TEMPE, AZ — Arizona Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald is one step closer to Canton.
Fitzgerald on Tuesday was voted as one of 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2026.
The next step in the voting process is trimming the finalists down to seven. From there, up to five will be decided on for induction, with the class announced the week of the Super Bowl (Feb. 5) during the NFL Honors show. Players must earn at least 80% of that final vote for induction.
For Fitzgerald, it’s a matter of when, not if, he gets into the Hall of Fame.
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, Fitzgerald cemented his legacy in Arizona behind 1,432 career receptions, 17,492 yards and 121 touchdowns across 263 games played.
Only Hall of Famer Jerry Rice has more receptions (1,549) and yards (22,895) than Fitzgerald.
He never formally announced a retirement, but now that he’s five years removed from the last time he played, the wide receiver is eligible for the Hall of Fame. The same can’t be said now for Philip Rivers, who was a semifinalist for the 2026 class before coming out of retirement this season. His five-year clock has officially reset.
“I think everybody’s expectation is that Larry’s going to be a first-ballot, unanimous decision immediately,” Fitzgerald’s former teammate Calais Campbell told Arizona Sports in September. “He earned that. I have so many memories of talking about legacy and just the impact that he wanted to have on the game when we were younger.
“He used to say he’s not even worried about the Hall of Fame. He doesn’t think about it, but we know it means a lot to him. He earned it. Very deserving. I’m a big fan of Larry Fitzgerald, as is the rest of the world. When it comes to playing this game, he played it the right way. Very much inspiration, a big influence on my career. I’m very happy for him.”
The other 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists with Larry Fitzgerald
The only other player with Cardinals connections to make the final 15 for the 2026 class was Arizona State Sun Devil product Terrell Suggs, who played 13 games for Arizona in 2019. He recorded 5.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss as a Cardinal.
Here’s the full look at the 15 finalists for the HOF class of 2026:
– Larry Fitzgerald
– Drew Brees
– Frank Gore
– Jason Witten
– Willie Anderson
– Torry Holt
– Luke Kuechly
– Adam Vinatieri
– Jahri Evans
– Eli Manning
– Reggie Wayne
– Kevin Williams
– Darren Woodson
– Marshal Yanda
– Terrell Suggs
