Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Philip Rivers among 13 nominees for the first time for the Hall of Fame of Professional Soccer: Who will enter?

The professional football hall announced 13 candidates for the first time among the 128 nominated for the modern era for the 2026 class on Wednesday.

Among them are the Quarterbacks Drew Brees and Philip Rivers, whose races are intertwined forever thanks to their time dedicated to the San Diego chargers. Alex Smith joins them as the third nominated for the News Marshal.

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The open receiver of the Arizona cardinals, the great Larry Fitzgerald, is also among the candidates for the first time, as well as the Frank Gore corridor. Here is a look at some of the strongest and convincing cases of the new nominated harvest, as well as the complete list:

Drew Brees

Brees is a lock for the hall and a probable member of the first bullet. Due to its aforementioned association with Rivers, it has arrived here among the less likely roads.

Brees joined the chargers as the number 2 selection in the 2001 NFL Draft of Purdue. He assumed the position of head of San Diego in his second season and kept the work for most of the four years. But there was little during his mandate to suggest that he was a member of the Hall of Fame.

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He was sent to the bank in 2003 in favor of veteran Doug Flutie after a beginning of the season 1-7. He finally won his work and kept it during the 2005 season. But the Chargers were not sold in Brees and negotiated to acquire Philip Rivers in the infamous agreement of the 2004 Draft Day with the giants involving Eli Manning.

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Brees continued to start during the first two seasons of Rivers and did the Pro Bowl in 2004. But a significant shoulder injury at the end of the 2005 season pointed out the beginning of the era of the rivers in San Diego. The chargers let Brees enter the free agency.

The Dolphins courted Brees, but finally changed by Daunte Culpepper due in part to the concerns on the long -term impact of the shoulder injury of Brees. The Saints signed Brees with a six -year and $ 60 million contract that turned out to be one of the most significant free agents agreements in the NFL history.

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Brees became an icon in New Orleans as one of the best quartbacks of a generation that also had Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers. He led New Orleans to his first and only Super Bowl title as MVP of the game. It was 13 times Pro Bowler and five times All-Pro. He is the second leader of all NFL times in aerial yards, only Brady.

Brees is a block for the hall of fame. It will be a surprise if your name is not called next fall.

Larry Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald stops with Brees as a strong candidate for a first -wall call.

The cardinals wrote Fitzgerald with selection No. 3 in the NFL 2004 Draft. Seventeen years later, Fitzgerald finished his career in the short list of the greats of all time of the game.

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Fitzgerald made 11 Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams. He led the league twice each at receptions and catches of TouchDown. It is the second after Jerry Rice at receptions of all time and receivers Yardas and occupies the sixth place of touchdown catches of all time.

If I had to nominate Fitzgerald as the best set of hands in football history, it would have a reasonable case. Routinely made the sensational look easy.

And, perhaps above all, he associated a Moorbound Cardinals franchise with winning. The cardinals have a large total of 11 appearances in playoffs since 1947. Fitzgerald was a player prominent in four of those teams. One of those races ended in a Super Bowl with Kurt Warner that the cardinals almost won. It is not a small feat, and one in which Fitzgerald played an integral role. As with Brees, it will not be a surprise to hear his name called Next Fall.

Philip rivers

While the chargers finally let a field marshal from the Hall of Fame leave, they did not leave exactly the naked closet

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The Chargers put their faith in the rivers with that fateful decision, and he delivered as the field marshal of one of the great times in the history of the franchise. Flanked by the Hall of Fame, Ladainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates, Rivers directed one of the most prolific offensives of the NFL of his time.

At its peak from 2006 to 2009, the Chargers finished 14-2, 11-5 and 13-3 in three of four seasons as regular Super Bowl contenders. They won four consecutive titles of the AFC West. Rivers began 16 seasons for the Chargers and remained the face of the franchise during his transition from San Diego to Los Angeles in 2017.

When he finished his career, Rivers had made eight pro Bowls. It is the seventh pin of all NFL time, and ended with a TouchDown-intersect 421 to 209 ratio.

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But despite the era of containment of the chargers with Rivers, they never made a Super Bowl, much less won one. The painful playoff exits became the signing of the Rivers’s postseason legacy. If I had won at least one Super Bowl, your corridor case would be considerably stronger. But it is far from being a lock as it is.

Frank Gore

Gore’s case is one of the most convincing nominees for the first time. In an era that had Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson, Gore was rarely mentioned along with his elite contemporaries.

But when he finished his career, he joined a strong case for the Hall of Fame.

Gore’s name can be mentioned fairly with Jim Brown and Walter Payton among the most durable backs in the history of the game. Gore played 16 seasons of the NFL and only once played in less than 14 games. That was in 2010, when he played in 11.

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He matched that reliability with consistent production. His nine seasons per land of more than 1,000 yards are fifth of all time behind Emmitt Smith, Curtis Martin, Barry Sanders and Payton. Each of the four players ahead is in the Hall of Fame.

When he retired, his 16,000 yards by land were third of all time only for Smith and Payton. It was five times Pro Bowler. He averaged 4.3 yards per race and was a factor in the air game with 484 caught for 3,985 yards and 18 touchdowns in addition to his 81 scores on the floor.

Gore rarely made the highway reel. He was never the best in the league and won only an all-prion assent as second team in his second season with the 49ers. He never played in a Super Bowl winner.

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It does not add to a first wall profile. But it is one that will be more difficult for voters to ignore the longer it remains.

Complete nominees for the first time

The nominees for the first time will compete for the votes of a total field of 128 candidates of the modern era. Among them are the second year candidates Marshawn Lynch, Luke Kuechly, Terrell Suggs, Adam Vinatieri and Eli Manning, all of whom the cut was lost in their first vote.

Here is the full class of nominated for the first time for the Hall of Fame, which is heavy on offense:

Attack player
Drew Brees
Philip rivers
Alex Smith

Of runner
Frank Gore
Lean McCoy

Wide receiver
Larry Fitzgerald

Closed wing
Jason Witten
Greg Olsen

Offensive liner
Maurkice Pouncy
David Decastro

Defensive line
Geno Atkins
Jurrell Casey

Supporter
Thomas Davis