Woodson, Witten among 2026 NFL Hall of Fame finalists

The 2025 NFL season is nearing it’s end, and with it comes the hope for the playoffs for some teams, while others are already working on draft boards.

Sadly for Dallas Cowboys fans, America’s Team is taking another year off from the postseason, and heads into New York with a chance to pull to 8-8-1.

It is also that time of year for the NFL Hall of Fame Committee to announce who is eligible for the distinguished honor of receiving a gold jacket this upcoming fall.

The Hall of Fame ceremonies kick off in early August, headlined by the first preseason game of the 2026 NFL season on August 6, 2026.

There are two former Cowboys who are hoping to be enshrined that weekend: S Darren Woodson and TE Jason Witten.

The Full List

The NFL Hall of Fame Committee announced 15 finalists for the most distinguished honor of an NFL player’s career.

Here they are, along with the team and years they played for:

• OT Willie Anderson: Cincinnati Bengals (1996-2007) and Baltimore Ravens (2008)
• QB Drew Brees: San Diego Chargers (2001-2005) and New Orleans Saints (2006-2020)
• G Jahri Evans: New Orleans Saints (2006-2016) and Green Bay Packers (2017)
• WR Larry Fitzgerald: Arizona Cardinals (2004-2020)
• RB Frank Gore: San Francisco 49ers (2005-2014), Indianapolis Colts (2015-2017), Miami Dolphins (2018), Buffalo Bills (2019), and New York Jets (2020)
• WR Torry Holt: St. Louis Rams (1999-2008) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2009)
• LB Luke Kuechly: Carolina Panthers (2012-2019)
• QB Eli Manning: New York Giants (2004-2019)
• DE Terrell Suggs: Baltimore Ravens (2003-2018), Arizona Cardinals (2019), and Kansas City Chiefs (2019)
• K Adam Vinatieri: New England Patriots (1996-2005) and Indianapolis Colts (2006-2019)
• WR Reggie Wayne: Indianapolis Colts (2001-2014)
• DT Kevin Williams: Minnesota Vikings (2003-2013), Seattle Seahawks (2014), and New Orleans Saints (2015)
• TE Jason Witten: Dallas Cowboys (2003-2017, 2019) and Las Vegas Raiders (2020)
• S Darren Woodson: Dallas Cowboys (1992-2003)
• OL Marshal Yanda: Baltimore Ravens (2007-2019)

First Ballot Selections?

Out of these 15 names, four players are eligible for the first time, and each player has a case to be selected on their first ballot.

QB Drew Brees

Drew Brees might be the biggest shoe-in of them all.

All he accomplished in his career is win SB XLIV (along with MVP of the game) and rank second all-time in passing yards (80,358) and touchdown passes (571).

WR Larry Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald holds all of Arizona’s franchise records for receiving, and should be an easy selection on his first ballot.

Catching passes from QB Kurt Warner, Fitzgerald did everything in his power to get the Arizona Cardinals as close to a Super Bowl victory as they’ve ever been in franchise history.

RB Frank Gore

Gore makes it three for three for the offensive side of the ball.

Spending the prime of his career in San Francisco, Gore ranks third all-time in rushing yards, trailing only Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton.

**TE Jason...