(Photo: Parker Waters)
Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is one of five members of the Class of 2026 of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The class was announced Thursday night in San Francisco as part of NFL Honors.
The rest of the class includes Roger Craig, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri. All were elected from the Modern-Era Players category except Craig, who was selected from the combined Seniors/Coach/Contributor group.
Brees is the fourth player to be selected for the Hall while playing more years in New Orleans than any other city, joining Rickey Jackson, Morten Andersen and William Roaf.
The other three finalists with local ties – former Saints offensive guard Jahri Evans and New Orleans natives Eli Manning and Reggie Wayne – did not make the cut to the final seven.
The Hall of Fame’s membership, including the newly elected class, now stands at 387.
Brees, who retired after the 2020 season, earned induction in his first year of eligibility, becoming the first Saints player to achieve first-ballot status. He joins a five-member class that includes wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (also a first-ballot selection), linebacker Luke Kuechly, kicker Adam Vinatieri, and running back Roger Craig.
Over a remarkable 20-year career—five seasons with the San Diego Chargers (2001-2005) and 15 with the Saints (2006-2020)—Brees established himself as one of the NFL’s most prolific passers. He led the Saints to their lone Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl XLIV following the 2009 season, earning game MVP honors after throwing for 288 yards and two touchdowns.
Brees retired holding numerous NFL records, including the league’s all-time leader in passing yards (80,358) and completions at the time, and ranks second in career touchdown passes with 571. He was the first quarterback to eclipse 4,000 passing yards in 12 consecutive seasons and achieved five 5,000-yard passing campaigns, an NFL record. A 13-time Pro Bowl selection, he also earned two AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year awards and was named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year in 2010.
After being released by the Chargers in 2006 amid concerns over his surgically repaired throwing shoulder, Brees revitalized his career in New Orleans, transforming the franchise and helping the city recover in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The Class of 2026 presented by Visual Edge IT will be enshrined Saturday, Aug. 8, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. Enshrinement tickets will go on sale in the coming weeks.
PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2026
DREW BREES
Times as Finalist: 1 | Year of Eligibility: 1 Position: Quarterback
Ht.: 6-0, Wt.: 209
NFL Career: 2001-05 San Diego Chargers,
2006-2020 New Orleans Saints
Seasons: 20, Games: 287
College: Purdue
Drafted: 2nd Round (32nd Overall), 2001
Born: Jan. 15, 1979, in Austin, Texas
Selected with the first pick of the second round (32nd overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft by Chargers … After struggling for three seasons in San Diego, was named PFWA’s Most Improved Player and AP Comeback Player of the Year in 2004 with 3,159 passing yards and posting an 11-4 record as Chargers’ starter … Selected to his first of 13 Pro Bowls that season … Led the NFL in passes completed and percentage of passes completed for six seasons … Led the NFL in passing yardage seven times – all within the 2006 to 2016 seasons after joining New Orleans Saints, when he totaled at least 4,388 yards annually and surpassed the 5,000-yard mark five times … Led the NFL in passing touchdowns 2008-09, 2011-12 … AP Offensive Player of the Year 2008, 2011 … Super Bowl XLIV MVP after leading Saints past Indianapolis Colts … Co-winner of 2006 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award … Career regular-season stats include 80,358 passing yards and 571 passing touchdowns; both rank second in NFL history.
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ROGER CRAIG
Times as Finalist: 3 | Year of Eligibility: 28 Position: Running Back
Ht.: 6-0, Wt.: 222
NFL Career: 1983-1990 San Francisco 49ers,
1991 Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-93 Minnesota Vikings
Seasons: 11, Games: 165
College: Nebraska
Drafted: 2nd Round (49th Overall), 1983
Born: July 10, 1960, in Preston, Miss.
Selected with the 49th overall pick of the 1983 NFL Draft after collegiate career at the University of Nebraska that in no way foreshadowed the versatility he would show as a pro … Caught 16 passes in college career; caught 48 as NFL rookie in Bill Walsh’s offense with the 49ers … First-year pro stats also included 725 rushing yards, eight rushing touchdowns, 427 receiving yards and four TD catches … Following season totaled 1,324 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns in helping 49ers to an 18-1 overall record that culminated with a 38-16 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX … Scored three touchdowns (one rushing, two receiving) in that victory … In Year 3 of pro career, became first player to surpass 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season, a mark since matched by only two other players (MARSHALL FAULK, Christian McCaffrey) … Named 1988 AP Offensive Player of the Year after second season of 2,000+ scrimmage yards that included a then-team record 1,502 rushing yards … Career rushing stats: 8,189 yards, 56 touchdowns … Career receiving stats: 566 catches, 4,911 yards, 17 TDs … Three-time Super Bowl champion.
LARRY FITZGERALD
Times as Finalist: 1 | Year of Eligibility: 1 Position: Wide Receiver
Ht.: 6-3, Wt.: 218
NFL Career: 2004-2020 Arizona Cardinals
Seasons: 17, Games: 263
College: Pittsburgh
Drafted: 1st Round (3rd Overall), 2004
Born: Aug. 31, 1983, in Minneapolis
Selected with the third overall pick of the 2004 NFL Draft and spent entire career with Arizona Cardinals … Immediate starter who contributed 58 receptions for 780 yards and eight touchdowns in first year … In second season, surpassed 1,000 yards (1,409) with a league-leading 103 receptions … Would eclipse 100 catches in a season five times in his career and surpass 90 in three other times … Led NFL in receiving touchdowns twice, 2008-09 … Career stats include 1,432 receptions for 17,492 yards – both ranking second in NFL history … Sixth on the all-time receiving touchdowns list with 121 … Helped Cardinals reach Super Bowl XLIII following 2008 season … In the 2008 playoffs, made 30 receptions for 546 yards (18.2 avg.) with seven touchdowns … Selected to 11 Pro Bowls … Named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s and the NFL 100 All-Time Team … 2016 co-winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.
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LUKE KUECHLY
Times as Finalist: 2 | Year of Eligibility: 2 Position: Linebacker
Ht.: 6-3, Wt.: 238
NFL Career: 2012-2019 Carolina Panthers
Seasons: 8, Games: 118
College: Boston College
Drafted: 1st Round (9th Overall), 2012
Born: April 20, 1991, in Cincinnati, Ohio
Run-stopping ability combined with pass coverage skills made him rare inside linebacker to crack Top 10 of NFL drafts in his era … Led National Football League in tackles twice, including rookie season … Won Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2012 … In 2013, upped postseason honors with AP Defensive Player of the Year Award, fist-team AP All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors … In a late December game that season, credited with 24 tackles against the New Orleans Saints, tying an NFL record … Surpassed 100 tackles all eight of his NFL seasons, becoming fifth NFL player since tackles were recorded to reach that mark in eight consecutive seasons … Finished career with nearly 1,100 tackles, 18 interceptions, 66 passes defensed, 12.5 sacks and 31 quarterback hits … His 18 interceptions led all linebackers over the 2012-19 seasons … Named to NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s … Won Butkus Award as NFL’s top linebacker three times (2014, 2015, 2017) … Received Art Rooney Award for sportsmanship in 2017.
ADAM VINATIERI
Times as Finalist: 2 | Year of Eligibility: 2 Position: Kicker
Ht.: 6-0, Wt.: 212
NFL Career: 1996-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-2019 Indianapolis Colts
Seasons: 24, Games: 365
College: South Dakota State
Drafted: Undrafted
Born: Dec. 28, 1972, in Yankton, S.D.
Signed with New England Patriots as undrafted free agent in 1996 … Scored 120 points in first season, earning spot on NFL All-Rookie Team … Over next nine seasons, set nearly every significant kicking and scoring record for Patriots, including career points (1,158), consecutive games with a field goal (25) and longest field goal (57 yards) … Provided margin of victory in two of New England’s three Super Bowl wins during his tenue with last-second field goals against the St. Louis Rams (20-17 in Super Bowl XXXVI) and Carolina Panthers (32-29 in Super Bowl XXXVIII) … Joined Colts as free agent prior to 2006 season and played with team for 14 seasons, setting most franchise kicking and scoring records, including career points (1,515) and most field goals from 50 yards plus (37) … Won fourth Super Bowl ring with Colts … Holds NFL record for career points (2,673), consecutive field goals made (44), career field goals (599) and most seasons with 100+ points (21) among many other season and career marks … Member of the NFL 100 All-Time Team and NFL All-Decade Team of the 2000s.