- The NFL Hall of Fame is one of the most exclusive clubs in sports, and every NFL player aspires to get a chance to be included there.
- There are 16 first-time nominees for the NFL Hall of Fame Class of 2025, led by two-time Super Bowl champion and former New York Giants’ quarterback, Eli Manning.
- Former Defensive Players of the Year, Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs, along with kicker Adam Vinatieri, have also been nominated for the first time.
Being nominated for the NFL Hall of Fame is something every player looks for when they begin their career. There are currently 378 people in the NFL Hall of Fame, which also extends to front-office executives, coaches, and owners.
Every year, there are more nominees, and there are 16 first-time nominees for the 2025 class. ESPN reveals that this list is led by Eli Manning, the former New York Giants’ quarterback who won a pair of Super Bowls.
Manning Joined by Kuechly, Suggs, and Vinatieri as First-Time Nominees
Manning, whose brother, Peyton, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021, is best known for leading the Giants to a pair of Super Bowl wins over Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and the New England Patriots.
Manning was also a part of one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history, the “Helmet Catch” by David Tyree at Super Bowl 42 in their first win over the Patriots.
Linebackers Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs are both former Defensive Player of the Year winners, and they’ve earned their first nominations this year. They played the position differently, as Kuechly averaged 136 tackles a season. Meanwhile, Suggs was one of the most feared pass rushers in the game. Joining them is kicker Adam Vinatieri, who is arguably the best clutch kicker of all time.
The rest of the first-time nominees are Marshawn Lynch, Darren Sproles, Demaryius Thomas, Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker, Marshal Yanda, Travis Frederick, Ryan Kalil, Joe Staley, Antonie Bethea, Aquiq Talib, and Earl Thomas. Out of this group, Lynch definitely has the best highlight, thanks to his “Beast Quake” run against New Orleans in the 2011 playoffs.
All of these players had great careers, and are deserving of getting in. However, it’s a tough process to pass. There are 50 people on the Selection Committee, and the list goes down to 25, and then 15. Anywhere between four and eight players are inducted each year.
Romo, Wayne, Holt, and Cunningham Lead List of Returning Nominees
The full list of 167 nominees shows just how tough it can be to get into the NFL Hall of Fame. Quarterbacks Tony Romo, Randall Cunningham, and Donovan McNabb are back, as well as receiver Anquan Boldin, Torry Holt, Reggie Wayne, Chad Ochocinco, and Wes Welker also return.
Those are just the quarterbacks and receivers, too. There are running backs like Tiki Barber and Eddie George, tight end Antonio Gates, defensive end Jared Allen, and linebackers Tedy Bruschi and Ken Norton Jr. Defensive backs Eric Allen and Rodney Harrison are also still waiting to be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.
Keep an eye out for Hall of Fame odds at NFL betting sites, as you could find markets on who will be inducted. The inductees will be honored the weekend of next season’s Hall of Fame game, which takes place before the first week of preseason games, so sometime next August. However, as you can see, the Selection Committee has some difficult choices to make, and it gets tougher each year.
