Ranking Eli Manning, 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class' Most Deserving Players

The standard in which to be inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is higher than ever, which makes it more difficult than ever to meet the threshold of greatness.

Case in point, this year's class is the smallest in 20 years, with only four new members being inducted.

Last August, the Hall of Fame revised its bylaws to "help ensure that membership in the Hall of Fame remains elite while bringing fresh perspectives and viewpoints to the discussion of candidates."

Candidates must go through two screening committees before being passed to the selection committee. Once through the entire process "... a new class could be comprised of four to eight individuals, but with the 80 percent approval threshold, classes are more likely, statistically, to include five or six members."

This year's incoming class includes four players—Antonio Gates, Eric Allen, Jared Allen and Sterling Sharpe.

With the new rules, which shortened the span of time a coach needs to wait before being inducted to only one year removed, Bill Belichick will likely be an easy choice as the greatest head coach in modern football history. From there, five players should make their way into the 2026 class based on their resumes and new induction setup.

5. Eli Manning, New York Giants

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Eli Manning is every bit of a Hall of Fame-caliber quarterback. He wasn't a first-ballot Hall of Fame-level quarterback, though. So, this year's outcome with him being left out of the mix wasn't hugely surprising.

Manning's wait will likely end next year.

His resume is built on a simple premise: winning. The New York Giants' two Super Bowl victories with Manning at the helm, coupled with MVP awards in those contests, will go down as two of the most impressive in league history, because his squad derailed the New England Patriots' dynasty.

Specifically, Manning's throw to David Tyree on third down with 1:15 remaining in the fourth quarterback of Super Bowl XLII will go down as one of, if not the greatest play in professional football history. As great as the Helmet Catch was, Manning had to evade pressure in the pocket and make the throw. The quarterback also needed to complete two more passes to topple the heavily favored and then-undefeated Patriots.

However, the younger Manning never reached elite status during his era—which is why he was passed over initially.

"I believe Manning beating the Patriots twice in the Super Bowl with two-minute drives and being named Super Bowl MVP each time, along with currently being 11th all time in touchdown passes and yardage, presents a convincing résumé," Hall of Fame voter Gary Myers told ESPN's Jordan Raanan.

"To get selected in the future, the voters must get past that Manning was never All-Pro or regular-season MVP and realize he played when those spots were not so available, playing in an era with Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees."

Those issues are merely a speedbump toward the inevitable. The younger Manning has the championship pedigree, along with being top-10 in passing yardage and touchdown passes upon retirement, to eventually become the second Manning in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

4. Luke Kuechly, Linebacker

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Certain players are so good that they redefine how their respective position is played. Lawrence Taylor immediately comes to mind. These performers are truly the best of the best. Luke Kuechly deserves his spot alongside them.

For decades, the NFL had a specific idea of what a linebacker should be. Dick Butkus and Jack Lambert defined the position for generations. Every football fan can close his or her eyes and see a snarling, nasty and intimidating middle linebacker ready to tear a ball-carrier's head off (when that was still considered a legal tackle).

This approach lasted a long time. Kuechly was different.

Coming out of Boston College, his own coaches marveled at his instincts. He wasn't the type of linebacker who was going to fly downhill and take on blockers one-on-one. He was smarter, more athletic and better working in space than anyone had seen at the time.

As the NFL developed into a passing league, a middle linebacker with Kuechly's understanding of the game and sideline-to-sideline ability, while not being a liability on passing downs, helped develop a new normal.

Kuechly's HOF candidacy was likely held back by the fact he played only eight seasons. However, during that stretch, he made seven Pro Bowls and All-Pro squads. The linebacker also won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2012. From a pure production standpoint, Kuechly registered at least 102 tackles in every season he played, including two years where he led the NFL in the category.

Kuechly became the standard that every other linebacker now strives to become. The fact he wasn't a first-ballot Hall of Fame honoree is a shame, though it's a scenario likely to be rectified in the near future.

3. Maurkice Pouncey, Center

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Offensive linemen aren't used to being recognized for their performance. The position and those who play it require a completely different mentality, with all of the pressure to perform on their shoulders, while being asked for perfection every snap, yet receiving little glory upon a job well done.

It's impossible to quantify a good NFL offensive lineman from a great one, even in today's world of advanced statistics. So much of offensive line play is misunderstood or mysterious to those on the outside. However, a great blocker is often easy to spot.

Maurkice Pouncey was the game's best center during his 11 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers. During that stretch, he made nine Pro Bowls and was named first- or second-team All-Pro on five different occasions.

To better understand how important Pouncey was to the Steelers during his time within the organization, let his quarterback describe what the snapper meant to him and the team.

"I hate to say he's the greatest teammate and competitor I've ever been around," fellow future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger said, "but at the end of the day that’s what it is—he's the greatest teammate and competitor I've been around. And that’s no slight to anybody else."

Pouncey served as the anchor as part of a Steelers run that never experienced a losing record while he was in the lineup.

Eleven centers are currently enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Jim Otto, who is widely considered the greatest center of all time, is the only one to be inducted in his first year of eligibility. Pouncey should be the second.

2. Larry Fitzgerald, Wide Receiver

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The wide receiver pipeline to the Pro Football Hall of Fame remains backlogged with the likes of Torry Holt, Reggie Wayne and Steve Smith Sr. still waiting to get that knock on their doors to announce they'll be fitted for golden jackets. Larry Fitzgerald gets to jump the line, though.

Beyond Jerry Rice, Fitzgerald was the most consistent wide receiver in NFL history. He caught at least 90 passes in eight of his 17 seasons, which is the most ever by any player. He topped 100 on five different occasions, including three seasons in a row from 2015-17.

Interestingly, Fitzgerald never won with elite speed or explosiveness. Instead, he coupled route savviness with vice-like hands and an uncanny ability to use his body and high-point passes as well as anyone else has ever done it. He was Mr. Reliable, even on a team that could rarely claim the same.

The wide receiver played all 17 of his seasons in the desert with the Arizona Cardinals. Fitzgerald did get to play in one Super Bowl, though the Cards came up short against the Pittsburgh Steelers thanks to Santonio Holmes iconic toe-drag swag to win the contest. Otherwise, Arizona managed five winning seasons throughout the wide receiver's career. All the while, Fitzgerald served as Mr. Reliable.

Despite the lack of team success, Fitzgerald was regularly recognized among the league's best, with 11 Pro Bowl nods while making a pair of All-Pro teams. Ultimately, he finished his career as the NFL's second all-time leading receiver with 17,492 yards. Among those previously mentioned, none of them surpassed 15,000 yards.

While Fitzgerald slow-played his actual retirement, he should find his way into the Hall of Fame as quickly as possible.

1. Drew Brees, Quarterback

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Of course, a quarterback is the top choice for the 2026 class, particularly one that played a significant role turning the NFL into the QB-driven league it is today.

Drew Brees retired as the most prolific passer in NFL history. His time with the New Orleans Saints and head coach Sean Payton helped rewrite record books. His performance alongside the likes of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady set a completely different standard of how to play the position, with unreal numbers that included that single-season passing record (that was later surpassed by Manning).

Between 2006 and 2017, Brees didn't throw for fewer than 4,334 passing yards. He eclipsed 5,000 yards on five different occasions and led the NFL in the category seven times. The former remains a league record. He still holds the single-season record with a 77.4 completion percentage.

The Saints also proved to be successful with Brees leading the way. The team won Super Bowl XLIV, where the quarterback earned the game's MVP award.

From an individual standpoint, Brees was named to 13 Pro Bowls and five All-Pro teams. He won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award for his performance during the 2004 season after overcoming what could have been a career-threatening shoulder injury. He became the NFL Offensive Player of the Year on two different occasions.

The resume is nearly unmatched among modern quarterbacks. Brees also redefined how we look at the position. He fell into the second round of the 2001 NFL draft because he stood 6'0". The Purdue product also didn't have a huge arm. Even with those perceived shortcomings, he consistently posted huge numbers because of his timing, accuracy, touch and intelligence.

Finally, Brees helped revive what was previously a moribund franchise in New Orleans. The Saints were never serious Super Bowl contenders prior to his free-agent arrival. He helped set a new standard in the Big Easy that included nine playoff appearances in 15 seasons.

Ironically, Brees is a tailor-made Hall of Famer and slam-dunk first-ballot selection.