Sports
Which player (or coach) from every NFL team will be next to make the Hall of Fame?
With the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024 set to be enshrined on Saturday, let’s look ahead at who might be in Canton next.
For some teams, it’s easy to predict who the next inductee will be. With the Arizona Cardinals, it almost certainly will be wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Tight end Antonio Gates should be the next Charger. The next Indianapolis Colt inducted is likely to be wide receiver Reggie Wayne.
On other teams, it isn’t as clear who could be next.
Some teams, like the New York Jets and Detroit Lions, don’t have an obvious Hall of Fame candidate in the pipeline. With other teams, like the New York Giants (Eli Manning? Everson Walls? Carl Banks? Tiki Barber? Tom Coughlin?), Dallas Cowboys (Jason Witten? Darren Woodson?) and Jacksonville Jaguars (Fred Taylor? Jalen Ramsey? Calais Campbell? Coughlin?), the case could be made for more than one person.
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Here are some possibilities, courtesy of Hall of Fame voters Dan Pompei (who wrote on all AFC teams) and Mike Sando (NFC).
The 11-time Pro Bowl choice ranks second to Jerry Rice in all-time receiving yards. Fitzgerald, who becomes Hall-eligible in 2026, spent his full career with the Cardinals and was an elite playoff producer as well (942 yards in nine playoff games). His 64-yard touchdown catch in Super Bowl XLIII gave Arizona the lead over Pittsburgh with 2:37 remaining.
Jones’ elite production over an eight-year stretch makes him a strong candidate. He had six seasons with at least 1,300 yards, tied with Randy Moss and Torry Holt for second behind Rice. Like Fitzgerald, Jones stood 6-foot-3 and weighed nearly 220 pounds, making him a primary game-plan consideration for defenses.
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He wasn’t as celebrated as defensive teammates Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, but Suggs clearly has a Hall of Fame resume. He ranks eighth in career sacks and was voted to seven Pro Bowls. He also was the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2003 and Defensive Player of the Year in 2011. Suggs will be Hall-eligible in 2025, along with former teammate and guard Marshal Yanda, who also should be a strong candidate.
He will be remembered mostly as an Eagle because Peters played 11 years in Philadelphia, including all of the 2010s, when he was voted all-decade. But he started in Buffalo and made two of his nine Pro Bowls as a Bill. Peters has not retired, so if the 42-year-old keeps playing and 35-year-old Von Miller retires first, Miller could beat him to Canton.
Kuechly’s credentials mirror those of the recently enshrined Patrick Willis. Both were seven-time Pro Bowl selections and five-time first-team All-Pro choices before retiring earlier than expected. Willis played in 112 games, compared with 118 for Kuechly. Receiver Steve Smith is another strong candidate for Carolina, but Kuechly, who becomes eligible for enshrinement in 2025, could beat him to Canton at a position where there’s less of a logjam.
Reggie White called Hilgenberg one of the five best offensive linemen he faced, along with Anthony Munoz, Jackie Slater, Ed White and Erik Williams. Hilgenberg was a seven-time Pro Bowl choice known for his quickness. It’s tough faulting him for missing the 1980s all-decade team cut when Dwight Stephenson and Mike Webster were the choices.
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He has been a Hall of Fame semifinalist for three straight years and was voted to the top 10 last year before missing the cut. A three-time first-team All-Pro, Anderson is widely considered the best right tackle of his generation. Quarterback Ken Anderson also has been close in recent years as a senior candidate.
Even though Garrett is only 28 years old and has played just seven seasons, he looks like a shoo-in. It’s possible Joel Bitonio will jump him, but it’s difficult for guards to get into the Hall of Fame. Bitonio has an impressive resume, but there are several guards with similar resumes already in the queue, including Jahri Evans.
Woodson played a leading role on the Jimmy Johnson-built Dallas defenses that won three Super Bowls in the 1990s. A finalist for the Hall in each of the past two seasons, Woodson has gotten further in the process than Jason Witten, who ranks second to Tony Gonzalez in receiving yards among tight ends. He had 23 interceptions, including 12 from 1994 to ’96, when he was named first-team All-Pro each season.
Shanahan won back-to-back Super Bowls in Denver and took his teams to 10 championship games. With a remarkable coaching tree that continues to shape his legacy, Shanahan is one of the strongest contributor candidates. His offensive philosophy remains prevalent in the NFL, partly because his son Kyle has thrived using it.
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This is a tough one after the Hall of Fame selection committee rejected former Lions coach Buddy Parker as a contributor. If Stafford makes it, he’ll do so based on whatever team success he enjoys in his current job with the Rams. Ndamukong Suh and Darius Slay had excellent careers as Lions, but were they Hall of Famers? Detroit short-timers such as Adrian Peterson don’t count here.
Holmgren turned around the Packers and Seahawks, leading both to the Super Bowl while developing Pro Bowl quarterbacks and ranking among the elite play callers of his era. The Hall’s subcommittee for contributors has named Holmgren one of its 12 semifinalists in recent years. That puts Holmgren in strong position to reach Canton before Aaron Rodgers, who will have to wait five years after retiring.
Watt might have been a Hall of Famer if he retired after five seasons. By that point, he had already won three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards. He is likely to be voted in as soon as he is eligible, but when that will be is uncertain, as Watt has entertained the possibility of a comeback after one year of retirement.
A finalist for the last five years, Wayne appears to be moving closer. He was caught in a wide receiver logjam with Andre Johnson and Torry Holt, but that was broken this year when Johnson was voted in. Wayne finished in the top five in NFL receiving yards four times, including in 2007, when he led the league.
Taylor was a Hall of Fame finalist for the first time this year. If he advances, it will be because he averaged 4.6 yards per carry. The only other running backs with a 4.6-yard average or better with at least 2,500 carries are Adrian Peterson and Barry Sanders. But Taylor was never a first-team All-Pro, and he appeared in only one Pro Bowl, as an alternate. Other Jaguars possibilities include Jalen Ramsey, Calais Campbell and coach Tom Coughlin.
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A compelling case was made for Lewis in 2023 when he was a first-time finalist. Now he’s a senior candidate, which could work in his favor. Tony Dungy, who coached Lewis, believes he is one of the top five cornerbacks of all time. If Lewis gets lost in the seniors pool, Travis Kelce (or perhaps Andy Reid, depending on how much longer he coaches) could be the next Chief inducted.
He has come close repeatedly. Hayes was a four-time modern-era finalist and has been a senior candidate since 2012. With the help of Stickum, Hayes was at his most dominant in 1980, when he led the league with 13 interceptions and was voted NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He also was all-decade in the 1980s. Raiders guard Steve Wisniewski also merits consideration.
Many were surprised when he was not voted in this year as a first-time eligible. It’s only a matter of time, as Gates scored more career touchdowns than any tight end and is the most prolific pass catcher in Chargers history, which is saying something. He was an all-decade player, a three-time first-team All-Pro and an eight-time Pro Bowler.
Holt is a five-time finalist for the Hall whose chances improved when another receiver, Andre Johnson, earned enshrinement with the 2024 class. He and Reggie Wayne will likely become finalists again in 2025. Meanwhile, the five-year waiting period for enshrinement has begun for another Rams great, Aaron Donald.
Webb deserves a share of the credit for Dan Marino’s success as a passer in the 1990s, but he hasn’t received it from Hall of Fame voters. Though he was voted to seven straight Pro Bowls, two first-team All-Pro teams and the all-decade team of the ’90s, Webb never has been a Hall of Fame semifinalist. He has three years of modern-era eligibility remaining.
The former Vikings and Chiefs pass rusher is a four-time Hall finalist, indicating he’ll likely earn enshrinement eventually. Allen, whose 136 sacks rank 12th on the official list (since 1982) and 16th on the unofficial list (since 1960), might soon have competition from another Vikings great. Running back Adrian Peterson would become eligible in 2027 if he does not play again.
Before Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Bill Belichick are inducted, Kraft likely will be given a gold jacket for his contributions to New England and the NFL. He’s had strong support from the contributor committee in recent years. Adam Vinatieri might get in before Kraft. He is eligible for the first time next year. It’s also possible Rodney Harrison will jump Brady, Gronkowski, Belichick and Vinatieri as he was a finalist for the first time last year.
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Brees is such a lock for Canton upon becoming eligible in 2026 that he’s a safer bet than 2024 finalist Jahri Evans to be the next Saint enshrined. Brees trails only Tom Brady in passing yards and passing touchdowns. Evans was a top guard during his era, but his candidacy needs to gain momentum for him to beat Brees to Canton.
Tom Coughlin’s candidacy in the contributor category remains very much alive, but Manning will move front and center once he becomes eligible in 2025. The quarterback’s longevity, prominence and performance during two Super Bowl-winning playoff runs make him a fascinating candidate. Manning was arguably never a top-five quarterback, but those Lombardi Trophies could make the difference.
He won’t make the Hall of Fame for the four snaps he’s played as a Jet, but he will for the 230 games he played for the Packers, and maybe for the snaps he has yet to play for the Jets. After Winston Hill, Joe Klecko, Curtis Martin, Kevin Mawae and Darrelle Revis were inducted recently, Jets players have not had much Hall of Fame traction. Mark Gastineau and Nick Mangold are possibilities.
Kelce’s recent retirement makes him Hall-eligible for 2029, which leaves a wide berth for Eric Allen, Brian Westbrook or another Eagles great to make a push. Kelce was a six-time first-team All-Pro over his final seven seasons and is on a very short list of all-time NFL centers from a movement/athleticism standpoint. Fletcher Cox, who also just retired, and Jason Peters (mentioned above in the Bills section) are also worthy candidates, but Kelce seems like the surest bet to get in first.
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He was overshadowed in his era by Brady and Peyton Manning, but Roethlisberger won two Super Bowls and led the league in passing twice. He will be Hall-eligible in 2027 and will probably become a Hall of Famer not long after. The dark horse in this race is Hines Ward, an unconventional but worthy candidate.
Gore becomes eligible in 2026 and will have a case with 16,000 yards in 16 seasons. Only Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton have rushed for more yards in NFL history. Another former 49ers rusher, Roger Craig, was a Hall finalist in 2010 and 2020, but he hasn’t advanced that far again.
With Holmgren listed in the Packers’ slot, Sherman becomes a logical next choice for the Seahawks. The five-time Pro Bowl cornerback was the voice and face of Seattle’s famed Legion of Boom secondary, which helped the Seahawks become the first team since the 1950s Cleveland Browns to lead the league in fewest points allowed for four successive seasons. Coach Pete Carroll also seems like a strong candidate, but Sherman will likely get in first.
With Buccaneers mainstay Mike Evans still going strong, we do not yet know when he’ll become eligible for enshrinement. Brady (like Rob Gronkowski) was primarily a Patriot, but the role he played in helping Tampa Bay win a Super Bowl legitimizes his classification here.
A two-time NFL rushing leader and one-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Henry is regarded by many as the best running back of his time. He’s still building his resume, and expectations are high for the 30-year-old as he begins a new chapter of his career after signing with the Ravens as a free agent.
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Williams is entering his fifth season with the 49ers after nine with Washington, with no indication he’s slowing at age 36. In fact, Williams only seems to have gotten better. His streak of 10 successive Pro Bowl seasons (in seasons in which he’s played — he missed 2019 because of a contract dispute) includes first-team All-Pro selections in 2021, 2022 and 2023, the first such selections of his career. Joe Jacoby is another former Washington tackle to watch. A three-time Hall finalist for his work on the Joe Gibbs-era “Hogs” offensive line, Jacoby could reappear as a seniors candidate.
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(Top photos of Larry Fitzgerald, left, and Antonio Gates: Christian Petersen, Stephen Dunn / Getty Images)
Sports
SMU’s CFP nightmare: Interceptions, diverted billionaires and a ‘shell-shocked’ Cinderella
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Billions of dollars can buy a lot of things. It can help revive a football program and get your alma mater into a bigger conference. It can buy a private jet. But it can’t clear more space at a tiny regional airport.
SMU donor Bill Armstrong’s last name is on the team’s indoor practice facility. His plane, which included two-time U.S. Open champion golfer Bryson DeChambeau and former Mustangs star running back Craig James, left Dallas around 6:30 a.m. CT for State College, Pa. But upon arrival, it was diverted to Williamsport, as were some other SMU private planes. The airport was full.
If you believe in harbingers, this was an ominous one, the limits of SMU’s money on display. From a party bus on the drive to the stadium, several SMU donors and former players watched on their phones as quarterback Kevin Jennings threw two pick sixes. By the time they arrived at Beaver Stadium, the score was 21-0, the game all but over.
“Still a great season,” Armstrong said after the game, pulling gloves out of his pocket and refusing to get too down. To him, there was no doubt that the 11-win Mustangs belonged here.
The final score was 38-10. As the last at-large team in the field, the discourse over College Football Playoff blowouts and selection committee decisions turned to SMU, one day after Indiana was manhandled by Notre Dame.
On display at Penn State was the difference between being a CFP darling, a fun story, and a CFP contender. It’s a gap so often exposed at this stage of the season.
“We didn’t play well enough to say anything that isn’t going to be written,” head coach Rhett Lashlee said. “It’ll be written, should we be in or did we belong? That’s fine. You’re welcome to write it. We didn’t play good today. But this is a quality team. We had a good team. We deserve to be here. We earned the right to be here. I’m disappointed we didn’t play to the level that validates that.”
What’s too bad is SMU didn’t even give itself a chance. Before kickoff, Lashlee told the broadcast his team had to avoid a bad start like it’d had in the ACC Championship Game against Clemson, when Jennings had two bad turnovers.
What happened this time? First, Jennings missed a wide-open Matthew Hibner in the end zone on what should’ve been a fourth-down touchdown to cap SMU’s opening drive. On the second drive, Jennings threw a pick six, missing a short throw out of the backfield. On the fourth drive, Jennings threw another pick six, a desperate attempt to make a play on third down instead of throwing the ball away.
SMU was down 14-0 despite playing pretty well otherwise and holding up in the trenches. The defense to that point had been stout.
“That kind of shell-shocked us a little bit,” Lashlee said of the turnover scores.
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Jennings has been turnover-prone. He had five against Duke, but the Mustangs rallied to win that one. SMU also rallied from his two turnovers against Clemson to tie things up late. But Penn State is another level up in competition.
“We don’t have an Abdul Carter,” Lashlee said, referring to Penn State’s All-America edge rusher who was in the backfield constantly and did more than his two tackles for loss indicate, constantly sending Jennings out of the pocket. Penn State’s defense finished with 11 tackles for loss.
For his part, Jennings said his early miss in the end zone didn’t linger in his head and lead to the interceptions. Lashlee blamed the second quarter tipped red zone interception on himself, saying he should’ve just called a running play. Jennings blamed himself.
“I made mistakes three times and gave them the ball with careless mistakes,” the typically quiet Jennings said. “I didn’t take care of the ball.”
Asked if he considered replacing Jennings with backup Preston Stone, Lashlee didn’t indicate it ever came up until the fourth quarter. Stone, who was the Mustangs’ starting quarterback last year and at the beginning of this year, entered the transfer portal earlier this month but had stayed with the SMU team. When Lashlee pulled Jennings late, everyone decided they didn’t want Stone to get hurt on his way out at that point in the game, the coach said. After the final horn sounded, multiple reports emerged that Stone was heading to Northwestern.
A 38-10 game is not close, nor is it competitive. Penn State was clearly the better team, one that will be favored to win the Fiesta Bowl against No. 3 seed Boise State. But SMU finished with more first downs and held PSU to 5.0 yards per play, though the amount of garbage time certainly factored into those respectable stats.
SMU scored just three points on four red zone trips and gave away 14 points on the interception return touchdowns. It’s why Lashlee was so frustrated. He knows how it looks. He can’t argue otherwise.
“People are going to see 38-10 or (28-0 at) halftime and say they don’t belong, but the two pick sixes and we had our opportunities,” he said. “We don’t have anybody to blame but ourselves. It should’ve been a good defensive struggle in the 20s. We didn’t do that.”
SMU long felt that if it just got a power conference invitation, it would show it belonged. The Mustangs showed they belonged in the ACC, going 8-0 in conference play. But they didn’t show they’re ready for this stage yet. Nittany Lions coach James Franklin takes a lot of heat from fans and detractors for not winning the big games, but he almost always wins the games in which Penn State has more talent.
Underdog stories typically end with a thud in the CFP, and SMU and Indiana join a list that includes Cincinnati, TCU and others. Top-level talent wins in the end, and SMU doesn’t have that yet.
Lashlee and SMU will spend the ensuing months hearing those that say SMU shouldn’t have been in the CFP, that Alabama deserved the spot (even though Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe’s three-interception performance in a 21-point loss to 6-6 Oklahoma in mid-November was nearly exactly the same as Jennings’ at Penn State). That’s what comes with this stage.
SMU found itself here for the first time and didn’t deliver. As the party bus headed back to Williamsport and the private planes flew back to Dallas, SMU’s coaches, players and billionaires left with a clear vision of just how far they still have to go.
(Photo: Mitchell Leff / Getty Images)
Sports
Ravens take down Steelers to keep AFC North race open
The Baltimore Ravens punched their ticket to the postseason and kept their hopes for a division title alive Saturday.
With a 34-17 win over the division rival Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore could reclaim first place in the final two weeks.
Pittsburgh (10-5) would have clinched the division with a victory, but now the teams are deadlocked after the Ravens (10-5) won for just the second time in the last 10 games of the series. Baltimore clinched a playoff berth with the win.
The Steelers had already clinched a playoff spot.
Russell Wilson threw two touchdown passes, the second of which tied the game at 17 with 5:14 left in the third quarter. Jackson answered with a 7-yard scoring strike to Mark Andrews.
After Pittsburgh turned the ball over on downs, a 44-yard run by Derrick Henry put the Ravens in the red zone.
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That drive ended when Jackson was intercepted for just the fourth time this season, but Marlon Humphrey picked off Wilson and ran 37 yards to the end zone to give Baltimore a cushion in a series that’s been tight of late. The previous nine games between the Steelers and Ravens were decided by seven points or fewer.
Jackson improved to 2-4 against Pittsburgh as a starter. Saturday’s game marked his first time facing the Steelers at home since 2020.
Henry rushed for 162 yards.
Pittsburgh entered the game with a plus-18 turnover margin, but the Ravens had the edge in that department Saturday. Baltimore recovered three of its own fumbles and had two big takeaways.
Now the Steelers will have to deal with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day before finishing the season at home against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Ravens will travel to Houston to play the Texans on Christmas Day before finishing the season at home against the Cleveland Browns.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Sports
JuJu Watkins and No. 7 USC hold off No. 4 Connecticut to win in a thriller
HARTFORD, Conn. — In a marquee matchup Saturday night, No. 7 USC defeated perennial powerhouse No. 4 Connecticut 72-70, avenging its Elite Eight loss to the Huskies in April and strengthening its status as one of the nation’s elite teams.
“This is a really significant win, and it’s a significant win because of the stature of the UConn program and what [Connecticut coach] Geno Auriemma has done for our sport,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “I told [the team] in [the locker room] — for me, for my entire high school and on, this is what basketball excellence was, this is what we saw. And it’s challenged all of us to want to be better, to find players who want to be better and be that elite.”
Undeterred playing in front of a sold-out crowd on the road, USC opened the game with a 9-0 run, capitalizing on cold shooting and defensive lapses from the Huskies. Buoyed by 15 points from JuJu Watkins, the Trojans shot 48.6% from the floor in the first half, including seven for 11 from three-point range, to take a 42-29 lead at halftime.
“A lot of the things [JuJu] does [are] super hard, but she makes it look so easy,” USC forward Kiki Iriafen said. “So I think she really got us going on the offensive end … we all know she’s a superstar, so playing with her definitely relieved the pressure on everybody else.”
Connecticut came out of the locker room with increased intensity, forcing seven Trojan turnovers and limiting Watkins to four points in the third quarter. Propelled by nine points from guard Paige Bueckers, the Huskies outscored USC (11-1) 20-13 in the third quarter, cutting their deficit to six points entering the fourth.
Connecticut (10-2) continued to chip away and took its first and only lead when freshman Sarah Strong scored on a layup with 4:34 left. USC regained the lead moments later on a Watkins jumper, but the Huskies wouldn’t let the Trojans pull away.
“I don’t think we were ever really rattled,” Watkins said. “We knew what [Connecticut] is capable of, they were going to go on runs, so it was just a matter of handling that and coming down on top.”
With USC leading by three with five seconds left, Strong drew a foul off Watkins while attempting a three-point shot. Strong made her first free throw, but missed her second attempt. After Strong missed her final attempt, Bueckers grabbed the rebound and fed the ball back to Strong, who missed a logo three at the buzzer.
Watkins finished with 25 points, six rebounds, five assists and three blocks. Iriafen had 16 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
Bueckers and Strong each had 22 points.
Auriemma praised Watkins’ exceptional talent.
“Every scouting report that you put together, or every film that you watch, it’s very evident that one player can’t guard her,” Auriemma said. “You have to hope she helps, you have to hope she misses. And when she gets a little bit of a rhythm like she got in that first half, it’s really, really difficult … there’s qualities that she has that are just unique.”
Watkins showed why she’s one of the nation’s brightest stars, helping the Trojans earn a signature win. The victory was a showcase of the elite talent that has accelerated women’s college basketball’s growth in popularity.
“It’s just a testament to when you give women a platform, we’re going to perform,” Watkins said. “And I think that tonight was an excellent game. … It was just beautiful to be a part of. And I couldn’t imagine watching it — so, super exciting. And I think, as we continue to get games like this, we’ll always show up.”
The Trojans next play No. 20 Michigan at Galen Center on Dec. 29.
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