Quarterback Drew Brees and receiver Larry Fitzgerald were selected as two nominees for the 2026 Professional Football Hall of Fame class in their first year of qualification.
Brees and Fitzgerald are two of the most prolific producers in NFL history in passing games, with Brees ranked second in passing and touchdowns and Fitzgerald ranked second in professional catches and yard catches.
In its first year of qualification, 11 other players were also selected as 128 modern nominees for this year's class.
Other nominees in their first year of qualification are quarterbacks Philip Rivers and Alex Smith; Greg Olsen and Jason Witten run back tightly to Frank Gore and Lesean McCoy; offensive wingers David DeCastro and Maurkice Pouncey; defensive rangers Geno Atkins and Jurrell Casey; and guards Thomas Davis.
A screening committee will reduce the candidates to 50 in October, the full 50-member selection committee will reduce the roster to 25, and then reduce 15 finalists, who will vote in the pre-Super Bowl selection meeting in February.
Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald are 13th first-year nominations for the Professional Football Hall of Fame 2026. Chuck Cook – America's movement today
In the matches with Willie Anderson, Torry Holt, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri, four players have secured their place in the last 15 games in the last 15.
Other return-to-finalists are Eli Manning, Fred Taylor, Steve Smith Sr., Reggie Wayne, Jahri Evans, Marshall Yanda, Terrell Suggs and Darren Woodson.
In addition to the 15 finalists in the modern era, the selection committee will also consider three seniors, a coach and a 2026-grade contributor. In the second year of this current format, four to eight new members will be selected.
Last year, only four people participated in the smallest class of 20 years.
Brees and Fitzgerald are the most important new candidates of the year.
Brees was Tom Brady's second time, passing 80,358 yards and 571 touchdown passes. His first five seasons of his career with the San Diego Chargers were all in 2006 before signing with the New Orleans Saints, as he helped restore the city that was still recovering from Hurricane Katrina.
Brees won the MVP of the game after defeating Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in the 2009 season, winning the first Super Bowl title in New Orleans in the 2009 season. Brees won 13 Pro Bowls in his career, won AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2008 and 2011, and was an All-Pro in 2006, and was a second-team global four times.
Fitzgerald was drafted for the third time in 2004 throughout his entire career with the Arizona Cardins. His 1,432 catches and 17,492 yards in 17 seasons, finishing second with Jerry Rice.
Fitzgerald had over 1,000 yards, scored nine times and tied for the fourth time ever – and helped the Cardinal reach the only Super Bowl after the 2008 season. Fitzgerald set a single-season record with seven TD catches for 546 yards in the playoffs, including a 2:37 64 yard score, before the Pittsburgh rally beat Arizona 27-23.