Two of Most Important All-Time Colts Greats on Cusp of Hall of Fame

Indianapolis Colts legends Reggie Wayne and Adam Vinatieri stand one vote from football immortality.

Former Indianapolis Colts Reggie Wayne greets his fans in the Northeast corner of the stadium after he was inducted into the Colts Ring of Honor during halftime of the Colts game against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018. The Indianapolis Colts Host The Tennessee Titans In Nfl Action | Matt Kryger/IndyStar

The Pro Football Hall of Fame released its 15 modern-era finalists for the Class of 2026 on Tuesday, and two pillars of Indianapolis Colts history are officially on the doorstep. Reggie Wayne and Adam Vinatieri were both named finalists, placing them one vote away from football immortality.

Reggie and Vinny are finalists for the pro football hall of fame class of 2026. 🌟 pic.twitter.com/akPI0iahN3

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) December 30, 2025

For Wayne, this step reflects a process that has taken longer than it should have. This is his seventh trip through the semifinalist stage and his first advancement to finalist status, a long wait for one of the defining wide receivers of the modern era.

Wayne spent his entire 14-year career in Indianapolis, becoming the model of consistency inside an offense that helped define the NFL’s passing explosion. He retired ranked 10th all-time in receptions (1,070) and receiving yards (14,345), with 92 touchdowns and six Pro Bowl selections along the way.

His 2010 season remains one of the most efficient campaigns of the Peyton Manning era, earning first-team All-Pro honors while serving as the steady heartbeat of the Colts’ aerial attack.

Wayne was not just productive, but foundational, playing a central role in the franchise’s Super Bowl XLI championship and multiple AFC title runs.

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Vinatieri’s candidacy, meanwhile, arrives with immediate gravity. This is his first year of eligibility, and he advanced straight to finalist status as the most accomplished kicker the sport has ever seen.

The numbers are historic and unmatched: 2,673 career points, 599 made field goals, and 238 postseason points, all-time NFL records.

Vinatieri also owns four Super Bowl rings—three with the New England Patriots and one with Indianapolis—and authored some of the most iconic kicks in league history, including game-winners in Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII.

Jan 5, 2019; Houston, TX, USA; Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri (4) against the Houston Texans during the AFC Wild Card at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Though some of his most famous kicks came in New England, Vinatieri’s longevity and dominance were defined in Indianapolis.

For 14 seasons with the Colts, he was the ultimate closer, delivering calm in chaos and turning high-leverage moments into routine outcomes.

Wayne and Vinatieri advanced from a pool of 26 semifinalists announced in late November, a list that included other Colts greats but ultimately narrowed to a loaded finalist group headlined by Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Eli Manning, and Luke Kuechly. 

The final decision now rests with the Hall’s 50-member selection committee, which will choose up to five modern-era inductees.

The Class of 2026 will be revealed at NFL Honors on February 5, just days before Super Bowl LX. Until then, Indianapolis waits, hopeful that two of its most iconic legends are finally about to take their permanent place in Canton.