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Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Julian Edelman among those eligible for Hall of Fame next
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- Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Julian Edelman among those eligible for Hall of Fame next
The Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2025 was unveiled in New Orleans during " NFL Honors " on Thursday night .
Football fans in New Orleans — and elsewhere — already are eager to jump ahead to 2026 when Saints legend Drew Brees becomes eligible for the Hall of Fame along with some other popular stars of the last 15 or so years.
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Modern-era NFL players must have been out of the league for five full seasons to become eligible for Hall of Fame consideration. With that mind, here's quick look at some of the stars who last played in 2020 and will be in the mix in 2026:
Geno Atkins Hall of Fame credentials
Oct 6, 2019; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins (97) before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Atkins reached eight Pro Bowls as a defensive tackle in his 11-season NFL career, all with the Bengals. He earned a spot on the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2010s. He was a two-time first-team All-Pro and made the second team once.
Drew Brees Hall of Fame credentials
Super Bowl 44: New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees hoists the Lombardi Trophy after defeating the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV at Sun Life Stadium on Feb 7, 2010.
Brees is a 13-time Pro Bowl quarterback who began his career with the Chargers before becoming one of the league's all-time greats with the Saints. Brees led New Orleans to the franchise's lone Super Bowl win (MVP of Super Bowl XLIV), compiled a 172-114 regular-season record and broke numerous team and NFL records. He ranks second all-time with 80,358 career passing yards and 571 TD passes. Along the way, he won the 2006 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, 2011 NFLPA Alan Page Community Award and 2009 Bert Bell Award as league player of the year.
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Julian Edelman Hall of Fame credentials
Feb 3, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman (11) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after beating the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
The former Kent State quarterback's regular-season numbers are good, but not exceptional. His 6,822 receiving yards on 620 catches likely prevents him from advancing into finalist stage. But where his candidacy gets more interesting is his postseason production. He ranks third all-time in playoff catches (118) and receiving yards (1,442), with 82 of those catches going for a first down, and helped the Patriots win three Super Bowls. He was the Super Bowl 53 MVP.
Larry Fitzgerald Hall of Fame credentials
Aug 3, 2017; Canton, OH, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) warms up before playing the Dallas Cowboys at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The 11-time Pro Bowl receiver is a member of the NFL's All-2010s team and played his entire 17-year career with the Arizona Cardinals . His career numbers of 1,432 catches for 17,492 yards both rank only behind Jerry Rice in NFL history. He's also among the league's all-time leaders with 121 TD catches. His 2016 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award speaks to his overall character beyond football skills.
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Frank Gore Hall of Fame credentials
November 6, 2011; Landover, MD, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore (21) runs with the ball past Washington Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall (23) at FedEx Field. The 49ers won 19-11. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Over 16 seasons with five teams, mostly with the 49ers and then Colts , Gore quietly put together one of the most productive careers by an NFL running back. His 16,000 career rushing yards trail only Emmitt Smith (18,355) and Walter Payton (16,726) in league history. Add in 3,985 career receiving yards and 99 total TDs, and Gore enjoyed quite a run. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and made the NFL's All-2010s team.
Maurkice Pouncey Hall of Fame credentials
Dec 8, 2019; Glendale, AZ, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey (53) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Steelers center made nine Pro Bowls during his 10-year career and earned a spot on the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2010s. He was first-team All-Pro twice and made the second team three times.
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Jason Witten Hall of Fame credentials
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Whitten (82) is pushed out of bounds by the Philadelphia Eagles Brandon Hughes (L) after gaining yards on a pass during the fourth quarter of their NFL football game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 2, 2011. REUTERS/Tim Shaffer (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)
Witten ranks second among tight ends in career receiving yards with 13,046, trailing only Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez's 15,127 and just ahead of Travis Kelce (12,151) and 2025 Hall of Fame inductee Antonio Gates (11,841). Witten's 74 career TDs rank him fourth all-time among tight ends. Gates leads at 116, followed by Gonzalez (111) and Kelce (77). Witten made 11 Pro Bowls in his 17 seasons and won the 2012 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Drew Brees eligible for Hall of Fame next year. So is Larry Fitzgerald
