Only one former Cleveland Browns player makes candidate list for HOF Class of 2026

Cleveland could add to its current tally of 26 HOFers through the Coach's category, where there are three names up for consideration.

Aug 1, 2024; Canton, Ohio, USA; Exterior view of the Professional Football Hall of Fame before the Chicago Bears and the Houston Texans play at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Pro Football Hall of Fame revealed this Wednesday its list of 52 modern era players selected as candidates for induction as part of the Class of 2026.

Surprisingly, only one of those 52 players has Cleveland Browns ties.

Lomas Brown, an offensive lineman who played in the NFL for 18 seasons, spent one of those years with the Browns, 1999. Brown, a seven-time Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro once, is one of 12 offensive lineman up for enshrinement in Canton among the group.

52 Modern-Era Players advance in the voting process for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026 https://t.co/u7ocphUHPP pic.twitter.com/NQZnZvpcvR

— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) October 22, 2025

Brown came into the league in 1985 as a first-round pick for the Lions out of Florida, and also spent time with the Cardinals, Giants and Buccaneers as a pro. During his lone season in Cleveland, he started the 10 games he played at left tackle for a franchise in its first year after rebirth.

Nonetheless, Cleveland could still gain a little more representation in Canton this year, due to the three coaches selected as candidates for induction with ties to the Browns.

Marty Schottenheimer served as the franchise’s defensive coordinator from 1980 to 1984, when he became the interim head coach, and stayed on as permanent head coach from 1985 to 1988. Undoubtedly the most successful head coach in the team’s recent history, the Browns won their division in three of his four years at the helm, and still made the playoffs in that other season (1988) as the second-ranked team in the old AFC Central. Under his leadership, the Browns made the AFC Conference Game in back-to-back years, for the 1986 and 1987 seasons.

Cleveland has just won three postseason games since Schottenheimer left the club.

Bill Belichick took over as head coach of the Browns in 1991, and stayed with the team until the 1995 season, after which then-owner Art Modell moved the franchise to Baltimore. The team inherited its previous incarnations history, records and colors when it resumed play for the 1999 season, with the Baltimore team being regarded as an expansion club. During his five years calling the shots for Cleveland, Belichick led the team to one postseason appearance, including a win in the wild card round against the Patriots, who would later on become Belichick’s team.

Cleveland has only won one playoff game since Belichick was fired at the end of the 1999 campaign.

Belichick’s tenure with the team is best remembered for the number of assistants and staff personnel that went on to have successful careers in various roles elsewhere, including Nick Saban, Eric Mangini, Rick Venturi, Michael Lombardi, Kirk Ferentz, Pat Hill, Ozzie Newsome, Phil Savage, Scott Pioli, Al Groh, Jim Bates, Scott Pioli and others.

Mike Holmgren’s time with the team was not spent as a coach, but as team president, from 2010 to 2012, and although he was not successful in an executive role, he did lead two different franchises to the Super Bowl, winning one and losing one with the Packers before returning with the Seahawks.

Currently, there are 26 Hall of Famers in Canton associated with the Cleveland Browns franchise.

Cleveland could also add a few more names to the candidates list, when names for the Seniors and Contributor categories are announced later this week.

The final announcement for the members of the 2026 Hall of Fame Class will take place during Super Bowl week, next February.