Oklahoma State With Decisions to Make About Ring of Honor in 2026
In this story:
Oklahoma State recently announced its newest addition to the Ring of Honor, which could usher in a new era for the annual tradition.
On Thursday, OSU announced that superstar wide receiver Justin Blackmon would be the next addition to the Ring of Honor inside Boone Pickens Stadium. His inclusion was always a matter of when, not if, but it does show that OSU is willing to induct players from the modern era.
Before Blackmon, OSU’s Ring of Honor consisted only of players from before 2000. The most recent player inducted before Blackmon was Barry Sanders, who last played with OSU in 1988. Blackmon also recently became OSU’s newest member of the College Football Hall of Fame in 2024, joining the five current members of the Ring of Honor.
While Blackmon’s inclusion places him as the lone player to play under Mike Gundy in the Ring of Honor, he also marks the final OSU player in the College Football Hall of Fame to get his name up. This could lead to various different avenues for the Cowboys to take, beginning in 2026.
OSU could simply continue to induct members of the College Football Hall of Fame by adding its two coaching representatives. Jimmy Johnson and Lynn “Pappy” Waldorf. Of course, it would make more sense to keep it strictly players, which leads OSU down two potential roads.
It could decide to make the Ring of Honor a more scarce tradition rather than doing it every season. Now that every OSU player who has made the College Football Hall of Fame is inducted, there might be less urgency to get a name up every season.
Should the Cowboys continue to make the Ring of Honor an annual tradition, adding in some more players who have earned lesser recognition than the Hall of Fame or even adding fan favorites could be the best move.
That could mean adding impact players from historic teams like Brandon Weeden or adding career leaders like Mason Rudolph. OSU has plenty of great players to add to the Ring of Honor, but it has a decision to make after Blackmon makes his appearance in 2025.
Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.