Eli Manning among 15 finalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026

Dec 30, 2025 at 09:39 AM

Dan Salomone

Senior Managing Editor, Giants.com

Eli Manning has reached the doorstep of Canton.

The legendary Giants quarterback was announced today as one of 15 Finalists in the Modern-Era Player category for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026.

The slate of candidates will be considered when the Hall of Fame's selection committee meets prior to Super Bowl LX. The Class of 2026 will be unveiled publicly during "NFL Honors on Feb. 5.

Manning, who is one of only six players to earn multiple Super Bowl MVP awards, was also a Finalist for the Class of 2025.

The committee may elect up to five Modern-Era Players for the Class of 2026; each must receive a minimum positive vote of 80 percent for election.

Five others -- Seniors category Finalists Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood; along with Coach Finalist Bill Belichick and Contributor Finalist Robert Kraft -- also are candidates for the Class of 2026. Voting on these five is conducted separately as its own group distinct from the Modern-Era Players; a minimum of one person and a maximum of three from these combined categories may be elected under the Hall's current bylaws.

While there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, Hall of Fame bylaws stipulate that between four and eight new members shall be selected.

Below are the Finalists in the Modern-Era Player category. To be eligible for election with the Class of 2026, they must have last played more than five seasons ago.

Eli Manning, Quarterback — 2004-2019 New York Giants
Willie Anderson, Tackle — 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens
Drew Brees, Quarterback — 2001-05 San Diego Chargers, 2006-2020 New Orleans Saints
Jahri Evans, Guard — 2006-2016 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay Packers
Larry Fitzgerald, Wide Receiver — 2004-2020 Arizona Cardinals
Frank Gore, Running Back — 2005-2014 San Francisco 49ers, 2015-17 Indianapolis Colts, 2018 Miami Dolphins, 2019 Buffalo Bills, 2020 New York Jets
Torry Holt, Wide Receiver — 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars
Luke Kuechly, Linebacker — 2012-19 Carolina Panthers
Terrell Suggs, Outside Linebacker/Defensive End — 2003-2018 Baltimore Ravens, 2019 Arizona Cardinals, 2019 Kansas City Chiefs
Adam Vinatieri, Kicker — 1996-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-2019 Indianapolis Colts
Reggie Wayne, Wide Receiver — 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts
Kevin Williams, Defensive Tackle — 2003-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014 Seattle Seahawks, 2015 New Orleans Saints
Jason Witten, Tight End — 2003-2017, 2019 Dallas Cowboys, 2020 Las Vegas Raiders
Darren Woodson, Safety — 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys
Marshal Yanda, Guard/Tackle — 2007-2019 Baltimore Ravens

1 / 23

2 / 23

Tim Mara - Class of 1963 (inaugural class)

3 / 23

Mel Hein - Class of 1963 (inaugural class)

4 / 23

Cal Hubbard - Class of 1963 (inaugural class)

5 / 23

Steve Owen - Class of 1966

6 / 23

Emlen Tunnell - Class of 1967

7 / 23

Ken Strong - Class of 1967

8 / 23

Andy Robustelli - Class of 1971

9 / 23

Y.A. Tittle - Class of 1971

10 / 23

Vince Lombardi - Class of 1971

11 / 23

Roosevelt Brown - Class of 1975

12 / 23

Frank Gifford - Class of 1977

13 / 23

Alphonse "Tuffy" Leemans - Class of 1978

14 / 23

Morris "Red" Badgro - Class of 1981

15 / 23

Sam Huff - Class of 1982

16 / 23

Arnie Weinmeister - Class of 1984

17 / 23

Tom Landry - Class of 1990

18 / 23

Wellington Mara - Class of 1997

19 / 23

Lawrence Taylor - Class of 1999

20 / 23

Harry Carson - Class of 2006

21 / 23

Bill Parcells - Class of 2013

22 / 23

Michael Strahan - Class of 2014

23 / 23

George Young - Class of 2020

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Manning is the only player in Giants history to suit up for 16 seasons, and his 236 regular-season games (234 starts) and 248 games including postseason are both franchise records.

From Nov. 21, 2004 through Nov. 23, 2017, Manning started 210 consecutive regular-season games, then the second-longest streak by a quarterback in NFL history (to Brett Favre's 297). Manning never missed a game because of injury.

At the time of retirement, Manning was one of just five players in NFL history to win multiple Super Bowl MVP awards. He was sixth in NFL history with 8,119 attempts and seventh with 4,895 completions, 57,023 yards, and 366 touchdown passes before he hung up the cleats in 2019.

Manning also excelled in the postseason, when he had an 8-4 record. He set Giants career playoff records with 400 passes, 242 completions, 2,815 yards, and 18 touchdown passes.

His 1,219 passing yards in the 2011 championship run remain a single NFL postseason record.

Times as a Finalist