rewrite this title Three senior candidates for 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement

A day after 52 modern-era players, led by quarterback Drew Brees and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, moved along in the Pro Football Hall of Fame voting process, NFL senior members got their due.

On Thursday, NFL.com shared that 34 senior players, defined as those who last played in the NFL before 2000, were selected by members of the Hall of Fame’s Seniors Blue-Ribbon Committee to advance to the next round of voting for possible enshrinement in the 2026 class.

Of the 34, nine will advance to the semifinal round. From there, three are picked to go on the final ballot that decides the next batch of gold jacket recipients. Below, we take a closer look at who those should be.

Running back Roger Craig (1983-93)

Dynamic Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson is on pace to become the fourth player in NFL history with 1,000 rushing and receiving yards in a single season. The first? Former San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig, who accomplished the feat in 1985, only to be overshadowed that year by league MVP Marcus Allen and runner-up Walter Payton.

That was a recurring theme during Craig’s career. While one of the top Super Bowl performers of all time, ranking third in yards from scrimmage (410) and tied for fourth in scrimmage touchdowns (four), he split backfield duties in Super Bowl XIX with Wendell Tyler, each gaining 135 yards from scrimmage. In Super Bowls XXIII and XXIV, Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice stole the show with 18 receptions, 363 yards (20.2 yards per reception) and four touchdowns, while Craig chipped in with 137.5 yards per game.

His production waned after seven consecutive seasons with over 1,000 yards from scrimmage to begin his career, with Craig averaging 391 yards and 3.5 yards per carry over his final four seasons, split between the 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders and Minnesota Vikings. But for the majority of the 1980s, he was one of the league’s best dual-threat running backs, even being honored with inclusion on the Hall of Fame’s All-1980s team. As of 2025, he’s the only skill-position player from the All-Decade team not enshrined in Canton.

Wide receiver Henry Ellard (1983-98)

Ellard is a test case in practicing patience. The 1983 second-rounder (No. 32 overall) failed to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards over his first five seasons with the Los Angeles Rams — he did receive 1984 first-team All-Pro honors as a special teams ace — but finished his 16-year NFL career with 13,777 receiving yards, which ranks 15th in league history.

Ellard, who also played for Washington and the New England Patriots, is one of 20 players all-time with at least 800 receptions and 13,000 receiving yards. The three-time Pro Bowler averaged 16.9 yards per reception during his career, the highest all-time among 42 players with 800 career receptions or more. He also redefined what was possible for aging wideouts, becoming the first receiver with three 1,000-yard seasons after turning 33.

Defensive end L.C. Greenwood (1969-81)

Greenwood spent his entire 13-year NFL career as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ famed “Steel Curtain.” He holds the record for most sacks in Super Bowl history, ending his career with five in four games. He totaled 12.5 playoff sacks overall, tied with Terrell Suggs for the fifth most in NFL history. (h/t Stathead)

Among 45 offensive and defensive players named to the Hall of Fame’s All-1970s team, Greenwood is one of only four who haven’t made it into the Hall. A consistent defender throughout his career, it’s past time for that oversight to be corrected.