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Now that the 2024 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame has been officially inducted, who’s next in line?
First-time players eligible in 2025 include quarterback Eli Manning, running back Marshawn Lynch, linebacker Luke Kuechly, kicker Adam Vinatieri, offensive lineman Marshal Yanda and edge rusher Terrell Suggs.
Those players join an impressive group of 2024 finalists who just missed the cut, including tight end Antonio Gates, defensive end Jared Allen, receiver Reggie Wayne and offensive lineman Willie Anderson.
Selectors of the Pro Football Hall of Fame will cull though a preliminary list of candidates as they work toward a list of 15 finalists for enshrinement early next year. Then they’ll whittle down that list to five modern-day candidates who could earn the distinction of wearing a gold jacket.
Below, the FOX Sports NFL writers tackle some of the most pressing questions regarding the 2025 class.
1. Eli Manning is expected to be a first-ballot induction, largely because of his two Super Bowl wins. Do you think he is a Hall of Famer?
Ralph Vacchiano: Well, first, I’m not so sure that he’s going in on the first ballot. I think the way he is viewed outside of New York is much different than the way he’s viewed in the New York area. It’s always been an uphill battle for him to get respect, and I’m not sure enough voters are there yet.
That said, I’ll be honest, even though I covered every snap of his career and wrote a book about him, I’m on the fence. It’s true that you can’t tell the story of the NFL without a lengthy discussion about his two Super Bowl championships. And the numbers say he was a great player for a long time.
But an all-time great? He played 16 seasons and there was only one year — 2011, when he threw for 4,933 yards, 29 touchdowns and 16 interceptions and won a Super Bowl — when I thought he was one of the top three QBs in the league. Most of the other seasons he probably ranked sixth or seventh.
Is that Hall of Fame-worthy? He’s right…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2025-pro-football-hall-fame-eli-manning-deserving-marshawn-lynch
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Publish date : 2024-08-03 17:14:17
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