For a second straight year, Terrell Suggs and Marshal Yanda were left on the outside looking in for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But they may not have to wait much longer.
There's a good chance that Suggs and Yanda could be part of the Class of 2027. Beyond the fact that they generally have strong cases, here are three reasons why:
They weren't far off this year.
Carolina Panthers reporter Darin Gantt, who is a Hall of Fame voter, provided insight into the final rounds of voting for this year's class.
The four modern-era players who got in were quarterback Drew Brees, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, kicker Adam Vinatieri, and linebacker Luke Kuechly.
According to Gantt, the next three in line behind them, in no particular order, were Suggs, Yanda and Willie Anderson, a longtime Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle who finished his career with one season in Baltimore (2008).
By making the final seven, it qualifies Suggs, Yanda and Anderson as automatic finalists for next year's class.
Knocking on the door as an automatic finalist doesn't guarantee admission; Kuechly and Vinatieri got over the top, but Torry Holt and Anderson reportedly also had automatic bids for the Class of 2025 and fell short again. But it certainly doesn't hurt.
They are ahead of their competition for spots.
Suggs and Yanda got more Hall of Fame support this year, per Gantt, than eight other modern-era finalists:
- WR Torry Holt
- OG Jahri Evans
- RB Frank Gore
- QB Eli Manning
- WR Reggie Wayne
- DT Kevin Williams
- TE Jason Witten
- DB Darren Woodson
That indicates that Yanda shouldn't have to wait for Evans, who has been a finalist for three straight years, to get into the Hall first. Evans has similar credentials to Yanda, but Yanda went to eight Pro Bowls while Evans was a six-time selection.
Kuechly was the only defensive player who got more support than Suggs in this year's voting, which would presumably put Suggs at the front of the line next year, barring first-year eligible players.
There aren't any big-time pass rushers among next year's first-year eligible players. Suggs' 139 sacks are the eighth-most all-time. All seven players ahead of him have gold jackets and so do eight players behind him.
There aren't too many first-year locks in the 2027 class.
Next year's class of first-year eligible players is strong, but it should leave space.
At the top of next year's class are tight end Rob Gronkowski, running back Adrian Peterson, cornerback Richard Sherman and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Who are locks?
Gronkowski is a four-time Super Bowl winner, but his 9,286 career receiving yards rank sixth all-time among tight ends and far behind Witten (13,046), who is still waiting for his Hall call. "Gronk" was a five-time Pro Bowler while Witten went to 11.
Peterson's 14,918 career rushing yards are ranked fifth all-time. He was the MVP in 2012, when he came up just short of breaking Eric Dickerson's record for most rushing yards in a single season. However, Gore ranks third in all-time rushing yards and is still waiting.
Sherman was a lock-down cornerback in the "Legion of Doom" for a long stretch, but he has five Pro Bowls and one Super Bowl on his resume. Woodson was also a five-time Pro Bowler, a three-time Super Bowl champion, and is still waiting.
Is Roethlisberger far ahead of Manning? Roethlisberger was a two-time Super Bowl winner, just like Manning. Roethlisberger has six Pro Bowls to Manning's four. Roethlisberger ranks seventh all-time in passing yards (64,088) to Manning's 11th (57,023).
Suggs and Roethlisberger going into the Hall of Fame in the same class would be poetry. A maximum of five modern-era finalists can be selected for enshrinement each year.
