From College Football to Canton: Drew Brees and Roger Craig Headline 2026 Hall of Fame Class
Earning a gold jacket and a bronze bust in Canton, Ohio, is the ultimate honor in professional football. Leading the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 are two Big Ten school legends who redefined their positions: former Purdue quarterback Drew Brees and Nebraska running back Roger Craig.
Long before punching their tickets to Canton in August, both stars built legacies that transformed the sport. Brees captivated West Lafayette as a Big Ten Champion before embarking on a 20-year NFL career where he amassed 13 Pro Bowl selections, over 80,000 passing yards, and a Super Bowl trophy with the New Orleans Saints. Alongside him stands Craig, the Husker powerhouse who revolutionized the modern running back position as a cornerstone of San Francisco’s 1980s dynasty — capturing three Super Bowl rings, earning 1988 NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors, and becoming the first player in league history to post 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards in a single season.
From college football Saturdays to Canton’s sacred grounds, Brees and Craig now stand among the game’s immortal icons. Their enshrinement is only part of a legendary Class of 2026: joined by wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, linebacker Luke Kuechly, and clutch kicker Adam Vinatieri, all five inductees have officially cemented their enduring legacies in pro football history.
Drew Brees: From Purdue Star (1997–2000) to NFL Legend (2001–2020)
Before he became one of the NFL’s all-time passing leaders, Brees put Joe Tiller’s “Basketball on Grass” offense on the map in West Lafayette. He departed Purdue holding virtually every major passing record in school and conference history, racking up 11,792 passing yards and 90 passing touchdowns. In 2000, Brees won the Maxwell Award as college football's most outstanding player, claimed Big Ten MVP honors, and guided Purdue to its first Rose Bowl berth in 34 years.
Drafted 32nd overall in 2001, Brees spent 20 seasons becoming one of the best quarterbacks the NFL has ever seen. He retired after the 2020 season ranking second in league history in career passing yards (80,358) and touchdown passes (571), only falling behind fellow Big Ten legend Tom Brady. A 13-time Pro Bowler and two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Brees topped 5,000 passing yards in a season five times — a feat no other quarterback in league history has accomplished more than twice.
Brees' crown jewel came in February 2010, when he earned MVP honors in Super Bowl XLIV after leading the Saints to their first championship in franchise history over the Indianapolis Colts.
Today, Brees still stands as one of the most prolific quarterbacks in Big Ten history. He led Purdue to a Big Ten Championship and a Rose Bowl berth while setting 13 conference records. Upon leaving West Lafayette, he held the Big Ten career records for passing yards (11,792), completions (1,026) and passing touchdowns (90), and he still ranks among the top passing leaders in conference history.
Roger Craig: From Nebraska Powerhouse (1979–1982) to 3-Time Super Bowl Champion (1983–1993)
Craig became the centerpiece of legendary coach Tom Osborne’s run scheme from 1979 to 1982. Over four seasons, he amassed over 2,400 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns in Lincoln, earning All-Big Eight (now Big 12) honors in 1981 after posting a 1,060-yard season.
Craig carried that dominance directly to the pros. Selected in the second round of the 1983 draft by San Francisco, he quickly emerged as the ultimate dual-threat weapon in Bill Walsh’s West Coast Offense. Across 11 NFL seasons, Craig amassed 8,189 rushing yards, 4,911 receiving yards, and 73 total touchdowns.
In 1985, Craig made NFL history by becoming the first player to record 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season (a club joined only by Marshall Faulk and Christian McCaffrey). A four-time Pro Bowler and member of the NFL’s 1980s All-Decade Team, Craig won three Super Bowl titles with San Francisco and was named the 1988 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year after leading the league with 2,036 scrimmage yards (tied Eric Dickerson).
Decades after transforming their positions on Big Ten Saturdays, Brees and Craig have reached the apex of football immortality. Whether through Brees' prolific passing that elevated Purdue and New Orleans or Craig's versatility that powered Nebraska and the 49ers dynasty, both legends set new standards for excellence. As their bronze busts take their permanent place in Canton alongside the rest of the Class of 2026, their journeys stand as a testament to the enduring impact of Big Ten greatness on the highest stage of the game.