Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, former Defensive Players of the Year Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs, and prolific tight end Antonio Gates are among the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists.
The Hall announced the names of the 15 Modern Era finalists on Saturday, who advanced from a group of 25 to the final voting stage. This group includes five players in their first year of eligibility, nine who were finalists last year and receiver Steve Smith Sr., who made it this far for the first time in four years of eligibility.
The selection committee is expected to vote next month to select a class of between three and five modern era players to be announced during Super Bowl week.
Five others are also being considered for enshrinement, including finalists Maxie Baughan, Sterling Sharpe and Jim Tyrer in the senior category, Mike Holmgren as a coach and Ralph Hay as a contributor. One to three of the nominees will also be inducted into the Hall.
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Manning, Kuechly and Suggs are finalists in their first year of eligibility, along with postseason kick star Adam Vinatieri and former Baltimore guard Marshal Yanda.
Gates was the first finalist in the 2024 class and returns to this stage along with defensive end Jared Allen. receivers Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne; offensive linemen Willie Anderson and Jahri Evans; defenders Darren Woodson, Eric Allen and Rodney Harrison; And running back Fred Taylor is also moving forward.
Manning is looking to follow his brother Peyton into the Hall after a standout career with the New York Giants. Manning was selected first overall in the 2004 draft and spent his entire career in New York. He led the Giants to an upset victory over the undefeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl since the 2007 season, throwing the game-winning TD pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute.
He led another late TD drive to upset Tom Brady and the Patriots four years later. Manning is one of 13 QBs to win multiple Super Bowls, and eight of the nine eligible to be inducted into the Hall.
Only Jim Plunkett was not inducted, with newer players like Brady, Ben Roethlisberger and Patrick Mahomes not yet eligible.
Manning is a four-time Pro Bowler, but has never been named an All-Pro or led the league in any major statistic in a single season. He finished his career with 57,023 yards passing and 366 TDs.
His best moments came in two postseason games. Manning was selected as the only Super Bowl MVP winner, following Brady (5 times), Mahomes (3 times), Joe Montana (3 times), Bart Starr (2 times), and Terry Bradshaw (2 times).
Kuechly and Suggs were among the best defensive players of their time, with Kuechly being named the best defensive player in 2013 and Suggs in 2011.
Kuechly’s career was short but influential. The 2012 first-round pick from Carolina was a five-time All-Pro, a seven-time Pro Bowl nominee and Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Over his eight-year career, Kuechly led all linebackers in the NFL in tackles (1,090), takeaways (26), interceptions (18) and passes defended (66).
Suggs has been one of the league’s best pass rushers over his 17-year career, with his 139 sacks ranking him eighth-best since it became an official statistic in 1982.
In his 16 seasons in Baltimore, Suggs had seven double-digit sack seasons, including 14 in 2011, when he was ranked the league’s best defensive player and led the NFL with seven forced fumbles.
Gates played only basketball in college and transformed into one of the best tight ends in the NFL after being drafted by the Chargers. He became an All-Pro in his second season in 2004. He was an All-Pro again the next two seasons and had a 16-year career with the team.
Gates had 955 catches for 11,841 yards and set an NFL record with 116 touchdown receptions.
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Vinatieri is one of the most important kickers in NFL history, hitting game-winning field goals in the first two Super Bowl titles during New England’s dynasty.
He helped start the game with one of the game’s greatest kicks, a 45-yard kick in the snow to force overtime in a “Tuck Rule” game against the Raiders in the 2001 divisional round. He hit the game-winning kick in OT to win that game, and had a 48-yarder on the final play of a 20-17 Super Bowl victory over the Rams.
Vinatieri leads the NFL in career points (2,673) and field goals (599) over 24 years with New England and Indianapolis. He also leads all players in the postseason with 56 field goals and 238 points.
