Latest news with #ProFootballHallOfFame
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pro Football Hall of Fame commemorating Cam Little's 70-yard field goal with game-worn Jaguars jersey, cleat
The 70-yard field goal Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little made last week during a preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers might have not have counted in the NFL record book, but it got his name in Canton. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is commemorating Little's big preseason feat with the cleat he used to accomplish it and the No. 39 jersey he wore while he authored the moment. "Alright, ship it off," Little said while folding his teal Jaguars jersey in a video the team posted to X Wednesday. He added, after packaging his cleat: "It's going to a piece of history, though." Little willed his 70-yard kick over the crossbar in Jacksonville's EverBank Stadium this past Saturday on the final play of the exhibition's first half. It cut the Steelers' lead to 14-9. But the score was an afterthought, and not just because it was a preseason game — mainly because Little just made a field goal that started with the number "7." The current NFL record is owned by former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, who made a 66-yarder against the Detroit Lions in 2021. Even though Little didn't technically rewrite it with his right-footed swing last weekend, he was swarmed by his teammates as if he did. Little bested Tucker's mark by 4 yards, sending a message to teams across the league that the Jaguars are a threat to grab three points from their own half of the field. Now in his second year with the team, Little already established himself as a reliable kicker in the league last season when he converted 27-of-29 field goals — including 5 of 6 from more than 50 yards out — and all 27 of his extra points. The Jaguars selected him in the sixth round of the 2024 draft out of Arkansas, where he earned first-team All-SEC honors in 2023. Little is still only 21 years old, and he's already responsible for a display in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fox Sports replacing Jimmy Johnson with 4-time Super Bowl champ
The 'NFL on Fox' pregame show will look a little different this season after a mainstay retired during the offseason, paving the way for a familiar face to replace him. Fox Sports announced Friday that Rob Gronkowski would take over for Jimmy Johnson as a full-time analyst. Gronkowski, a four-time Super Bowl champion who played 11 seasons with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Johnson, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020 joined Fox Sports as an analyst in 1994 after leaving the Dallas Cowboys. After spending two seasons as an analyst, he returned to coaching, leading the Miami Dolphins as their head coach for four seasons. Johnson retired from coaching and decided to return to Fox. In a March interview with Colin Cowherd, Johnson said that working at Fox was some of the most fun he had, including his Super Bowl wins and national championships at the University of Miami, but it was time to step aside. 'I had been thinking about it for the last four or five years, but I made the difficult decision to retire from Fox,' Johnson told Cowherd. 'I'm going to miss it and I'm going to miss all of the guys. I'll see them occasionally, but it had been a great run starting back 31 years ago.' The rest of the panel that includes Curt Menefee, Jay Glazer and Pro Football Hall of Famers Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and Michael Strahan will return for the show's 32nd season. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription. Chris Franklin may be reached at cfranklin@
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sharpe: I didn't play football for HOF accolades
Sterling Sharpe joins the Dan Patrick Show to discuss his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, playing with Brett Favre on the Green Bay Packers, having his brother Shannon with him in Canton and more.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bill Belichick, eligible for Hall of Fame in 2026, feels former Broncos head coach is worthy
The Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2025 is being presented for enshrinement on Saturday and as we watch Eric Allen, Jared Allen, Antonio Gates and Sterling Sharpe get their gold jackets, we will naturally think about who could follow them. For the Denver Broncos, there are some deserving players, but former head coach Mike Shanahan, who won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998, may be at the top of the list of those deserving of entry into Canton. Bill Belichick, arguably the best head coach in NFL history, who will be eligible for the class of 2026, believes that Shanahan should be in. Belichick, now the head coach at the University of North Carolina, was speaking to Jeff Hauser of Athlon Sports (via Nick Ferguson) last week and had this to say when asked why Shanahan doesn't get more consideration for the Hall of Fame: "Well I think he should, I mean, two Super Bowl championships. Mike did a great job; he and Alex Gibbs really developed that zone running game that almost every team in football runs today. It's not just wins and losses but I would say his contributions to the game. Obviously, his son Kyle is a great coach in his family. But I thought Mike was tremendous. We always had a hard time with defending Mike. Again, I became a better coach having to work against Mike and Mike's teams. Ya know, it was Denver, and later o,n when he went to Washington. I think he should be, a hundred percent, I think he should be in the Hall of Fame". That's about as high as the praise can get from one of your peers. Shanahan was the first head coach to beat the combination of Belichick and Tom Brady in the postseason when the Broncos knocked the New England Patriots out of the playoffs with a 27-13 win in the divisional round following the 2005 regular season. READ: Former third-round pick sees something in Bengals he didn't see in Broncos Shanahan had 170 career wins, which currently sits in a tie at No. 17 on the all-time list. But only eight coaches have won back-to-back Super Bowls. Five of them are already in the Hall of Fame. The other two, aside from Shanahan, are Belichick and Andy Reid, two shoo-ins for the Hall. That, more than anything, should get Shanahan in. Shanahan will turn 73 years old later this month. With Belichick a likely entry in 2026, the committee may not want to put in more than one head coach. But it would be nice for Shanahan to be given this honor soon, so that he can celebrate it with his family, friends, peers and former players. MORE BRONCOS CONTENT Broncos have one more big move to make following huge Zach Allen deal Broncos add two linebackers to roster, place promising rookie on IR CBS ranks all 32 teams by their quarterback history, Broncos come in near the very top Broncos looking to shore up two positions, host 7 players for tryouts Broncos should hear alarms ringing following early injuries at weak spot on roster
Fox News
05-08-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Eli Manning? Bill Belichick? Who's Next for Pro Football Hall of Fame?
This year's four-person class for the Pro Football Hall of Fame of Eric Allen, Jared Allen, Antonio Gates and Sterling Sharpe was the smallest since 2005. But that likely will change next year. For starters, there are a handful of first-time eligible candidates with sterling résumés, including Larry Fitzgerald, Drew Brees and Frank Gore. In the coaching category, Bill Belichick will be eligible for the first time. All four have a good chance to make it into the Hall as first-time candidates. Add to that a handful of players who have been knocking on the door as repeat finalists — Torry Holt, Willie Anderson and Reggie Wayne — and it seems likely we'll have more than four candidates make it into Canton in 2026. Anderson, Holt, Adam Vinatieri and Luke Kuechly were among the final seven modern-era candidates this year. They automatically advance to the final 15 for the upcoming process. To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, players must be retired for at least five years, while the wait for coaches was reduced from five years to one. Before the 2025 class, voters in the modern-era category cut the field from 10 to five and then voted on those five players separately. If a player got 80% of the vote, they were in, and nearly all of them made it once they got to that point. However, the Hall implemented stricter rules last year to ensure exclusivity of membership, allowing at least four inductees but no more than eight from the 20 finalists selected (15 modern-day finalists and a high of five from seniors, coach and contributors categories). The 15 modern-day finalists are cut from 10 to seven. Voters are then asked to vote for five of those candidates, with 80% still the standard and the minimum set at three. If three do not get 80%, then the top three vote-getters move on. The new voting structure has led to a splintering of the vote from the selection committee, making it harder for players to get into the Hall. As a member of the 50-person Hall of Fame selection committee, I've had the honor of voting on these candidates annually. It's always a grueling process featuring long, challenging debates that lead to deserving candidates ultimately donning gold jackets. Here's a first look at some of the top candidates for the upcoming class. Head coach Bill Belichick Leading the New England Patriots, Belichick built the greatest dynasty in NFL history, winning an NFL-record six Super Bowls as a head coach. He also won two titles as a defensive coordinator for the New York Giants and helped to develop the greatest player in league history in quarterback Tom Brady. In Belichick's 24 seasons in New England, the Patriots won 17 AFC East titles, made 13 appearances in the AFC Championship Game and went to nine Super Bowls. Open the doors to Canton. QB Drew Brees The Purdue product led the New Orleans Saints to a victory in Super Bowl XLIV, taking home MVP honors. A 13-time Pro Bowler, Brees led the league in passing seven times. He ranks second all time in passing yards (80,358) and second in passing touchdowns (571). Seems like a no-brainer. WR Larry Fitzgerald Only Jerry Rice has more receptions (1,432) and receiving yards (17,492) than Fitzgerald. That's pretty good company. Fitzgerald was a complete receiver who also took pride in run blocking and served as a model player for the Arizona Cardinals' franchise. He deserves a gold jacket. RB Frank Gore Gore finished as the No. 3 rusher in NFL history with 16,000 rushing yards over 16 NFL seasons. A five-time Pro Bowler, Gore rushed for more than 1,000 yards nine times and helped to lead the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl after the 2012 season. WR Torry Holt A six-time finalist and one of the cornerstones of the Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf," Holt finished with 920 career receptions for 13,382 yards and 74 touchdowns in 11 NFL seasons. Part of a logjam at receiver over the years, Holt has been patient and deserves to take that next step into Canton. OT Willie Anderson Considered one of the best right tackles during his time in the league, Anderson is a five-time finalist at a position that has proved hard to move forward in the process. But his candidacy has gained steam and he finished in the top seven last year, giving him a chance to be in the mix for Jahri Evans Another talented lineman who was a finalist for the second time in his third year of eligibility. A six-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro, Evans served as an anchor up front for one of the most dominant offenses of his era, led by Drew Brees. S Rodney Harrison A two-time finalist, Harrison surprisingly was not a finalist this year. He deserves another look because his stats match up favorably with other top safeties during his era. He was a ferocious hitter and versatile player during his 15 NFL seasons. A two-time Super Bowl champion, Harrison totaled 34 interceptions and 30 sacks over his career. He is in the Patriots' Hall of Fame and the Chargers' Hall of Fame. LB Luke Kuechly A first-team or second-team All-Pro in seven of the eight years he played, Kuechly won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in 2013 and was a member of the league's 2010 All-Decade team. I'm surprised that he didn't get in last year, and he certainly should be in the running this time around. Kuechly's numbers are similar to those of Hall of Fame linebacker Patrick Willis, who was enshrined in his third year of eligibility. K Adam Vinatieri Considered the most clutch kicker in NFL history, Vinatieri made the final seven in his first year of eligibility and will be in the running again this year. A four-time Super Bowl champion, Viniatieri is the NFL's all-time leader in field goal attempts (715), field goals made (599) and points scored (2,763). But it's just harder for kickers to get into the Hall. WR Reggie Wayne A six-time finalist, Wayne has been mired in the glut of receivers working their way through the challenging process of making it to Canton. Wayne is one of nine players in NFL history with at least 1,000 receptions, 14,000 yards and 80 touchdowns. TE Jason Witten Statistically, Witten measures up to some of the greatest tight ends in league history. Only Tony Gonzalez has more than Witten's 1,228 receptions, which ranks No. 4 all time in the NFL. His 13,046 receiving yards are No. 20 in the NFL and second among tight ends to Gonzales. RB Marshawn Lynch While Seattle's "Legion of Boom" defense garnered much of the attention nationally, the Seahawks would not have reached back-to-back Super Bowls without Lynch serving as the engine of the offense. From 2011 to 2014, Lynch was dominant, totaling 5,357 rushing yards and scoring 56 touchdowns over that time. The five-time Pro Bowler's 10,419 rushing yards rank just No. 29 all time, but in the postseason, he's eighth all time with 970 rushing yards. QB Eli Manning A two-time Super Bowl champ and Super Bowl MVP, Manning's performance in the postseason is worthy of the Hall of Fame. The issue for voters is how he performed during the regular season. Manning finished 117-117 as a starter, including 9-26 in his final three seasons. His career 84.1 passer rating is No. 60 in NFL history. Manning was never an All-Pro and went to only four Pro Bowls, so he was never considered among the elite QBs during his time in the league. QB Philip Rivers One of the NFL's Iron Men, Rivers' 252 games played is second to Brett Favre for quarterbacks in league history. Rivers is the all-time passing leader in Chargers history and No. 6 in passing yards (63,440) and No. 6 in passing touchdowns (421) in league history. However, he went 5-7 in the postseason and never reached a Super Bowl. WR Steve Smith A finalist for the first time in 2025, Smith won the triple crown in 2005, leading the league in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and receptions. He finished his career No. 8 in receiving yards and No. 12 in receiving touchdowns. Smith was a dominant player for the Carolina Panthers during a time when they didn't have a lot of playmakers. OLB Terrell Suggs Suggs was a finalist in his first year of eligibility. His 139 sacks place him No. 8 in NFL history. All seven players above Suggs on the list are Hall of Famers, so that bodes well for his chances of eventually getting into Canton. RB Fred Taylor Taylor finished his career with 11,695 rushing yards, No. 17 all time in NFL history. The only players above him on the list not in the Hall of Fame are Gore, who just became eligible this year, and Adrian Peterson. Others to consider: David DeCastro, Julian Edelman, Todd Gurley, LeSean McCoy, Greg Olsen, Maurkice Pouncey, Earl Thomas, Darren Woodson, Marshal Yanda Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
