Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr., Patriots and Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri, Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, and former 49ers running back Roger Craig, the seniors nominee for this year’s class, were announced as the newest inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The other 11 finalists this year were Brees, Jahri Evans, Fitzgerald, Frank Gore, Eli Manning, Terrell Suggs, Reggie Wayne, Kevin Williams, Jason Witten, Darren Woodson, and Marshal Yanda.

In the initial reduction to 10, Holt, Wayne, Evans, Williams, and Manning were eliminated.

Selectors then chose a final seven, which included the four modern players selected, plus Anderson, Yanda, and Suggs.

In the combined seniors, coach, and contributor category, Craig emerged from a group that also included Ken Anderson, L.C. Greenwood, Bill Belichick, and Robert Kraft.

Brees is considered one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. After opening his career with the Los Angeles Chargers during the team’s tenure in San Diego, Brees joined the Saints in the 2006 offseason.

Over the course of his legendary career, he notched 5,000 passing yards in five separate years during his tenure in New Orleans while also leading the NFL in passing touchdowns four times. All in all, Brees threw for 80,358 and 571 touchdown passes to go along with 243 interceptions, completing 67.7 percent of his throws.

Fitzgerald spent his entire 17-year career with the Arizona Cardinals from 2004 through 2020. He amassed 11 Pro Bowl selections while operating in a key role on Arizona’s 2008 squad that made a Super Bowl XLIII appearance. One of the most sure-handed players of all-time, he ended his time in the NFL with 1,432 catches for 17,492 yards and 121 touchdowns, averaging 12.2 yards per reception. He also the league in both receptions and receiving touchdowns twice while recording nine separate seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards.

Vinatieri, the NFL’s all-time leading scorer, will join 1991 inductee Jan Stenerud and 2017 inductee Morten Andersen as just the third full-time kicker to be fitted for a gold jacket.

Retiring in 2021, Vinatieri’s career spanned 365 games in the regular season and 32 games in the postseason. The NFL’s all-time leader with 599 field goals made and 2,673 points scored would collect XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLI rings along the way. A three-time Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro selection, he holds a place on the NFL’s All-2000s and 100th Anniversary rosters. He also was the last remaining player in the NFL who played in the 1990’s.