Drew Brees, Jahri Evans clear major hurdle on Hall of Fame campaign

Drew Brees and Jahri Evans cleared a major hurdle on their way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Both of the New Orleans Saints legends made the cut as semifinalists for the Class of 2026; finalists will be revealed in the months ahead, and the few greats making it to Canton will be announced in February before Super Bowl LX. It's familiar territory for Evans, who was a finalist last year. But it sure would be sweet to see the two old teammates be enshrined together.

They aren't the only candidates with ties to New Orleans, though. Longtime New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, son of famous Saints QB Archie Manning and a two-time Super Bowl champ in his own right, was a finalist like Evans last year. Wide receiver Reggie Wayne was right there with them as a finalist last year, too, and the Marrero native was a favorite target of Eli's brother Peyton on the Indianapolis Colts for many years.

So there could be a decidedly New Orleans tinge to the Hall of Fame's Class of 2026. All of these great players face stiff competition from big names like Larry Fitzgerald and Frank Gore, but they have compelling cases of their own. We'll be keeping tabs as the Hall of Fame voters debate their picks down the stretch.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Drew Brees, Jahri Evans among Hall of Fame semifinalists for 2026