different monster. Brees led the league in passing yards in his first season in NOLA, the first of his seven seasons in which he led the NFL in passing yards. When he was playing at his peak, did the team have much success? Absolutely not. He was the captain and big fish in a small pond. However, after Hurricane Katrina, Brees would lead the team to their first and only Super Bowl win over Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in 2010.
He would retire after the 2020 season with a plethora of individual awards, 13x Pro Bowler, 2x OPoY, and the all-time passing yards, TDs, and completions leader. He would be usurped by Tom Brady eventually, but what record doesn’t Brady have, haha? Drew should 100% be in the Hall of Fame and will make it on the first ballot.
Best Hands Ever: Larry Fitzgerald
When you want to talk about consistency, look no further than Cardinals’ WR Larry Fitzgerald. To put this into perspective, he has more career tackles than he does drops. Yes, you read that right. The 11-time Pro Bowler was the best player on the Cardinals since being drafted 3rd overall in the 2004 NFL Draft. Was he on a dominant team? No, quite the opposite, only making the playoffs in four of his 17 years.
His performances in his first playoff run should be in the Hall of Fame by themselves. In the four games, he finished with 30 catches on his 42 targets, 546 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns. That Cardinals team almost beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl 43 if it wasn’t for one of the best game-winning drives of all time.
When he hung the cleats up, Fitz finished second in catches (1,432), second in receiving yards (17,492), and 6th in receiving touchdowns (121). His numbers alone should get him in the Hall of Fame, but his consistent greatness and character put him over the top—another no-doubter in many voters’ eyes.
Tackling Machine: Luke Kuechly
For some people, he didn’t play long enough. Carolina Panthers‘ superstar Luke Kuechly played only from 2012 to 2019, but he reached a peak that few players ever did. He was Defensive Rookie of the Year in 20213, and by 2013, he was Defensive Player of the Year. He would go on to make seven All-Pros, with five of them first-team.
The only knock you could ever put on his resume was that he didn’t have a long career. I will not be one of those people. He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame for how quickly he became the best player on a Panthers team that contended for NFC South titles, went 15-1, and made the Super Bowl in 2015. Even if he isn’t first ballot, Kuechly will make the Hall of Fame.
The Best Kicker of All Time: Adam Vinatieri
I don’t care that he’s a Kicker. Kickers and Punters are players, too. I call kickers “The Big Exhale,” and that was what Vinatieri was for the Patriots for so many years, from Super Bowl-winning kicks to Mr. Automatic. People don’t know what they have until it’s gone. When you don’t have a good kicker, every kick your heart is pounding out of your chest. He is the NFL’s all-time leader in points, field goals attempted, and field goals made. He was also a three-time first-team All-Pro. The best kicker of all time deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame.
Professional Run Stuffer: Terrell Suggs
Terrell Suggs, or as some people call him, T-Sizzle, deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Since sacks became an official stat, he ranks 8th on the all-time sack leaderboard. Suggs was also great from day one, winning Defensive Rookie of the Year Honors in 2003. The 7-time Pro Bowler was also given Defensive Player of the Year honors back in 2011. A cornerstone piece for some of the best Ravens defenses since their legendary team back in 2000, he should get in the Hall of Fame. He is also the NFL’s all-time leader in tackles for loss.
Final Thoughts
Many players who were left off the list deserve to make the Hall, including Eli Manning, Reggie Wayne, and Torry Holt. They should make it, but I wanted to spotlight those five. Who would you put in the Hall of Fame if you were a voter?
As always, thank you so much for checking out my thoughts on who should get in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026! Be sure to check out our other amazing content here at New Leaf News! We hope you’re enjoying your day and look forward to seeing you again soon.
