Luke Kuechly a Hall of Fame finalist again. There’s one notable Panthers omission
The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the 15 finalists who are being considered for induction in its 2026 class on Tuesday morning.
One Carolina Panthers player is among the 15.
And there’s one notable player who is not.
The notable player who made the cut is Luke Kuechly, the inside linebacker who played from 2012-19 — all of which with the Panthers — and earned pretty much every stat and honor imaginable in that time frame. The seven-time All-Pro selection and seven-time Pro Bowler knew he’d make it to this stage; he advanced to the finalist group automatically after reaching the “Final 7” for election with the Class of 2025 and was thus guaranteed to be a finalist in 2026, as is in accordance with Pro Football Hall of Fame voting rules.
Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith Sr., however, did not make the cut to 15 after being announced as a semifinalist (one of 26) a few months ago — and after making the final 15 last year.
The final 15 in the modern-era Pro Football Hall of Fame include:
- Four automatic bids from 2025: Kuechly, tackle Willie Anderson, receiver Torry Holt, kicker Adam Vinatieri
- Six other finalists from 2025: quarterback Eli Manning, defensive end Terrell Suggs, guard/tackle Marshal Yanda, receiver Reggie Wayne, safety Darren Woodson, guard Jahri Evans
- Four first-year eligible candidates: tight end Jason Witten, running back Frank Gore, receiver Larry Fitzgerald, quarterback Drew Brees
- One who’s in his sixth year of elibility who’s been named a finalist for the first time: defensive tackle Kevin Williams
The candidates in the modern-era players category will be considered when the Hall of Fame’s selection committee meets prior to Super Bowl LX, and it’ll be unveiled publicly Feb. 5. Four to eight new members will be selected, according to PFHOF bylaws. Enshrinement ceremonies will occur this summer in Canton, Ohio.
Five others are up for induction as “senior category finalists.” That includes QB Ken Anderson, RB Roger Craig and DE L.C. Greenwood, along with coach finalist (and current UNC football coach) Bill Belichick and contributing finalist (and current Patriots owner) Robert Kraft. Voting on these finalists are separate from the modern-era players ballot, according to a release, and only one person and a maximum of three will be elected under the Hall’s bylaws.
Steve Smith doesn’t get finalist honor
Smith holds nearly every receiving record in Panthers franchise history. That includes yards (12,197), receptions (836), touchdowns (67), yards per game (67) and more. He’s had several honors bestowed upon him, including induction into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame which was built from his three All-Pro selections and five Pro Bowl selections.
And for his career — meaning the 14 seasons he spent with Carolina and then the two he spent in Baltimore — he is eighth in league history in receiving yards and 12th in receptions.
That’s quite comparable to that of wide receiver finalists Wayne (10th in yards and receptions) and Holt (17th in yards and 26th in receptions in a shorter career). It’s also nearly identical to that of Andre Johnson, who was admitted into the 2024 Hall of Fame class alongside Panthers great Julius Peppers.
Torry Holt gets another chance
Holt is officially the elder statesman among the finalist group. The Gibsonville, N.C., native — who played football at N.C. State and now lives in the Raleigh area — has been named as a finalist seven times, the most among modern-era players on the ballot.
Holt statistically doesn’t have the NFL longevity that some of his classmates do. He only played 11 years, 10 of which were with the Rams. But his statistical production in his time was utterly remarkable. He was the quickest to 10,000 receiving yards in NFL history and is the only player with six straight 1,300-yard seasons.
This story was originally published December 30, 2025 at 10:14 AM.
