Pro Football Hall of Fame 2026 Ceremony Recap, Speech Highlights and Reaction

Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Adam Vinatieri, Luke Kuechly and Roger Craig are officially in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The five-person 2026 class was formally enshrined in the Hall of Fame during the ceremony on Saturday in Canton, Ohio. Brees and Fitzgerald made it in their first year on the ballot.

With all five men giving their induction speeches, here is a recap of what they said and notes from their careers that place them among the all-time legends in NFL history.

Larry Fitzgerald, WR (2004-20)

Fitzgerald's concluding message in his speech was to his father, who died on June 1, and his three sons.

Fitzgerald also acknowledged fellow Hall of Famer and former Arizona Cardinals teammate Kurt Warner.

The Arizona Cardinals now have 23 former players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, including Fitzgerald and Warner.

Fitzgerald spend his entire 17-year career with the Cardinals. He ranks second in NFL history in receiving yards (17,492), second in receptions (1,492) and sixth in receiving touchdowns (121).

Adam Vinatieri (1996-2019)

Vinatieri's speech was littered with several jokes, including one aimed at former teammate Peyton Manning.

Vinatieri's career spanned 24 seasons and he is the NFL's all-time leader with 599 made field goals, but his Hall-of-Fame resume was largely built on the game-winning field goals for the New England Patriots in the 2001 playoffs against the Oakland Raiders and St. Louis Rams.

The South Dakota State alum also had the game-winning kick in the Patriots' 32-29 win over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 38.

Luke Kuechly (2012-19)

As the first Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee who spent his entire career with the Carolina Panthers, Kuechly gave a shoutout to franchise legends Jon Beason and Thomas Davis for setting the standard at linebacker that he carried with him.

There are seven players in the Hall of Fame who played at least one season for the Panthers. Julius Peppers was the only one from that group who was primarily associated with Carolina, though he also had stints with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers.

Kuechly played eight NFL seasons with the Panthers after being selected ninth overall in the 2012 draft. He made the All-Pro team every year of his career, including five first-team selections, and won Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.

Roger Craig (1983-93)

The oldest member of the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, Craig was voted in by the senior committee. His speech started on a somber moment with the reveal he has been diagnosed with dementia.

Craig's speech, which was pre-taped, then moved into reflecting on his legacy and accomplishments, particularly during his eight seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.

A second-round draft pick in 1983, Craig was one of the most versatile running backs in the NFL during his playing days. He became the first player ever to surpass 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season, doing so in 1985.

Drew Brees (2001-20)

Brees was given the honor of closing out the 2026 induction ceremony, though he also called in some help from his former head coach Sean Payton to provide the introduction.

Once Brees took the stage, he gave recognition to the start of his career with the San Diego Chargers and fellow 2001 draftee LaDainian Tomlinson.

Then Brees moved onto his time with the New Orleans Saints, which included reflections on his affinity for the city and fans plus his relationship with Payton.

Brees ranks second only to Tom Brady in NFL history in passing yards, passing touchdowns and completions. They are the only players with at least 80,000 passing yards and 7,000 completions.

He is one of 11 players who spent the majority of their career with the Saints to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame.