CANTON, Ohio — Former Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins is one of 13 players in their first year of eligibility to be nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 in the Modern-Era category.
Former Bengals offensive lineman Willie Anderson and former Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, a 2009 St. Xavier High School graduate, are automatically in the final 15 for the Class of 2026 since both reached the final seven stage for the Class of 2025. That list also consists of former wide receiver Torry Holt and former kicker Adam Vinatieri.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced its nomination list of 128 Modern-Era players on Wednesday morning.
The first-year eligible players also include quarterbacks Drew Brees and Philip Rivers along with wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, tight ends Greg Olsen and Jason Witten along with running backs Frank Gore and LeSean McCoy.
The roster of nominees consists of 77 offensive players, 42 defensive players and nine special teams players.
A screening committee will reduce the list to 50 players (plus ties, if any for the 50th spot) by mid-October.
The list will be reduced to 25 semifinalists later this fall. Another vote will create the list of 15 Modern-Era Player Finalists who will be discussed at the annual selection meeting ahead of Super Bowl LX.
The Class of 2026 can consists of three, four or five Modern-Era players under the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s bylaws.
MODERN-ERA NOMINEES
FOR THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2026
*-Finalist (final 15) for the Class of 2025. Underline indicates first year of eligibility. (Players must have last played at least five full seasons ago to be eligible for nomination. Therefore, any individual who last played in 2020 is eligible for the first time in 2026.)
QUARTERBACKS (10): Drew Brees, Randall Cunningham, Jake Delhomme, Rich Gannon, Jeff Garcia, *-Eli Manning, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair, Philip Rivers, Alex Smith.
RUNNING BACKS (21): Shaun Alexander, Mike Alstott (FB), Tiki Barber, Larry Centers (FB),
Jamaal Charles, Corey Dillon, Warrick Dunn, Arian Foster, Eddie George, Frank Gore, Priest Holmes, Steven Jackson, Chris Johnson, Thomas Jones, Jamal Lewis, Marshawn Lynch, LeSean McCoy, Eric Metcalf (also WR/PR/KR), Lorenzo Neal (FB), *-Fred Taylor, Ricky Watters.
WIDE RECEIVERS (18): Anquan Boldin, Donald Driver, Larry Fitzgerald, *-Torry Holt, Chad Johnson, Brandon Lloyd, Brandon Marshall, Derrick Mason, Herman Moore, Muhsin Muhammad, Jordy Nelson, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, *-Steve Smith Sr., Hines Ward, *-Reggie Wayne, Wes Welker, Roddy White.
TIGHT ENDS (6): Vernon Davis, Zach Miller, Greg Olsen, Wesley Walls, Delanie Walker, Jason Witten.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (22): *-Willie Anderson (T), Matt Birk (C), Lomas Brown (T), Ruben Brown (G), Ryan Clady (T), David DeCastro (G), *-Jahri Evans (G), Jordan Gross (T), Ryan Kalil (C), Olin Kreutz (C), Nick Mangold (C), Logan Mankins (G), Tom Nalen (C), Maurkice Pouncey (C), Jeff Saturday (C), Josh Sitton (G), Joe Staley (T), Brian Waters (G), Richmond Webb (T), Erik Williams (T), Steve Wisniewski (G), *-Marshal Yanda (G).
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (13): John Abraham (DE also LB), Geno Atkins (DT), Jurrell Casey (DT), Elvis Dumervil (DE), La’Roi Glover (DT/NT), Robert Mathis (DE), Haloti Ngata (DT),
Jay Ratliff (DE), Simeon Rice (DE), Justin Smith (DE), Ted Washington (NT/DT), Vince Wilfork (DT/NT), Kevin Williams (DT).
LINEBACKERS (14): NaVorro Bowman, Lance Briggs, Tedy Bruschi, Thomas Davis, James Farrior, London Fletcher, James Harrison, A.J. Hawk, *-Luke Kuechly, Clay Matthews III, Dat Nguyen, Takeo Spikes, *-Terrell Suggs, Lee Woodall.
DEFENSIVE BACKS (15): Eric Berry (S), Kam Chancellor (S), Nick Collins (S), DeAngelo Hall (DB), Rodney Harrison (S), James Hasty (CB), Carnell Lake (DB), Allen Rossum (DB), Asante Samuel (CB), Patrick Surtain (CB), Earl Thomas (S), Charles Tillman (CB), Troy Vincent (CB), Adrian Wilson (S), *-Darren Woodson (S).
PUNTERS/KICKERS (7): David Akers (K), Gary Anderson (K), Jason Hanson (K), John Kasay (K), Sean Landeta (P), Shane Lechler (P), *-Adam Vinatieri (K).
SPECIAL TEAMS (2): Josh Cribbs (KR/PR also WR), Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB).
In addition to 15 Modern-Era Player Finalists, the 50-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee will discuss three Seniors Finalists, a Coach Finalist and a Contributor Finalist as potential members of the Class of 2026. While there is no set number for any class, the selection process bylaws provide that between four and eight new members will be elected.
Finalists must receive at least 80% support from the Selection Committee to join the Class of 2026. The Modern-Era Player Finalists will be trimmed during the annual selection meeting from 15 to 10, then to seven. Committee members then will vote for five of the seven Finalists.
Because they reached the final seven for the Class of 2025, nominees Willie Anderson, Torry Holt, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri automatically advance to the final 15 for the Class of 2026.
This year’s reduction voting will be completed with oversight from the firm Ernst & Young LLP, a Hall partner since 2019. EY’s Agreed-Upon Procedures include 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 Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 will be enshrined next August.
