Fifteen former NFL stars have been named as modern era player finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026, placing them one step away from enshrinement in Canton.

The 15, whittled down from an initial 128 candidates, will now be considered by the Hall of Fame’s selection committee, along with those names already put forward as senior, coach and contributor finalists, when it meets ahead of Super Bowl LX. Up to five modern era players can be elected, with each candidate required to earn at least 80 percent of the vote. Under current bylaws, the overall Class of 2026 will include between four and eight new members, drawn from all categories.

Four players — Willie Anderson, Torry Holt, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri — advanced automatically after reaching the final seven under discussion as part of the Class of 2025 selection process, and are joined by six finalists from this stage last year, as well as four players — Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Frank Gore and Jason Witten — who are eligible for selection for the first time and one candidate appearing as a finalist for the first time in his sixth year of eligibility.

The finalists waiting the longest for consideration include Torry Holt (12th year of eligibility), Anderson (13th) and Darren Woodson (18th). Holt and Reggie Wayne are both making their seventh appearance as finalists.

In addition to the modern era players, five other candidates are eligible for election as finalists from the other categories, with seniors considerations Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood being joined by coach finalist Bill Belichick and contributor Robert Kraft. Between one and three individuals from across the additional categories may be selected, bringing the maximum intake up to a potential eight.

The full list of modern era finalists is as follows:

Willie Anderson
Tackle
Cincinnati Bengals (1996–2007), Baltimore Ravens (2008)

Drew Brees
Quarterback
San Diego Chargers (2001–05), New Orleans Saints (2006–2020)

Jahri Evans
Guard
New Orleans Saints (2006–16), Green Bay Packers (2017)

Larry Fitzgerald
Wide Receiver
Arizona Cardinals (2004–2020)

Frank Gore
Running Back
San Francisco 49ers (2005–14), Indianapolis Colts (2015–17), Miami Dolphins (2018), Buffalo Bills (2019), New York Jets (2020)

Torry Holt
Wide Receiver
St. Louis Rams (1999–2008), Jacksonville Jaguars (2009)

Luke Kuechly
Linebacker
Carolina Panthers (2012–19)

Eli Manning
Quarterback
New York Giants (2004–2019)

Terrell Suggs
Outside Linebacker/Defensive End
Baltimore Ravens (2003–18), Arizona Cardinals (2019), Kansas City Chiefs (2019)

Adam Vinatieri
Kicker
New England Patriots (1996–2005), Indianapolis Colts (2006–2019)

Reggie Wayne
Wide Receiver
Indianapolis Colts (2001–2014)

Kevin Williams
Defensive Tackle
Minnesota Vikings (2003–13), Seattle Seahawks (2014), New Orleans Saints (2015)

Jason Witten
Tight End
Dallas Cowboys (2003–17, 2019), Las Vegas Raiders (2020)

Darren Woodson
Safety
Dallas Cowboys (1992–2003)

Marshal Yanda
Guard/Tackle
Baltimore Ravens (2007–2019)

The Class of 2026 will be announced during the the annual NFL Honours broadcast from San Francisco on Thursday 5th February, with enshrinement set to take place in Canton in August.