New Orleans Saints legendary quarterback Drew Brees is one more step away from football immortality.
On Tuesday, 26 semifinalists for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 were announced and unsurprisingly, Brees made the cut, as shared on social media by ESPN's Adam Schefter.
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"Twenty six candidates in the Modern-Era Players category have reached the Semifinalist stage for possible election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026," Schefter wrote on X.
Twenty six candidates in the Modern-Era Players category have reached the Semifinalist stage for possible election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026. pic.twitter.com/V0L5uIqbfw
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 25, 2025
Brees will make the cut at some point. Whether it's this year in his first go around, or at another point in the near future. He is one of five first-ballot candidates who made it to the semifinalist list along with Larry Fitzgerald, Frank Gore, Philip Rivers, and Jason Witten, as pointed out by USA Today's Jarrett Bell.
"Twenty-six modern-era candidates have advanced as semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026, it was announced Nov. 25 after another round of voting," Bell wrote. "The group includes five first-ballot candidates – Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Frank Gore, Philip Rivers and Jason Witten – and 19 players who reached this stage of the process last year.
"Four of the 19 returning semifinalists – Willie Anderson, Torry Holt, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri – automatically advanced to this stage after finishing in the top seven in balloting last year, as stipulated by the Hall’s bylaws."
Brees finished his NFL career as a 13-time Pro Bowler, five-time All-Pro, two-time AP Offensive Player of the Year, one-time Super Bowl champ, led the league in passing yards seven times, and led the league in passing touchdowns four times. He has the second-most passing yards and second-most passing touchdowns in NFL history, both behind Tom Brady.
This is just another step towards the inevitable. New Orleans was fortunate to have Brees for as long as it did and soon enough he will find his name along with the very best in NFL history.
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