The NFL community, and sports world at large, was understandably stunned this week to learn that Bill Belichick — one of the greatest coaches in league history – won’t be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He’ll be enshrined in Canton eventually since his resume — six Super Bowl victories as the Patriots head coach (two others as the Giants defensive coordinator), 333 victories as a head coach (second-most all time) — mandates it.
Assuming he’s elected in 2027 (as he’s expected and should be), who could be joining him?
For context, the selection committee’s current bylaws say that between four and eight individuals can be enshrined each year — between three and five “modern-era players” and between one and three individuals from the combined categories of coach, contributor and seniors.
Here are seven names to watch:
Adrian Peterson
In his first year of eligibility, Peterson is a no-brainer. The seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro selection is still the last non-quarterback to win MVP (2012), and he did so a year after tearing his ACL and MCL. In his 15-year NFL career, Peterson led the league in rushing yards three times and in scrimmage yards two times. The former seventh overall pick rushed for 14,918 rushing yards in his career, which is fifth-most all-time.
Adrian Peterson will go down as one of the best running backs of all time. (Tom Lynn /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
Rob Gronkowski
Also in his first year of eligibility, Gronkowski has a strong case as the most dominant tight end in league history in his prime. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro in just 11 seasons, winning four Super Bowls with Tom Brady.
[Related: Gronk, Robert Kraft React to Belichick Snub]
Ben Roethlisberger
Another first-ballot case. You can’t rule out Roethlisberger needing to wait — he was never a true MVP candidate and didn’t make an All-Pro team in his career — but he was a great quarterback over a prolonged period of time. In his 18 NFL seasons, he was a six-time Pro Bowler and led the league in passing twice, accumulating a 165-81-1 record and guiding the Steelers to two Super Bowl victories.
Darren Woodson
Woodson is currently a finalist for the class of 2026 in his 18th year of eligibility. I say he finally breaks through a year later.
One of the best safeties of his era, Woodson made five straight Pro Bowls from 1994-98, including three consecutive first-team All-Pro nods (1994-96). He won three Super Bowls with the Cowboys.
Bill Belichick not voted into Hall of Fame in 1st year, Were the voters justified? | The Herd
Reggie Wayne
Like Woodson, Wayne is a finalist this year (in his seventh year of eligibility). But he may continue waiting if someone like Torry Holt, who made the final seven for the class of 2025, gets in now.
Wayne played his entire 14-year career with the Colts, making six Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams (once as a first-teamer). The Super Bowl XLI champion recorded eight 1,000-yard seasons, including seven in a row (2004-10).
K.S. “Bud” Adams
A candidate for the contributor category, the late Adams co-founded the AFL, which merged with the NFL in 1970. He was the founder and owner of the Oilers/Titans franchise for 53-plus years (1960-2012).
Eddie Meador
Meador was a semifinalist in the seniors category for this year’s class. A seventh-round pick in the 1959 draft, Meador was on the 1960s all-decade team. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and a two-time first-team All-Pro defensive back in his day for the Rams.
