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Pro Football Hall of Fame Announces Semifinalists for Class of 2026
The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced their 26 Modern-Era Semifinalists for the Hall of Fame Class of 2026 on Tuesday morning.
The list includes five players in their first year of eligibility, 19 players who have reached the Semifinalist stage before, and two players who aren't in their first year of eligibility—but have reached the Semifinalist stage for the first time.
By rule, the Hall typically nominates 25 Semifinalists. However, a tie in this year’s voting results for the 25th position extended the list to 26.
A total of 26 candidates in the Modern-Era Players category have reached the Semifinalist stage for possible election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 presented by Visual Edge IT. https://t.co/nWSYaYL4nz pic.twitter.com/Wd1HQ3SOyz
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) November 25, 2025
Here is a complete look at the 26 Semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026:
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Who is a Semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026?
Quarterback
Player | Times as Semifinalist |
|---|---|
Drew Brees | 1 |
Eli Manning | 2 |
Philip Rivers | 1 |
Running Back
Player | Times as Semifinalist |
|---|---|
Frank Gore | 1 |
Fred Taylor | 7 |
Wide Receiver
Player | Times as Semifinalist |
|---|---|
Larry Fitzgerald | 1 |
Torry Holt | 12 |
Steve Smith Sr. | 5 |
Hines Ward | 10 |
Reggie Wayne | 7 |
Tight End
Player | Times as Semifinalist |
|---|---|
Jason Witten | 1 |
Offensive Line
Player | Times as Semifinalist |
|---|---|
Willie Anderson | 6 |
Lomas Brown | 1 |
Jahri Evans | 4 |
Richmond Webb | 2 |
Steve Wisniewski | 3 |
Marshal Yanda | 2 |
Defensive Back
Player | Times as Semifinalist |
|---|---|
Rodney Harrison | 5 |
Earl Thomas | 2 |
Darren Woodson | 10 |
Linebacker
Player | Times as Semifinalist |
|---|---|
Luke Keuchly | 2 |
Terrell Suggs | 2 |
Defensive Line
Player | Times as Semifinalist |
|---|---|
Robert Mathis | 5 |
Vince Wilfork | 5 |
Kevin Williams | 1 |
Special Teams
Player | Times as Semifinalist |
|---|---|
Adam Vinatieri | 2 |
The above list was narrowed down from a group of 128 nominees that were announced back in September.
The next step in the voting process is to cut this list to 15 later this year. From there, they will be grouped with three Seniors, one Coach, and one Contributor to create a group of 20 Finalists.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 will be then be announced at “NFL Honors” in San Francisco ahead of Super Bowl LX. They will be enshrined in Canton, Ohio next August.
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Mike Kadlick is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the New England Patriots for WEEI sports radio in Boston and continues to do so for CLNS Media. He has a master's in public relations from Boston University. Kadlick is also an avid runner and a proud lover of all things pizza.