Hall of Fame inducts Drew Brees, Fitzgerald

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 includes Drew Brees, Roger Craig, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri, with enshrinement set for Saturday, Aug. 8, in Canton, Ohio. The Hall said the five-man class will raise its membership total to 387. The annual Hall of Fame Game between the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals opens the week’s on-field events on Thursday, Aug. 6, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. (profootballhof.com) Cleveland.com reported that the game serves as the kickoff to induction week in Canton. ### Who is going into the Hall this year? Drew Brees, Roger Craig, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri were named as the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2026 inductees by the Hall. (profootballhof.com) The Hall’s Class of 2026 enshrinement page lists all five as this year’s honorees for the Aug. 8 ceremony. The Hall said the final step in the selection process was completed with oversight from Ernst & Young LLP, which validated ballot completeness and tabulated ballots under Hall bylaws. The organization did not announce a larger class beyond those five in its official class release. (profootballhof.com) ### Why are the Panthers and Cardinals playing in Canton? The Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers were selected for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, which begins the NFL preseason on Thursday, Aug. 6. NFL and Hall announcements said the game will be played in Canton and starts at 8 p.m. ET. (profootballhof.com) Jim Porter, the Hall’s president and chief executive, said when the matchup was announced that both teams were “eager to come to Canton” to open their season and celebrate members of the Class of 2026 tied to their organizations. Larry Fitzgerald spent his entire NFL career with Arizona, while Luke Kuechly starred for Carolina. (profootballhof.com) ### What else happens during Enshrinement Week? The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2026 Enshrinement Week schedule lists multiple events around the game and ceremony in Canton. The Hall’s fan guide says the week includes Play Football First Play, fan events, the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 6, the Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner on Aug. 7 and the enshrinement ceremony on Aug. 8. (nfl.com) Cleveland.com reported that induction week activities run through the weekend in Canton. The Hall’s event pages also say tickets are on sale for the Aug. 8 ceremony, while weekend packages are available through On Location. (profootballhof.com) ### Who will present the new inductees on stage? The Hall said the five members of the Class of 2026 have already selected their presenters for enshrinement. In the ceremony, presenters introduce each enshrinee by video and join them on stage for the unveiling of the bronze bust, according to the Hall. (profootballhof.com) The presenter announcement confirms the enshrinement process has moved into its final public stage ahead of the Canton ceremonies. The Hall has also unveiled a Class of 2026 exhibit featuring artifacts from the careers of Brees, Craig, Fitzgerald, Kuechly and Vinatieri. (cleveland.com) ### When and where can fans watch the week’s biggest events? NBC and Peacock will carry the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, Aug. 6, with kickoff at 8 p.m. ET, according to the NFL preseason television schedule and Hall announcements. Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium is the site for both the game and the Aug. 8 enshrinement ceremony. (profootballhof.com) Saturday, Aug. 8, is the date of the Class of 2026 enshrinement ceremony, and the Hall’s official event page says it will feature Brees, Craig, Fitzgerald, Kuechly and Vinatieri in Canton. (profootballhof.com 1) (profootballhof.com 2) (profootballhof.com 3)