NFC South foes Drew Brees, Luke Kuechly selected for Pro Football Hall of Fame

SAN FRANCISCO — Former Saints quarterback Drew Brees — who led the Falcons’ chief rival to a Super Bowl victory — and former Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly were elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Thursday during the NFL Honors program at the Palace of Fine Arts.

In addition to Brees and Kuechly, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, running back Roger Craig and placekicker Adam Vinatieri were also selected.

Brees, who played for the Saints from 2006-2020, was 19-10 against the Falcons and passed for more than 8,600 yards and 54 touchdowns against them in 29 games, according to statmuse.com.

Kuechly, a middle linebacker, was a tackling machine for the Panthers from 2012-19. He led the league in tackles twice with 164 in 2012 and 153 in 2024.

Former Patriots and Browns coach Bill Belichick was not selected in the coach category, and neither was New England owner Bob Kraft.

Craig was among the finalists in the combined seniors/coach/contributor group; the others came through the modern-era players category.

The Hall of Famers who delivered the news to the new class members were:

• Dan Fouts, who, like Drew Brees, played quarterback for the San Diego Chargers.
• Ronnie Lott and Charles Haley, Craig’s teammates with the 49ers.
• Randy Moss, an early influence on a young Larry Fitzgerald as a member of the Vikings.
• Julius Peppers, Kuechly’s teammate with the Panthers.
• Morten Anderson, holder of the NFL scoring record until current leader Vinatieri surpassed him.

The Hall of Fame’s membership, including the newly elected class, now stands at 387.

The Class of 2026 will be enshrined Saturday, Aug. 8 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.

The other finalists this year were Willie Anderson, Jahri Evans, Frank Gore, Torry Holt, Eli Manning, Terrell Suggs, Reggie Wayne, Kevin Williams, Jason Witten, Darren Woodson and Marshal Yanda.

By reaching the final seven but not getting elected (falling short of 80% approval), Anderson, Suggs and Yanda automatically advance to the finalist stage for the Class of 2027 under the Hall of Fame’s bylaws for the selection process.

Craig was elected from a second pool of five candidates that included the finalists chosen by the seniors blue-ribbon committee (Craig, Ken Anderson and L.C. Greenwood), coach blue-ribbon committee (Belichick) and contributor blue-ribbon committee (Kraft). Under the Hall’s bylaws, one to three individuals could have been elected from this group; only Craig reached the required voting threshold.

Here’s the class:

DREW BREES

Times as Finalist: 1 | Year of Eligibility: 1 | Position: Quarterback

Ht.: 6-0, Wt.: 209

NFL Career: 2001-05 San Diego Chargers,

2006-2020 New Orleans Saints

Seasons: 20, Games: 287

College: Purdue

Drafted: 2nd Round (32nd Overall), 2001

Born: Jan. 15, 1979, in Austin, Texas

Selected with the first pick of the second round (32nd overall) of the 2001 NFL draft by the Chargers … After struggling for three seasons in San Diego, was named PFWA’s Most Improved Player and AP Comeback Player of the Year in 2004 with 3,159 passing yards and posting an 11-4 record as Chargers’ starter … Selected to his first of 13 Pro Bowls that season … Led the NFL in passes completed and percentage of passes completed for six seasons … Led the NFL in passing yardage seven times — all from 2006 to 2016 after joining New Orleans Saints, when he totaled at least 4,388 yards annually and surpassed the 5,000-yard mark five times … Led the NFL in passing touchdowns 2008-09, 2011-12 … AP Offensive Player of the Year 2008, 2011 … Super Bowl XLIV MVP after leading Saints past Indianapolis Colts … Co-winner of 2006 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award … Career regular-season stats include 80,358 passing yards and 571 passing touchdowns; both rank second in NFL history.

ROGER CRAIG

Times as Finalist: 3 | Year of Eligibility: 28 | Position: Running Back

Ht.: 6-0, Wt.: 222

NFL Career: 1983-1990 San Francisco 49ers,

1991 Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-93 Minnesota Vikings

Seasons: 11, Games: 165

College: Nebraska

Drafted: 2nd Round (49th Overall), 1983

Born: July 10, 1960, in Preston, Miss.

Selected with the 49th overall pick of the 1983 NFL draft after collegiate career at the University of Nebraska that in no way foreshadowed the versatility he would show as a pro … Caught 16 passes in college career; caught 48 as NFL rookie in Bill Walsh’s offense with the 49ers … First-year pro stats also included 725 rushing yards, eight rushing touchdowns, 427 receiving yards and four TD catches … Following season totaled 1,324 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns in helping 49ers to an 18-1 overall record that culminated with a 38-16 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX … Scored three touchdowns (one rushing, two receiving) in that victory … In Year 3 of pro career, became first player to surpass 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season, a mark since matched by only two other players (Marshall Faulk, Christian McCaffrey) … Named 1988 AP Offensive Player of the Year after second season of 2,000+ scrimmage yards that included a then-team record 1,502 rushing yards … Career rushing stats: 8,189 yards, 56 touchdowns … Career receiving stats: 566 catches, 4,911 yards, 17 TDs … Three-time Super Bowl champion.

LARRY FITZGERALD

Times as Finalist: 1 | Year of Eligibility: 1 | Position: Wide Receiver

Ht.: 6-3, Wt.: 218

NFL Career: 2004-2020 Arizona Cardinals

Seasons: 17, Games: 263

College: Pittsburgh

Drafted: 1st Round (3rd Overall), 2004

Born: Aug. 31, 1983, in Minneapolis

Selected with the third overall pick of the 2004 NFL draft and spent entire career with Arizona Cardinals … Immediate starter who contributed 58 receptions for 780 yards and eight touchdowns in first year … In second season, surpassed 1,000 yards (1,409) with a league-leading 103 receptions … Would eclipse 100 catches in a season five times in his career and surpass 90 in three others … Led NFL in receiving touchdowns twice, 2008-09 … Career stats include 1,432 receptions for 17,492 yards — both ranking second in NFL history … Sixth on the all-time receiving touchdowns list with 121 … Helped Cardinals reach Super Bowl XLIII following 2008 season … In the 2008 playoffs, made 30 receptions for 546 yards (18.2 avg.) with seven touchdowns … Selected to 11 Pro Bowls … Named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s and the NFL 100 All-Time Team … 2016 co-winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

LUKE KUECHLY

Times as Finalist: 2 | Year of Eligibility: 2 | Position: Linebacker

Ht.: 6-3, Wt.: 238

NFL Career: 2012-2019 Carolina Panthers

Seasons: 8, Games: 118

College: Boston College

Drafted: 1st Round (9th Overall), 2012

Born: April 20, 1991, in Cincinnati, Ohio

Run-stopping ability combined with pass coverage skills made him rare inside linebacker to crack Top 10 of NFL drafts in his era … Led National Football League in tackles twice, including rookie season … Won Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2012 … In 2013, upped postseason honors with AP Defensive Player of the Year Award, fist-team AP All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors … In a late December game that season, credited with 24 tackles against the New Orleans Saints, tying an NFL record … Surpassed 100 tackles all eight of his NFL seasons, becoming fifth NFL player since tackles were recorded to reach that mark in eight consecutive seasons … Finished career with nearly 1,100 tackles, 18 interceptions, 66 passes defensed, 12.5 sacks and 31 quarterback hits … His 18 interceptions led all linebackers over the 2012-19 seasons … Named to NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s … Won Butkus Award as NFL’s top linebacker three times (2014, 2015, 2017) ... Received Art Rooney Award for sportsmanship in 2017.

ADAM VINATIERI

Times as Finalist: 2 | Year of Eligibility: 2 | Position: Kicker

Ht.: 6-0, Wt.: 212

NFL Career: 1996-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-2019 Indianapolis Colts

Seasons: 24, Games: 365

College: South Dakota State

Drafted: Undrafted

Born: Dec. 28, 1972, in Yankton, S.D.

Signed with New England Patriots as undrafted free agent in 1996 … Scored 120 points in first season, earning spot on NFL All-Rookie Team … Over next nine seasons, set nearly every significant kicking and scoring record for Patriots, including career points (1,158), consecutive games with a field goal (25) and longest field goal (57 yards) … Provided margin of victory in two of New England’s three Super Bowl wins during his tenure with last-second field goals against the St. Louis Rams (20-17 in Super Bowl XXXVI) and Carolina Panthers (32-29 in Super Bowl XXXVIII) … Joined Colts as free agent prior to 2006 season and played with team for 14 seasons, setting most franchise kicking and scoring records, including career points (1,515) and most field goals from 50 yards plus (37) … Won fourth Super Bowl ring with Colts … Holds NFL record for career points (2,673), consecutive field goals made (44), career field goals (599) and most seasons with 100+ points (21), among many other season and career marks … Member of the NFL 100 All-Time Team and NFL All-Decade Team of the 2000s.

ENSHRINEMENT WEEK