Pro Football Hall of Fame 2026: Former Cowboys QB Don Meredith headlines list of 52 senior nominees

The Pro Football Hall of Fame has begun the work of putting together next year's induction class. On Thursday, just over a week after revealing their list of 128 modern-era nominees, the Hall of Fame announced the 52 senior nominees who will also have chance at induction in the summer of 2026. 

The list was whittled down from 162 nominees, each of whom played their final down in the NFL at least 25 years ago. Over the next several weeks, the list will eventually be reduced from 25 to nine to ultimately three finalist spots. A minimum of four and a maximum of eight individuals will make up this year's Hall of Fame class. 

As always, the list of senior nominees is an impressive one. Specifically, there is an interesting list of quarterbacks that includes former Cowboy Don Meredith, who led Dallas to the cusp of the first two Super Bowls before retiring in his prime at age 30. Meredith, who guided the Cowboys to their first three division titles and subsequent playoff berths, was a Pro Bowler each of his final three seasons. In 1966, he won the Bert Bell Award, which is given annually to the NFL's player of the year.

Meredith is flanked alongside fellow former quarterbacks/senior nominees Ken Anderson, Charlie Conerly, Roman Gabriel, and Jack Kemp. 

Anderson, who played his entire career with the Bengals, won league MVP in 1981, the same year he led Cincinnati to the franchise's first Super Bowl. Conerly played 14 years with the Giants and helped lead New York to the 1956 NFL title. 

Gabriel and Kemp were two of the NFL's best quarterbacks during the 1960s. Gabriel led the Rams to a pair of division titles before enjoying a career rebirth with the Eagles in 1973 that included winning NFL Comeback Player of the Year. Kemp, one of the AFL's greatest players, led the Bills to the franchise's only championships during the 1964-65 seasons. 

Here's a look at the entire group of senior nominees. 

Quarterbacks (5): Ken Anderson, Charlie Conerly, Roman Gabriel, Jack Kemp, Don Meredith 

Running backs (6): Ottis Anderson, Larry Brown, Roger Craig, Chuck Foreman, Cecil Isbell,  Paul "Tank" Younger 

Receivers/tight ends (9): Mark Clayton, Isaac Curtis, Lavvie Dilweg, Henry Ellard,  Harold Jackson, Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, Stanley Morgan, Art Powell, Otis Taylor 

Offensive linemen (11): Jay Hilgenberg, Chris Hinton, Joe Jacoby, Mike Kenn, Bob Kuechenberg, Marvin Powell, Dick Schafrath, Jerry Sisemore, Walt Sweeney, Jim Tyrer, Al Wistert 

Defensive linemen (4): L.C. Greenwood, Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Jim Marshall, Harvey Martin 

Linebackers (8): Carl Banks, Maxie Baughan, Mike Curtis, Larry Grantham, Lee Roy Jordan, Clay Matthews Jr., Matt Millen, Tommy Nobis 

Defensive backs (8): Dick Anderson, Bobby Boyd, Pat Fischer, Lester Hayes, Albert Lewis, Eddie Meador, Lemar Parrish, Everson Walls 

Special teams (1): Steve Tasker