The Pro Football Hall of Fame has published the first list of candidates for the class of 2026. Among them is Drew Brees, who is eligible for selection for the first time.

Led by legendary quarterback Drew Brees, the Pro Football Hall of Fame has published its 128-name list of candidates for the class of 2026. The list will be reduced to 50 names in October.

Brees is one of 13 former NFL players on the list who are eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame for the first time. To be eligible, the player must have retired at least five years ago.

The long-time New Orleans Saints quarterback won the Super Bowl once in his career and was named Offensive Player of the Year twice. He received All-Pro honors five times. Other former NFL players who made it onto the extended shortlist in their first eligible year include Philip Rivers, Alex Smith, Frank Gore, and LeSean McCoy.

We are proud to present the 128 Modern-Era nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026, presented by @visualedgeit. The list will be reduced to 50 in October as the journey to Canton continues. PFHOF26 pic.twitter.com/MEb3En4skv

— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) September 24, 2025

Pro Football Hall of Fame: Final decision in February 2026

Over the coming months, the list will be narrowed down until, a few days before the Super Bowl, the final Hall of Famers for 2026 are announced from a final lineup.

The exact number of inductees can vary from year to year. In 2025, Eric Allen, Jared Allen, Antonio Gates, and Sterling Sharpe were inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The list of candidates for 2026 also includes twelve names that made it to the final selection in 2025 but were not (yet) inducted into the Hall of Fame. These include Eli Manning and Luke Kuechly, among others.