Who's next for Canton? Ranking the biggest names eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2027
In addition to 2026 snubs Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft and Eli Manning, a slew of other big names will be eligible for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2027. The list of first-time eligible players for 2027 includes two former league MVPs, a two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback, a former All-Pro defensive back and arguably the greatest tight end in NFL history. To get ready for 2027, we analyze first-time eligible stars in addition to some predictions along the way. While former Patriots haven't had much luck in recent years, it's hard to imagine that stopping Gronkowski, who wasn't affiliated with Spygate and remains in seemingly good standing with football media. Injuries may have slowed him down, but it hasn't stopped Gronkowski from being in the conversation among the greatest tight ends in NFL history. Along with being a constant mismatch in the passing game, Gronkowski was a devastating blocker, which strengthens his case as the most complete tight end of all time. His unique talent helped him win four Super Bowls. Peterson is also widely regarded as one of the best ever at his position. The fifth leading rusher in NFL history, Peterson is the last non-quarterback to win league MVP. That season (2012), Peterson ran for 2,097 yards, the second-highest single-season total in league history. He won his third rushing title at age 30 and was still putting up 1,000-yard seasons at age 33. The only thing that could hurt Peterson's chances next year is some recent legal issues , including an arrest in October of 2025. Peterson also ended his career with two forgettable seasons, but that alone would likely not be enough to prevent him from being voted in next year. Roethlisberger is undoubtedly a future Hall of Famer; the question is whether or not enough voters feel that he is first-ballot worthy. Roethlisberger's career milestones suggest that he is. He's seventh all-time in passing yards (64,088), ninth in touchdown passes (418), a two-time Super Bowl champion and is the youngest starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl. He twice led the NFL in passing yards and has the most 500-yard passing games (four) in NFL history. Roehtlisberger is also the only quarterback to throw six touchdowns in back-to-back games, doing so in 2014. He also holds the unofficial title of one of the hardest quarterbacks to take down. Roethlisberger's magnum opus was at the end of Super Bowl XLIII, when he capped off the Steelers ' game-winning drive with a touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes that has gone down as one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history. Sherman should receive a gold jacket at some point. A member of the 2000s All-Decade Team, Sherman was a three-time All-Pro cornerback and the leader of the Seahawks ' "Legion of Boom" defense, which led Seattle to its first Super Bowl title. A fellow 2000s All-Decade Team member, Mack delivered impressive longevity for an offensive lineman. He earned his first Pro Bowl nod at 25 and his last one at age 36. In between, he was named to five additional Pro Bowls and was a model of consistency. Weddle -- another member of the 2000s All-Decade Team -- was a complete safety who excelled in both pass coverage and run support. He led the NFL in interceptions once and had over 100 tackles in a season on four occasions. At age 36, Weddle returned from retirement and helped the Rams win the Super Bowl. Sherman's condensed prime (he made one Pro Bowl after his age-28 season) could prevent him from being a first-ballot inductee. Mack's lack of All-Pros will likely hurt his case, as offensive linemen are underrepresented in the Hall of Fame. Weddle also played a position that is underrepresented in Canton. Taking next year off the table, it'll be interesting to see if these players ever get inducted. McCoy was an excellent defensive tackle who was named to six straight Pro Bowls while manning the Buccaneers ' defensive line. But like Mack and Weddle, McCoy played a position th [... truncated ...]
