Overview

• Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald headline 13 first-year eligibles, joined by Philip Rivers, Alex Smith, Jason Witten, Greg Olsen, Frank Gore, LeSean McCoy, David DeCastro, Maurkice Pouncey, Geno Atkins, Jurrell Casey and Thomas Davis.
• The nominee pool comprises 77 offensive players, 42 defensive players and nine special teams specialists.
• The process will reduce the field from 128 to 50 next month, then to 25 semifinalists later in the fall, and to 15 finalists before the Super Bowl selection meeting.
• Because they reached the final seven in 2025, Willie Anderson, Torry Holt, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri automatically begin this cycle in the final 15.
• Voting is overseen by Ernst & Young; finalists must receive at least 80% support, the class will include three to five modern-era players, and enshrinement is scheduled for August 2026 in Canton.