Congratulations to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 -- which will be enshrined Saturday in Canton, Ohio -- on this tremendous honor. I’m particularly stoked for Sterling Sharpe, one of the best receivers to ever do it despite having his career cut short due to injury. To be honest, I didn’t predict him getting in this time. I was happy to be wrong, though, and thrilled that Sharpe is finally getting the recognition he deserves.
That miss won’t stop me from providing my prediction for the Class of 2026, which will be revealed at NFL Honors in February.
ONE NOTE: This is not a list of players who I believe should get in, but rather my prediction of who will get in.
THE LOCKS
San Diego Chargers, 2001-05; New Orleans Saints, 2006-2020
One of the reasons I thought Eli Manning would get in last year: The backlog of top-notch quarterback candidates is only growing. This is Brees' initial appearance on the ballot, and he's joined by another highly qualified first-timer in Philip Rivers (who, coincidentally, was traded on draft night for Manning and ultimately replaced Brees in San Diego). All that said, I don't see Brees having to wait at all. The 13-time Pro Bowler gave New Orleans its first and only Lombardi Trophy, winning Super Bowl MVP honors in the process. A two-time Offensive Player of the Year, Brees led the NFL in passing yards seven times and authored five of the 15 5,000-yard seasons in league history. He's getting the Hall call -- immediately.
Arizona Cardinals, 2004-2020
You know, if the Chargers had just taken this guy with the No. 1 overall pick in 2004 -- instead of selecting Eli Manning before flipping him for Philip Rivers -- San Diego would have had triplets of Drew Brees, LaDainian Tomlinson and Larry Fitz. And Antonio Gates. Oh, man -- what could have been! Instead, Larry went third overall to Arizona, where he made 11 Pro Bowls and was named All-Pro three times (receiving one first-team honor and two second-team nods). The man twice led the league in receptions (103 in 2005; 107 in 2016) and did the same in receiving touchdowns (12 in 2008; 13 in ’09), while also providing one of the greatest postseason runs ever for a receiver (30 catches for 546 yards and seven touchdowns in the 2008 playoffs). Not to mention, he was the 2016 Walter Payton Man of the Year. The Hall of Fame's had a wideout logjam for quite some time, but I expect Larry to jump the line.
I believe Brees and Fitzgerald will be the only first-year eligibles from the player pool to make the cut. Now if you’re asking me about Bill Belichick, I would certainly add him to the class as a Coach/Contributor selection. Absolute no-brainer. Then again, Ichiro Suzuki wasn’t a unanimous choice for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which makes me want to mistrust all Hall of Fames forever.
ROUNDING OUT THE CLASS
Carolina Panthers, 2012-19
I was kind of shocked Kuechly didn’t get in this year. But I shouldn't have been too surprised, considering Patrick Willis didn’t get the nod until his fifth year of eligibility. Willis deserved entry on his first ballot. Kuechly, too. But the Panthers great should get in this year with a résumé that compares favorably to that of Brian Urlacher, a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2018. Like Urlacher, Kuechly won Defensive Rookie of the Year (2012) and Defensive Player of the Year (2013). Plus, he earned five first-team All-Pro designations -- one more than Urlacher. That should settle it. Kuechly’s getting in.
Cincinnati Bengals, 1996-2007; Baltimore Ravens, 2008
I can’t believe we are still waiting for Anderson to get into the Hall of Fame. A first-team All-Pro in three straight seasons (2004-06), Anderson is a member of the Bengals' Ring of Honor and a Hall of Fame finalist for four consecutive years. He’s been so close. This feels like the time this dominant lineman finally gets the gold jacket he deserves.
New Orleans Saints, 2006-2016; Green Bay Packers, 2017
We haven't seen multiple offensive linemen enter the Hall in the same year since the supersized Class of 2020, but this would be a good time for that to happen again. You might even point out Evans has a stronger résumé than Anderson, considering the former earned first-team All-Pro honors in four straight seasons (2009-2012) and has a Super Bowl ring. Both players are deserving. The fact that Evans helped protect Drew Brees for 11 seasons in New Orleans adds to the fun of this class prediction.