Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, along with former Defensive Players of the Year Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs, as well as postseason kicking star Adam Vinatieri, are nominated for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class in their first year of eligibility.
The Hall revealed 167 modern-era candidates on Wednesday, which includes 16 players eligible this year, such as two-time All-Pro guard Marshal Yanda.
A screening committee will narrow the nominees down to 50 players next month. Then, a 50-member selection committee will further reduce the list to 25 semifinalists and then to 15 finalists during an annual meeting before the Super Bowl, which will announce the new class.
To be inducted, players need to receive 80% of the votes, with three to five players being accepted as modern-era candidates.
In addition, there will be three senior candidates along with one coach and contributor, with at least one and no more than three of these finalists getting in based on the voting.
Other first-year candidates include offensive linemen Travis Frederick, Ryan Kalil, and Joe Staley; running backs Darren Sproles and Marshawn Lynch; receiver Demaryius Thomas; tight ends Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker; and defensive backs Antoine Bethea, Aqib Talib, and Earl Thomas.
There are also 10 players back in consideration who were finalists last year, including tight end Antonio Gates, receivers Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne, offensive linemen Willie Anderson and Jahri Evans, defensive backs Darren Woodson, Eric Allen, and Rodney Harrison, defensive lineman Jared Allen, and running back Fred Taylor.
Manning hopes to join his brother Peyton in the Hall of Fame after a great career with the New York Giants. He was the first pick in the 2004 draft and played his entire career in New York.
Manning led the Giants to a surprising win over the undefeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl after the 2007 season, throwing a game-winning touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the last minute.
Four years later, he directed another late touchdown drive to beat Tom Brady and the Patriots again. Manning is one of 13 quarterbacks who have won multiple Super Bowls, and of the nine who are eligible for the Hall, eight have already been inducted.
The only exception is Jim Plunkett, along with more recent players like Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, and Patrick Mahomes, who are not yet eligible.
Manning was selected for the Pro Bowl four times but never made the All-Pro team or led the league in a major category during a season. He finished his career with 57,023 passing yards and 366 touchdowns.
His greatest moments came during those two playoff runs. Manning joined Brady (five), Mahomes (three), Joe Montana (three), Bart Starr (two), and Terry Bradshaw (two) as one of the few players to win multiple Super Bowl MVP awards.
Kuechly and Suggs were two of the best defensive players of their time, with Kuechly named the top defensive player in 2013 and Suggs in 2011.
Although Kuechly’s career was short, it was very impactful. The Carolina Panthers picked him in the first round in 2012, and he was named an All-Pro five times during his eight years in the league, receiving seven Pro Bowl selections and a Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
During his eight-year career, Kuechly topped all linebackers in the NFL with 1,090 tackles, 26 takeaways, 18 interceptions, and 66 passes defensed.
Suggs was among the best pass rushers throughout his 17-year career, with 139 sacks ranking eighth since this stat became official in 1982.
He had seven seasons with double-digit sacks during his 16 years with Baltimore, including 14 sacks in 2011 when he was named the top defensive player in the league and led the NFL with seven forced fumbles.
Suggs was the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2003 and played a key role in helping the Ravens win the Super Bowl in the 2012 season. He finished his career in Kansas City, contributing to the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory in the 2019 season.
Vinatieri was one of the most reliable kickers in NFL history, making game-winning field goals in the first two Super Bowl titles during New England’s dynasty.
He started his career with one of the greatest kicks in NFL history—a 45-yarder in the snow that forced overtime in the “Tuck Rule” game against the Raiders in the 2001 playoffs. He then made the game-winning kick in overtime and later hit a 48-yarder to win the Super Bowl against the Rams with a final score of 20-17.
Two years later, he kicked a 41-yarder that gave the Patriots a 32-29 Super Bowl win over Carolina. Vinatieri also won Super Bowls in 2004 with New England and in the 2006 season with Indianapolis.
He is the NFL’s all-time leader in points scored (2,673) and field goals made (599) over his 24-year career with New England and Indianapolis. He also holds the record for the most field goals (56) and points (238) in the postseason.
Yanda was part of the 2010s all-decade team and was essential to Baltimore’s success. He was named second-team All-Pro five times and made the Pro Bowl in eight of his last seasons, missing out in 2017 when he played only two games due to an injury.
