3 NFL legends with best argument to be first-ballot Hall of Famers in 2026

The 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class was revealed at the NFL Honors award show in New Orleans on Thursday night ahead of Super Bowl LIX. Four modern-era players earned enshrinement and will be honored at a ceremony in Canton, Ohio prior to a preseason game in August.

Jared Allen, Eric Allen, Antonio Gates and Sterling Sharpe each received at least 80 percent of the vote, with 11 other finalists falling just short.

Now that we know who will be joining football royalty and granted bronze immortality, it's never too early to look ahead to the upcoming 2026 class. There are 19 players who will be eligible for the first time next year. Among them are several deserving names but just a few stand out above the rest.

3 first-time eligible players who should be in the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class

Drew Brees - QB (2001-20)

More well-known for his time with the New Orleans Saints, Brees actually put up some still-impressive numbers as a San Diego Charger. His 12,348 passing yards are still good for sixth all-time in franchise history but multiple injuries during the 2005 season wound up being a blessing in disguise for his career.

A whopping 80,358 career passing yards, 571 touchdowns - the vast majority coming in New Orleans - a Lombardi Trophy and Super Bowl MVP (2010) plus 13 Pro Bowl selections and two AP offensive player of the year awards is just a brief overview of his time in the league. Brees is second in all-time career passing yards and passing touchdowns (behind Tom Brady in both categories). If voters were hesitant about letting Eli Manning in on his first try this year, they have no excuse for denying Brees his spot in Canton next season.

Larry Fitzgerald - WR (2004-20)

Arguably the most reliable wide receiver of his generation, Fitzgerald's legacy is only missing a Super Bowl championship. He came oh so close in 2009 at Super Bowl XLIII but is on-field and off the field legacy are undeniably elite.

His 17,492 receiving yards are the second-most recorded in the history of the league. The only name he trails on that list is some guy named Jerry Rice. His 121 receiving touchdowns are good for sixth all-time, ahead of at least 38 other Pro Football Hall of Famers. There shouldn't be any argument here but if Reggie Wayne was denied yet another shot at Canton in 2025, both he and Fitzgerald should be among the five inductees next year.

Frank Gore - RB (2005-20)

I'm not sure what's more impressive, the fact that Gore is third on the all-time career rushing yards leaders list or that he sits there with exactly 16,000 yards. He's only behind the great Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton, no big deal. He also topped 1,000 yards in a single season nine separate times, good for third-most all-time.

Despite winning no championships with the five teams he played for, Gore was a staple of the league for years and was crowned the single-season rushing champ five times. His 81 rushing touchdowns are slightly underwhelming but that's still the 20th-most all-time - Earl Campbell, O.J. Simpson and Terrell Davis all had less when they entered Canton.

It would be a travesty to not see any of these three legends of the game selected for enshrinement next year. They all arguably surpass the legacies of some of the names left off this year's class but it will be interesting to see how the selection committees handle these undeniably impressive resumes.