Notes: Ex-Detroit Lion snubbed by Pro Football Hall of Fame

The Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2026 has been announced and one very deserving Detroit Lion is missing.

After making it as a semifinalist for the first time this year, legendary Lions offensive tackle Lomas Brown was passed over as a finalist this time around. The list of the 15 modern-era finalists includes:

• Willie Anderson, Tackle — 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens
• Drew Brees, Quarterback — 2001-05 San Diego Chargers, 2006-2020 New Orleans Saints
• Jahri Evans, Guard — 2006-2016 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay Packers
• Larry Fitzgerald, Wide Receiver — 2004-2020 Arizona Cardinals
• Frank Gore, Running Back — 2005-2014 San Francisco 49ers, 2015-17 Indianapolis Colts, 2018 Miami Dolphins, 2019 Buffalo Bills, 2020 New York Jets
• Torry Holt, Wide Receiver — 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars
• Luke Kuechly, Linebacker — 2012-19 Carolina Panthers
• Eli Manning, Quarterback — 2004-2019 New York Giants
• Terrell Suggs, Outside Linebacker/Defensive End — 2003-2018 Baltimore Ravens, 2019 Arizona Cardinals, 2019 Kansas City Chiefs
• Adam Vinatieri, Kicker — 1996-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-2019 Indianapolis Colts
• Reggie Wayne, Wide Receiver — 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts
• Kevin Williams, Defensive Tackle — 2003-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014 Seattle Seahawks, 2015 New Orleans Saints
• Jason Witten, Tight End — 2003-2017, 2019 Dallas Cowboys, 2020 Las Vegas Raiders
• Darren Woodson, Safety — 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys
• Marshal Yanda, Guard/Tackle — 2007-2019 Baltimore Ravens

Selected in the sixth round of the 1985 NFL draft, Brown spent the first 11 years of his 18-year NFL career with the Lions. He earned seven Pro Bowl nods and was named All-Pro six times.

The HOF Class of 2026 will be announced in February at “NFL Honors” in San Francisco and will be enshrined in Canton in in August.

And onto the rest of your notes.

• Detroit Football Network’s Justin Rogers takes a stab at ranking the Detroit Lions’ 2026 list of pending free agents, projecting their next contracts, and guessing the odds they’re re-signed.

• Forget the 12 days of Christmas. The pain may be a little too fresh for this, but MLive.com’s Benjamin Raven has a list of 12 moments that defined the Lions falling short of the playoffs.

• “This sport’s crazy,” said the football player about hockey.