Eagles’ LeSean McCoy is nominated for Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Eagles' career rushing leader, McCoy ran for 11,102 yards and 73 touchdowns in the NFL. Quarterback Drew Brees and receiver Larry Fitzgerald also were picked in their first year of eligibility.
LeSean McCoy, the Eagles’ career rushing leader, has been selected in his first year of eligibility as a nominee among modern-era players for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.
McCoy, 37, rushed for 6,792 yards and 44 touchdowns in six seasons with the Eagles from 2009 to 2014. He also played for Buffalo, Kansas City, and Tampa Bay in his 12-year career. McCoy finished with 11,102 rushing yards and 73 touchdowns in a career that ended in 2020.
Quarterback Drew Brees and receiver Larry Fitzgerald also were picked in their first year of eligibility. Brees and Fitzgerald were two of the most prolific producers in the passing game in NFL history. Brees ranks second all-time in yards passing and touchdowns, and Fitzgerald is second in career receptions and receiving yards.
Eleven other players in their first year of eligibility were picked among the 128 modern-era nominees for this year’s class.
The other nominees in their first year of eligibility are quarterbacks Philip Rivers and Alex Smith; tight ends Greg Olsen and Jason Witten; running backs Frank Gore and McCoy; offensive linemen David DeCastro and Maurkice Pouncey; defensive linemen Geno Atkins and Jurrell Casey; and linebacker Thomas Davis.
A screening committee will narrow the list to 50 in October, and the full 50-member selection committee will cut the group to 25 and then 15 finalists, who will be voted on before the Super Bowl in February.
Four players already have guaranteed themselves spots in the final 15 after making it to the final seven players in the 2025 class. Willie Anderson, Torry Holt, Luke Kuechly, and Adam Vinatieri hold those spots.
The other returning finalists are Eli Manning, Fred Taylor, Steve Smith Sr., Reggie Wayne, Jahri Evans (Frankford High School), Marshal Yanda, Terrell Suggs, and Darren Woodson.
In addition to the 15 modern-era finalists, the selection committee will consider three seniors, one coach, and one contributor for the Class of 2026. Between four and eight new members will be elected in the second year of this current format.
Brees is second all-time to Tom Brady with 80,358 yards passing and 571 touchdown passes. He spent the first five seasons of his career with the San Diego Chargers before signing as a free agent with the Saints in 2006, where his career took off as he helped revive a city still recovering from Hurricane Katrina.
Brees delivered New Orleans its first Super Bowl title following the 2009 season and was the game’s MVP after beating Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. Brees made the Pro Bowl 13 times in his career, won AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2008 and 2011, was an All-Pro in 2006, and was a second-team All-Pro four times.
Fitzgerald spent his entire career with the Arizona Cardinals after being drafted third overall in 2004. His 1,432 catches and 17,492 yards receiving in 17 seasons ranks second all-time to Jerry Rice.
Fitzgerald topped 1,000 yards receiving nine times — tied for the fourth-most ever — and helped the Cardinals reach their only Super Bowl following the 2008 season. Fitzgerald set single-season records that postseason with 546 yards receiving and seven touchdown catches, including a go-ahead 64-yard score with 2 minutes, 37 seconds to play before Pittsburgh rallied for a 27-23 win.