Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Larry Fitzgerald Lead the Pack as Pro Football Hall of Fame Modern-Era Semifinalists Take Shape.
The wait is almost over for football fans eager to see which legends will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The modern era semifinalist list has been narrowed down to 26 candidates, and it's clear that this year's class is shaping up to be one of the strongest yet. Quarterbacks Drew Brees and Philip Rivers, along with wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, are leading the charge alongside tight end Jason Witten and running back Frank Gore.
The five newcomers have clearly earned their spots in the semifinal round, and it's no surprise that they're being considered among the top candidates for induction. Brees is second all-time in passing yards, with 80,358 under his belt, while Rivers has racked up 63,440 yards of his own, good enough to land him seventh on the list.
Fitzgerald, meanwhile, is a threat to join Jerry Rice at the top of all-time receptions and yardage lists. His 17 seasons in the league have been nothing short of remarkable, with nine 1,000-yard seasons and five Pro Bowl appearances under his belt. Witten's impressive résumé, which includes 1,228 catches and 13,046 yards, has also earned him a spot among the semifinalists.
Kuechly, Anderson, Holt, Vinatieri, and Gore round out the modern era candidates in this year's class. Kuechly's brief but impactful career was marked by seven Pro Bowl nods and five All-Pro appearances, while Anderson was a dominant force on the Bengals' line for nearly two decades. Holt's work with the Rams in the late 1990s helped them become one of the greatest teams in NFL history, and Vinatieri's clutch performances in the postseason have made him an all-time great.
The road to induction still lies ahead for these modern era semifinalists, but it's clear that they're on the right track. Next up is a reduction of the list to 15 finalists, who will be voted on by the full 50-member selection committee before the Super Bowl in February.
The wait is almost over for football fans eager to see which legends will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The modern era semifinalist list has been narrowed down to 26 candidates, and it's clear that this year's class is shaping up to be one of the strongest yet. Quarterbacks Drew Brees and Philip Rivers, along with wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, are leading the charge alongside tight end Jason Witten and running back Frank Gore.
The five newcomers have clearly earned their spots in the semifinal round, and it's no surprise that they're being considered among the top candidates for induction. Brees is second all-time in passing yards, with 80,358 under his belt, while Rivers has racked up 63,440 yards of his own, good enough to land him seventh on the list.
Fitzgerald, meanwhile, is a threat to join Jerry Rice at the top of all-time receptions and yardage lists. His 17 seasons in the league have been nothing short of remarkable, with nine 1,000-yard seasons and five Pro Bowl appearances under his belt. Witten's impressive résumé, which includes 1,228 catches and 13,046 yards, has also earned him a spot among the semifinalists.
Kuechly, Anderson, Holt, Vinatieri, and Gore round out the modern era candidates in this year's class. Kuechly's brief but impactful career was marked by seven Pro Bowl nods and five All-Pro appearances, while Anderson was a dominant force on the Bengals' line for nearly two decades. Holt's work with the Rams in the late 1990s helped them become one of the greatest teams in NFL history, and Vinatieri's clutch performances in the postseason have made him an all-time great.
The road to induction still lies ahead for these modern era semifinalists, but it's clear that they're on the right track. Next up is a reduction of the list to 15 finalists, who will be voted on by the full 50-member selection committee before the Super Bowl in February.
... all-time records being broken left and right, and they still managed to do their thing without all the fancy tech 
. Brees's stats alone would've been enough to get him in, but you gotta respect his work ethic too 
. Fitzgerald's longevity is crazy, 17 seasons in the league? what's next, 50?! 
. These guys are gonna make this Pro Football Hall of Fame induction a real spectacle 
... can't wait to see how it all goes down! 
Drew Brees and Philip Rivers are literally second all-time in passing yards lol what's not to love about those guys? and can you believe Larry Fitzgerald is giving Jerry Rice a run for his money on receptions and yardage lists? that guy's been playing at an elite level for 17 seasons straight 
Jason Witten, Frank Gore, and the rest of the modern era candidates are all solid choices too. it's gonna be tough to narrow it down to just 15 finalists but i think they're in good hands with the selection committee 
... I mean, Drew Brees has been throwing darts for years and still finding ways to win games late in the season - that's some mental toughness, fam 
.
!! i mean, you've got legends like Drew Brees and Philip Rivers leading the charge, and Larry Fitzgerald is just a few receptions away from joining Jerry Rice at the top 
. it's crazy to think about all the records they're breaking and the accolades they've accumulated over the years. and can we talk about Jason Witten for a sec? 1,228 catches and 13,046 yards? that's insane! 
Like, what about Tom Brady? He's still out there breaking records and dominating games... shouldn't he be on this list? 
But at the same time, maybe it's good that there are only 15 finalists... like, less competition, right? 
And Frank Gore is cool and all, but can we please talk about how underappreciated tight ends are in the NFL? 
brees and rivers are so close to being in the hof already theyve accomplished so much in their careers, and larry fitz is literally one of the greatest receivers of all time 
meanwhile larry fitzgerald is like a ghost on the field, he's just so consistent and dominant 