US EditionAdam Vinatieri Makes Hall of Fame, Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft Officially Fall Short
The 2026 class includes five inductees with Brees and Fitzgerald as first-ballot selections, while coach Bill Belichick and owner Robert Kraft were not elected amid tougher voting rules.
- Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald headlined the five-player 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class announced at the NFL Honors show in San Francisco, updated Feb. 5, 2026.
- This year’s selection followed new rule changes that reduced the modern-era finalists from 15 to seven and made it harder to gain entry, producing a smaller class for the second straight year.
- Drew Brees' career totals show 80,358 passing yards and 571 touchdown passes, ranking second all-time to Tom Brady, while his 1,432 catches and 17,492 yards rank second to Jerry Rice.
- Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft were officially left out Thursday, with at least 11 of the 50 voters declining to support Belichick despite his 333 career wins and six Super Bowl titles, and a report last week drew widespread criticism of the voters and selection process.
- Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri made it in their second seasons of eligibility, Roger Craig was the lone senior candidate, and the five inductees will be enshrined in Canton this summer.
67 Articles
67 Articles
Helena Independent Record
Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald headline a Hall of Fame class missing Bill Belichick
This is the second straight year with a smaller class after only four people made it last year as new rule changes made it harder to get into the Hall.
Hall calls Brees, Fitzgerald on first ballot, leaves Belichick on hold
SAN FRANCISCO -- Six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick was officially left out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026, likely opening the door to revisions in the selection process later this year.New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald were elected in their first year of eligibility, and Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly was another headliner in the class.Former N…
Former Patriot Adam Vinatieri headlines a Hall of Fame class missing Bill Belichick
Vinatieri was one of the most clutch kickers in NFL history, making the game-winning field goals in the first two Super Bowl victories during New England’s dynasty with Belichick and Kraft in charge.
Luke Kuechly, Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald headline a Hall of Fame class missing Bill Belichick
Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald headlined the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class featuring five players but not six-time Super Bowl winning head coach Bill Belichick. Brees and Fitzgerald both made it in their first year of eligibility in results announced at NFL Honors. Luke Kuechly and Adam V...
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