The 2025 NFL season is nearing it’s end, and with it comes the hope for the playoffs for some teams, while others are already working on draft boards.
Sadly for Dallas Cowboys fans, America’s Team is taking another year off from the postseason, and heads into New York with a chance to pull to 8-8-1.
It is also that time of year for the NFL Hall of Fame Committee to announce who is eligible for the distinguished honor of receiving a gold jacket this upcoming fall.
The Hall of Fame ceremonies kick off in early August, headlined by the first preseason game of the 2026 NFL season on August 6, 2026.
There are two former Cowboys who are hoping to be enshrined that weekend: S Darren Woodson and TE Jason Witten.
The Full List
The NFL Hall of Fame Committee announced 15 finalists for the most distinguished honor of an NFL player’s career.
Here they are, along with the team and years they played for:
OT Willie Anderson: Cincinnati Bengals (1996-2007) and Baltimore Ravens (2008)
QB Drew Brees: San Diego Chargers (2001-2005) and New Orleans Saints (2006-2020)
G Jahri Evans: New Orleans Saints (2006-2016) and Green Bay Packers (2017)
WR Larry Fitzgerald: Arizona Cardinals (2004-2020)
RB Frank Gore: San Francisco 49ers (2005-2014), Indianapolis Colts (2015-2017), Miami Dolphins (2018), Buffalo Bills (2019), and New York Jets (2020)
WR Torry Holt: St. Louis Rams (1999-2008) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2009)
LB Luke Kuechly: Carolina Panthers (2012-2019)
QB Eli Manning: New York Giants (2004-2019)
DE Terrell Suggs: Baltimore Ravens (2003-2018), Arizona Cardinals (2019), and Kansas City Chiefs (2019)
K Adam Vinatieri: New England Patriots (1996-2005) and Indianapolis Colts (2006-2019)
WR Reggie Wayne: Indianapolis Colts (2001-2014)
DT Kevin Williams: Minnesota Vikings (2003-2013), Seattle Seahawks (2014), and New Orleans Saints (2015)
TE Jason Witten: Dallas Cowboys (2003-2017, 2019) and Las Vegas Raiders (2020)
S Darren Woodson: Dallas Cowboys (1992-2003)
OL Marshal Yanda: Baltimore Ravens (2007-2019)
First Ballot Selections?
Out of these 15 names, four players are eligible for the first time, and each player has a case to be selected on their first ballot.
QB Drew Brees
Drew Brees might be the biggest shoe-in of them all.
All he accomplished in his career is win SB XLIV (along with MVP of the game) and rank second all-time in passing yards (80,358) and touchdown passes (571).
WR Larry Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald holds all of Arizona’s franchise records for receiving, and should be an easy selection on his first ballot.
Catching passes from QB Kurt Warner, Fitzgerald did everything in his power to get the Arizona Cardinals as close to a Super Bowl victory as they’ve ever been in franchise history.
RB Frank Gore
Gore makes it three for three for the offensive side of the ball.
Spending the prime of his career in San Francisco, Gore ranks third all-time in rushing yards, trailing only Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton.
TE Jason Witten
Witten rounds out the possible first ballot selections as the Dallas Cowboys all-time leader in receptions (1,215) and yards (12,977).
The former Tennessee Volunteer caught the bulk of his passes from his best friend, Tony Romo.
Witten did spend one year with the Las Vegas Raiders before returning to the Dallas Cowboys for his final season in 2020.
It wouldn’t surprise anyone to see Witten get his gold jacket in his first year of eligibility.
The Forgotten Cowboy
I have made it loud and clear on social media and in a couple of articles on this website: former Cowboys S Darren Woodson should have been a first-ballot selection, but instead is still waiting 23 years after his retirement.
Well, Woodson gets another chance now as he has once again advanced as a finalist.
Woodson was the first safety to also double as a nickel cornerback, covering great wide receivers in the slot back when it was a new offensive trend.
Cowboys’ defensive coordinators were using Woodson as a chess piece on defense.
He played in coverage, run support, blitzed quarterbacks, and even played on special teams.
If Woodson has to wait another year, it would be a shame.
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