The New England Patriots will have a representative in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026, after all…
Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly, Roger Craig and Adam Vinatieri were announced as the enshrinees at the NFL Honors on Thursday, with the latter helping salvage something for the same organization who saw two notable names snubbed: Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft.
Vinatieri, 53, becomes just the fifth kicker to be enshrined, having earned the title as the most clutch kicker of all time across stints with New England and the Indianapolis Colts — becoming the all-time leading scorer for both franchises and winning four Super Bowls (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLI).
Brees, 47, is just the third quarterback selected over the past decade and first since Peyton Manning in 2021 — finishing his career with 80,358 passing yards and 571 touchdowns across stints with the then-San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints.
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Fitzgerald, 42, who spent his entire career with the Arizona Cardinals, finished with 1,432 receptions and 17,492 receiving yards – totals topped only by Jerry Rice.
Kuechly, 34, played his entire career with the Carolina Panthers and was named a Pro Bowler in all but one season (2012).
Craig, 65, was the first player in league history to finish with 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season, and gained induction as one of the three finalists from the seniors category — which is part of the reason for leaving out Kraft and Belichick.
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Brees and Fitzgerald earned the call on their first ballot. Kuechly and Vinatieri were chosen in their second year of eligibility. Craig was elected after waiting nearly three decades.
The five-member class will be enshrined Aug. 8 at the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
Featured image via Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY Sports Images
