On Wednesday, the list of 128 players from the modern era nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 was announced. The list included 13 players who are up for consideration for the first time.
Leading the way were three quarterbacks: Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, and Alex Smith. That was the highest number among first-time nominees for any single position group. Other players up for consideration for the first time include wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, tight ends Greg Olsen and Jason Witten, and linebacker Thomas Davis.
Overall, the list of 128 players includes 77 players on the offensive side of the ball, 42 defensive players, and nine players who played primarily on special teams.
The next step in the process is in the hands of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Screening Committee. They will reduce the list of 128 players down to 50, with those results coming next month.
Following that screening process, the full 50-person Hall of Fame Selection Committee will trim the list down to 25 semi-finalists, and a further reduction will trim the list down to the 15 “Modern-Era Player Finalists.”
Those former players will be debated at the annual Hall of Fame Selection Meeting, which takes place ahead of the Super Bowl.
