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There are legends of the game, then there are the living legends; the players we're actively watching who are already some of the best football has ever seen.
There are a handful of former players still searching for their gold jacket, left out of Canton because their accomplishments came just short. Meanwhile, current players are building their resumes to take the spots of the men that came before them.
Below, we'll dissect which current players are guaranteed to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame and discuss which guys may have to wait through a few ballots before they reach legend status.
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Patrick Mahomes, Quarterback
If Patrick Mahomes abruptly retired tomorrow, he'd still be a lock for Canton. The question remains whether he'll continue to add to his career accolades to place him as the greatest of all time.
Fun fact: Patrick Mahomes already has more passing yards than Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw.
Bradshaw recorded 27,989 yards in 168 games, Mahomes has 28,424 yards in 96 games. pic.twitter.com/dTQASiTQd8
— StatMuse NFL (@statmusenfl) March 3, 2024
No. 15 is a three-time Super Bowl champion, three-time Super Bowl MVP, two-time MVP, and six-time Pro Bowler. He's in his prime and well-positioned to add more hardware to his trophy case. By the end of his career, football fans could be arguing Tom Brady vs. Patrick Mahomes just as basketball fans debate LeBron vs. Jordan.
Travis Kelce, Tight End
Mahomes' running mate, Travis Kelce, will have a bust in Ohio before Mahomes retires. Even before Taylor Swift, Kelce was one of the most recognizable names in football. His play did the talking.
Just like his quarterback, Kelce is a three-time Super Bowl champion. He's also a nine-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro, and was named to the 2010 All-Decade team. While Mahomes is chasing Brady for the major records, Kelce already has one of his own. He surpassed Jerry Rice for most postseason catches, although he still trails the Hall of Famer in yards and touchdowns. He could surpass those marks with another Super Bowl run.
Kelce's brother, Jason, who retired after the 2023 season, should also find himself in Canton sooner rather than later.
Aaron Donald, Defensive Tackle
Aaron Donald was also named to the 2010 All-Decade team but the accolades only begin there. He's never been absent from the Pro Bowl. He only missed being named an All-Pro in his rookie and the injury-riddled 2022 seasons. Donald also has three Defensive Player of the Year trophies, plus a Defensive Rookie of the Year title to boot.
His 111 career sacks rank 28th all time and first among players who primarily line up as a defensive tackle. Donald recorded 20.5 sacks in his 2018 campaign, two shy of the all-time, single-season record. Two sacks in Super Bowl LVI, including the game-clinching stop, cemented his legacy.
AARON. DONALD. 💪
The sack that sealed the Super Bowl win for the Rams over the Bengals.
📺 Watch #SBLVI on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/sFnLTQ51Hr
— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) February 14, 2022
There are no blemishes on his resume. Donald will be gifted a gold jacket the first time he appears on the ballot.
Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback
Two Chiefs and two Aarons. I promise after Rodgers we'll diversify the list.
Although Rodgers only has one Super Bowl ring to his name, his four MVP trophies clinch his spot in Canton. Those were earned over the likes of Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees in their primes, plus Mahomes and Lamar Jackson as they ascended to elite status. Longevity is also his ally, now entering his 20th season and 17th as a starter.
Should Rodgers have another productive season as a 40-year-old, he'll move past Hall of Famer Dan Marino on the all-time passing yards list and has a decent shot at jumping Matt Ryan as well. If Rodgers manages to toss 34 touchdowns and rejuvenate the New York offense, he'll roll past his mentor Brett Favre.
Zack Martin, Offensive Guard
The resumes for offensive linemen can be harder to judge given there aren't stats to back up the argument, especially in the run game. Rather, Zack Martin passes the eye test as one of the best guards in this era.
Martin was also named to the 2010 All-Decade team, leading the way to explosive seasons for DeMarco Murray, Ezekiel Elliott, and Tony Pollard. Murray was an above-average running back in his three seasons before Martin arrived in Dallas. Martin, Travis Frederick, and Tyron Smith paved the way for Murray to lead the league in rushing yards and touchdowns. Even Darren McFadden had his second 1,000-yard season running behind Martin before the team drafted Elliott, who we know put up All-Pro numbers on more than one occasion.
And all of that just applies to the running game. Martin has given a clean pocket to Tony Romo and Dak Prescott season after season. Martin may not be a first ballot inductee due to his position, but he'll find a spot in Canton eventually.
Von Miller, Edge-Rusher
When Aaron Donald logged two sacks in the Super Bowl, Von Miller matched him. His first Super Bowl conquest was far more impressive, registering 2.5 sacks in both the AFC Championship Game (where he also snagged an interception) and Super Bowl 50 (forcing a fumble that was recovered in the end zone, setting the tone for the rest of the game). That led to him being one of just a handful of defensive players to win Super Bowl MVP.
Von Miller’s Super Bowl 50 MVP performance was iconic 🔥#NFLAggies | @VonMiller pic.twitter.com/RjH5u0MNnZ
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) February 11, 2024
Miller's play has slipped since he arrived in Buffalo. Injuries and age are beginning to catch up to him, leaving many football fans to forget just how dominant he was in his Denver days. There's a reason he was named to the Pro Bowl eight times and first-team All-Pro on three occasions.
Justin Tucker, Kicker
A kicker? In the Hall of Fame? Better believe it.
There are only two pure kickers enshrined, Morten Andersen and Jan Stenerud. The other two, Lou Groza and George Blanda, played other positions during their prolific careers.
Justin Tucker should be the fourth (Adam Vinatieri, the league's all-time leading scorer, is eligible for the first time in 2025). Tucker (90.18%) holds a slim lead over Harrison Butker (89.14%) for the most accurate kicker in NFL history. He's led the league in field goals attempted and made in several seasons and holds the record for the longest-made attempt (66 yards).
DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?!?!
JUSTIN TUCKER 66-YARD FIELD GOAL FOR THE WIN! #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/LyHkSUiwk9
— NFL (@NFL) September 26, 2021
A five-time All-Pro selection, Tucker's middle name may as well be Automatic. And he'll be a near-automatic qualifier for the Hall of Fame.
Honorable Mentions
There's a case to be made for a bevy of current NFL players who don't quite have the accomplishments to be surefire Hall of Famers. Former Seahawks safety Earl Thomas will be on the ballot for the first time in 2025, and as the best free safety in the league during his time, he's a popular choice to be enshrined. Bobby Wagner, the 1B to Luke Kuechly as the best middle linebacker in that era and Thomas' teammate, also deserves a spot.
Trent Williams, Tyron Smith, Lane Johnson, and Jason Peters stand out as the offensive tackles most likely to find a spot in Canton. Now 42 years old, Peters is still hanging on to his playing career.
Could we see another pair of brothers in the Hall of Fame together? J.J. Watt will be a first-ballot selection and his brother T.J. will be the same if he continues his career trajectory.
And that’s why @_TJWatt got that new contract. #HereWeGo
📺: #PITvsBUF on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/u5yDPG6s5g— NFL (@NFL) September 12, 2021
As much as he gets dogged in his current situation, Russell Wilson did lead Seattle to a Super Bowl and was named to the Pro Bowl nine times. As is the case for MVP candidacy, voters favor quarterbacks, especially ones that win a title.
Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry, Calais Campbell, Cameron Jordan, Cameron Heyward, and Patrick Peterson all have a case at their respective positions, but none of them are locks.
Finally, we reach the wide receivers, the most difficult position to pin down. Julio Jones' resume will be tough to turn away. Tyreek Hill, if he continues to be the best receiver in football, will have the metrics, even if he cuts his career short on his own accord. Davante Adams recovered from a slow start to his career to put up gaudy numbers, even without Aaron Rodgers. Then there's Mike Evans, the only receiver to begin his career with 10-straight 1,000-yard seasons. He's one campaign away from tying Jerry Rice for the record.
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