2026 Hall Of Fame Class Unveiled
As part of tonight’s NFL Honors program, the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class has been revealed. Here is the full breakdown of the five-member class:
Drew Brees, quarterback (2001-20)
Chosen by the Chargers in the second round after they had traded down (via the Falcons) from No. 1 overall, Drew Brees joined LaDainian Tomlinson in what is now a two-Hall of Famer 2001 Bolts draft class. It took a while longer for Brees to join the superstar running back on that Canton path, but he found it in New Orleans. Brees did begin to turn his career around by 2004, when he guided the Chargers to their first playoff berth in eight years and made the Pro Bowl (no small feat with prime Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in the AFC at the time) in 2004. A John Lynch sack in a Broncos-Chargers Week 17 game in 2005, however, changed multiple franchises’ fortunes.
The Chargers gave the reins to 2004 first-rounder Philip Rivers, leading Brees to free agency. A Dolphins-Saints duel developed. Dolphins doctors not expressing confidence in Brees’ shoulder led the then-Nick Saban-coached team to bow out, and the Saints gave Brees a five-year, $60MM deal with $20MM guaranteed. He outplayed that contract and the rest of the deals he signed.
Brees lasted 15 years as the Saints’ starter. The franchise entered the Brees era with one playoff win in 39 years; the Saints now have 10 postseason victories, with the QB’s retirement marking a clear line of demarcation for the NFC South franchise.
Brees joined first-year HC Sean Payton upon signing with the Saints and guided them to the 2006 NFC championship game. That season followed a 3-13 campaign overshadowed by Hurricane Katrina. While the Saints lost to the Bears in the NFC title game, Brees earned his first and only first-team All-Pro honor. One of the best players never to win an MVP award — Tomlinson claimed the 2006 prize after scoring an NFL-record 31 touchdowns — Brees still lapped the QB field in other areas. The 13-time Pro Bowler has five 5,000-yard passing seasons. No one else has more than two.
Brees broke Dan Marino‘s single-season passing yardage record in 2008 and topped that total in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016. Brees broke his own single-season yardage record with 5,476 in 2011. That Saints team, which featured Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston as Brees’ top pass catchers, still holds the single-season yardage record (7,474) despite the NFL moving to a 17-game season in 2021. While Manning broke Brees’ yardage record in 2013, the New Orleans staple took down the ex-Colts and Broncos icon’s career marks later in the 2010s.
The Saints won their only Super Bowl thanks largely to Brees’ contributions. They started 13-0 in 2009 and earned the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Two fourth-quarter Tracy Porter interceptions helped the Saints hold off the Vikings and Colts. Brees earned Super Bowl XLIV MVP honors in the team’s 31-17 victory, completing 32 of 39 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately for Brees, a string of brutal playoff losses followed that coronation.
On the wrong side of Beastquake, a shootout loss to the 49ers the following year, the Minneapolis Miracle, and an infamous uncalled pass interference sequence that prompted the NFL try replay review for the play burned the Saints. But Brees extended his prime into his late 30s and set multiple career records.
Still holding the single-season completion percentage record (74.4% in 2018), Brees set the career touchdown pass standard with No. 540 in 2019. He had broken Manning’s career yardage record early in the 2018 season. Brady eventually caught Brees in both categories, but it took the Patriots and Buccaneers legend more time to do so.
While Rivers came out of retirement to delay his Hall of Fame case by five years, Brees’ San Diego successor was not certain to be enshrined in this class. Brees has been a first-ballot lock for a long time, playing through his age-41 season. Brees signed five Saints contracts, including a five-year, $100MM extension in 2012 and a pair of two-year, $50MM pacts (2018, 2020). His 2012 offseason helped set a precedent for franchise-tagged players, with an arbitrator ruling the Saints tagging him that year counted as his second tag (as the Chargers had tagged him in 2005). This helped protect players who changed teams, as the two-tag rule applied to a career rather than just one team.
Roger Craig, running back (1983-93)
As Bill Walsh‘s West Coast Offense was gaining steam, a former Nebraska cog became a pivotal chess piece in the Hall of Fame coach’s fifth San Francisco season. With the 49ers from 1983-90, Roger Craig shined as a dual-threat running back. Playing some fullback early in his career, Craig transitioned to the lead RB in Joe Montana‘s offense. The senior candidate became the first player to post a 1,000-1,000 season, doing so in 1985. Craig rushed for 1,050 rushing yards and accumulated 1,016 receiving yards that season. He led the NFL in receptions that year and finished with 15 touchdowns.
The 49ers drafted Craig in the 1983 second round. The team had acquired Wendell Tyler from the Rams that offseason, but both backs totaled 176 carries in ’83. Tyler led the 49ers in rushing in 1984, but Craig punctuated that season with a three-touchdown Super Bowl XIX effort. Craig totaled 135 scrimmage yards in the 49ers’ rout of the Dolphins, one that cemented San Francisco’s ’84 iteration — an 18-1 team — as being among the greatest squads in NFL history. Craig commandeered lead RB duties in 1985 and held them for the rest of the decade.
Craig earned All-Decade acclaim for his 49ers contributions. Famous for a high-knee running style, Craig produced three 1,000-yard rushing seasons and four 500-plus-yard receiving slates. He rushed for a career-high 1,502 yards — 46 of those on this gem in Anaheim — in 1988, helping the 49ers as they held extended QB battle between Montana and Steve Young. Craig then assisted Montana to MVP honors in 1989 with his third 1,000-yard year.
While Craig finished his career with stints on the Raiders (1991) and Vikings (1992-93), he is best remembered as a 49er. He finished his career with 13,100 scrimmage yards and 73 TDs. Craig joins Montana, Young, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Fred Dean and Charles Haley as Walsh-era 49ers enshrined in Canton.
Larry Fitzgerald, wide receiver (2004-20)
The Cardinals had already found a wide receiver gem in 2003, selecting Offensive Rookie of the Year Anquan Boldin in the second round. That came after the team chose Bryant Johnson in the 2003 first round. But Arizona did well to take the best player available a year later, nabbing Larry Fitzgerald third overall. Drafted at just 20, Fitzgerald played his entire career with the Cardinals. Like Brees, this involved a few short-term contracts. It also featured a then-record-setting wide receiver pact (seven years, $113MM) in 2011.
Fitzgerald is almost certainly the best player in the Cardinals’ 100-plus-year history. The surehanded pass catcher earned 11 Pro Bowl honors and landed on the 2010s’ All-Decade team. The three-time All-Pro did not have some of the advantages at quarterback many of his Hall of Fame peers did. The Cardinals struggled to find a reliable arm between the Kurt Warner and Carson Palmer tenures, and they missed on Josh Rosen in 2018. But Fitzgerald earned one his All-Pro honors between the Warner and Palmer years. The Palmer-Bruce Arians stretch revitalized the veteran receiver, but his career peak occurred with Warner and Ken Whisenhunt.
Although Cooper Kupp made a strong argument for best wide receiver postseason, Fitzgerald’s totals still reign supreme. The 6-foot-3 wideout’s 546 receiving yards during the 2008 playoffs lead the field by a healthy margin (Kupp’s 478 in 2021 ranks second).
Helping a 9-7 Cardinals team — one that ranked outside the top 20 in DVOA — to Super Bowl XLIII, Fitzgerald posted four 100-yard receiving games and caught a single-playoff-record seven touchdown passes. This included three in an Arizona NFC championship win over Philadelphia and two against a menacing Pittsburgh defense. Fitzgerald’s second Super Bowl TD — a 64-yard catch-and-run — gave the Cardinals a lead late in the fourth quarter. Their defense could not hold it, and Fitz did not advance to another Super Bowl.
The Cards did reach another NFC championship game, motoring to the 2015 third round after a franchise-record 13 wins. After three straight sub-1,000-yard seasons, Fitzgerald resurfaced with 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns. Playing more of a slot role under Arians, Fitzgerald made a considerable difference in the Cardinals’ divisional-round win over the Packers. After two miraculous Aaron Rodgers-to-Jeff Janis heaves forced overtime, Fitz denied the Pack a possession with a 75-yard sprint and a 5-yard shovel-pass TD.
Fitzgerald retired in second place in career receptions (1,432) and receiving yards (17,492). Fitz is more than 100 catches north of third place all time (Tony Gonzalez) and he sits more than 1,500 yards ahead of third place on that list (Terrell Owens). A model teammate and among the most dependable players in NFL history, Fitzgerald is among a handful of wide receivers enshrined on the first ballot.
Luke Kuechly, linebacker (2012-19)
Joining Cam Newton in driving the Panthers to their highest peak, Luke Kuechly is the most decorated player in team history. The star middle linebacker finished his career with seven straight All-Pro accolades. Five of those were first-team honors, elevating Kuechly to a high place among off-ball linebackers of any era.
The Panthers chose Kuechly ninth overall out of Boston College in 2012. Despite the lofty investment in a non-rush ‘backer, Kuechly immediately rewarded the Panthers and distinguished himself as an all-around player. Viewed as a top-notch coverage LB, Kuechly led the NFL in tackles during his rookie season – en route to a Defensive Rookie of the Year runaway – and in 2014. In between, Kuechly interrupted J.J. Watt’s Defensive Player of the Year reign, claiming that honor by making 156 tackles (10 for loss) to go with four interceptions. The Panthers claimed the NFC’s No. 2 seed that season.
Although Newton’s outlier MVP season powered the Panthers to a 15-1 record and Super Bowl 50 in 2015, Kuechly gave that No. 1-ranked offense backing by leading a Sean McDermott’s defense to a sixth-place finish.
Given a then-top-market extension (five years, $61.79MM) during the 2015 offseason, Kuechly followed it up with a four-INT season that included a Derrick Brooks-like TD rate. Kuechly notched two pick-sixes during the regular season and added two more in the playoffs, taking INTs back for scores in wins over the Seahawks and Cardinals. He later sacked Peyton Manning in Super Bowl 50.
Concussion trouble prompted Kuechly to end his career early. He suffered three from 2015-17, with a 2016 head injury keying a shutdown. While Kuechly did not sustain any documented concussions during his final two seasons, he retired shortly after the ’19 season – at just 28. Kuechly was on pace to be one of the greatest linebackers in NFL history, and he maximized his truncated run in the NFL. Becoming one of the highest-profile athletes in any sport to cite concussions in retiring early, Kuechly joins only former Lions great Joe Schmidt as the only off-ball LBs to earn five first-team All-Pro honors by 28.
Adam Vinatieri, kicker (1996-2019)
The NFL’s all-time leading scorer, Adam Vinatieri made three of the most important field goals in league history. The 1996 Patriots UDFA played until age 47, being one of just four players – joining kickers Morten Andersen and Gary Anderson and QB/kicker George Blanda – in playing into his late 40s. Passing Andersen late during his Indianapolis stay, Vinatieri’s 2,673 points more than 700 clear of the closest active player’s total.
While Vinatieri made two Super Bowl walk-off shots to launch the Patriots’ dynasty, his most impressive make came two weeks before Super Bowl XXXVI. The South Dakota State alum drilled a 45-yarder in the final minute during a snowy divisional-round game against the Raiders. Better known for the infamous Tuck Rule decision, that game also featured a Vinatieri game-winner after his previous make forced overtime.
Vinatieri stayed with the Patriots for 10 seasons and made a key difference in the AFC’s defining rivalry of that period. After Mike Vanderjagt shanked a game-tying try to leave the Colts eliminated as the No. 1 seed in Round 2 of the 2005 playoffs, they let their longtime kicker walk in free agency and gave Vinatieri – franchise-tagged by the Patriots in 2005 – a five-year, $12MM deal. Vinatieri signed five more Colts contracts, doing so after helping the team beat the Patriots in the 2006 AFC championship game and then defeat the Bears in the rain in Super Bowl XLI.
The four-time Super Bowl winner earned three first-team All-Pro nods, the last of those coming at age 42 in 2014, and while his 83.8% connect rate sits just 39th among qualified options, kickers continue to become more accurate. No one who entered the NFL before Vinatieri ranks above him on the all-time accuracy list. The 24-year vet joins Blanda, Andersen, Lou Groza and Jan Stenerud as Hall of Fame kickers.
Here are the players, coaches and contributors among this year’s finalists contingent that were not enshrined:
- Ken Anderson, QB
- Willie Anderson, T
- Bill Belichick, coach
- Jahri Evans, G
- Frank Gore, RB
- L.C. Greenwood, DE
- Torry Holt, WR
- Robert Kraft, owner
- Eli Manning, QB
- Terrell Suggs, EDGE
- Reggie Wayne, WR
- Kevin Williams, DT
- Jason Witten, TE
- Darren Woodson, S
- Marshal Yanda, OL
Belichick will likely be enshrined in 2027, but his omission this year proved shocking. Spygate and a voting system that lumps coaches and contributors with senior candidates is believed to be behind Belichick missing out. This could lead to a change in how the Hall of Fame inducts coaches. The North Carolina HC, he of eight Super Bowl wins (two as Giants DC), did not come up for a coaching job this offseason.
Eli Manning missed out for a second year. With the induction process altered to raise the bar for Hall induction, the postseason Giants hero continues to see his spottier regular-season work keep him out of Canton. The wide receiver logjam has gripped Holt and Wayne for a bit as well. Holt has been on the ballot for over a decade, with Wayne nearing that point.
Witten, who delayed his Hall of Fame clock by two years upon unretiring in 2019, sits fourth all time in career catches but was denied first-ballot enshrinement. A semifinalist this year, Rivers stalled his clock by five after his shocking return to the Colts. Gore sits third on the all-time rushing list, but he was only a one-time All-Pro. Still, Gore’s nine 1,000-yard rushing seasons will surely generate induction down the road.
Suggs, Yanda and Willie Anderson were among the final seven candidates considered for the Hall this year, according to Panthers.com’s Darin Gantt. Since tackles for loss became an official stat in 1999, Suggs is the leader with 202. The former Defensive Player of the Year will need to wait a bit longer before joining ex-Ravens teammates Ed Reed and Ray Lewis in Canton.
Ditto Yanda, an 2010s All-Decade guard who joined Reed, Lewis and Suggs on Baltimore’s Super Bowl XLVII-winning 2012 team. Willie Anderson was one of the game’s best tackles during a banner era for the position, dominating at right tackle for the Bengals and Ravens. By making the final seven, Suggs, Yanda and Willie Anderson will be automatic 2027 finalists, Gantt adds.
Matthew Stafford To Return In 2026
Matthew Stafford claimed MVP honors tonight, becoming the first quarterback on a team that did not win its division to snare the award since Peyton Manning in 2008. Stafford also used his podium time to confirm he will return for an 18th season.
The Rams quarterback is under contract for one more season. Recent renegotiations have taken place, and it could be expected at least one more round of talks will commence between Stafford and the Rams soon. Barring more trade talks, Stafford is assured to head back to Los Angeles for a sixth season.
[RELATED: Rams Extend Sean McVay, Les Snead]
Edging Drake Maye by one first-place vote in the MVP balloting, Stafford finished his 17th season with an NFL-leading 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdown throws. He enjoyed the benefit of targeting Puka Nacua and Davante Adams in a Sean McVay-piloted offense. While Adams was not yet committed to the Rams during Stafford’s trade-rumor stretch, it was always odd the star QB was that open to leaving the Rams given the infrastructure he has in L.A.
The Giants and Raiders engaged in aggressive trade pursuits, with the Steelers among the other teams in the derby. The Giants and Raiders had contracts worked out with the disgruntled passer, but cooler heads prevailed and Stafford remained a Ram on a reworked deal.
Stafford agreed to a two-year, $80MM pact that included a $40MM guarantee for 2025. Under the terms of his original four-year, $160MM agreement, no guaranteed money was in place that far into the deal. But Stafford, who missed much of the 2022 season due to injury, has sustained high-quality play into his late 30s. That has prompted the Rams to rework his deal twice since authorizing it in spring 2022.
The Rams have stacked six void years onto this contract, which expires in March 2027. Stafford retiring this year would have brought $48MM in dead money for the Rams. Los Angeles’ latest rework will reward Stafford with $40MM guaranteed on Day 5 of the 2026 league year. That represents a player-friendly structure, but the team could lower his $48.27MM cap hit with another extension — one that would seemingly be completed before that mid-March vesting date. Though, it will be difficult for the Rams to commit future guarantees to their QB standout due to his year-to-year approach at this point in his career.
Stafford’s MVP award may well be what pushes his Hall of Fame candidacy over the goal line one day. The former Lions starter amazingly had only one original-ballot Pro Bowl nod — a requirement for Hall of Fame entry — through 16 seasons. He has since upped that count to three, delivering some of his best work from 2024-25. The Rams won two playoff games this season, including an overtime thriller in frigid Chicago, and pushed the Seahawks to the brink in an NFC championship game shootout. After that game, McVay took exception to a question about Stafford’s return; the coach indicated he would obviously take Stafford back.
L.A. has two first-round picks this year, thanks to a trade-down move that gave Atlanta James Pearce Jr. in the 2025 first round. The team has tabled a move for a Stafford heir apparent for a bit. But the 2026 quarterback class is not particularly appealing. The lot of potential first-rounders disappointed or returned to school, pointing to the 2027 draft as a much better class beyond this Fernando Mendoza-centered crop. The Rams did not see Stetson Bennett take off, and they have used Jimmy Garoppolo as their backup over the past two seasons. Garoppolo is once again a free agent.
For a stretch in training camp, it looked like the Rams would need Garoppolo for regular-season duty. A back injury kept Stafford off the practice field for weeks. This reminded of his elbow malady during the 2022 offseason. But the former No. 1 overall pick was ready by Week 1 and did not miss a start.
The Rams will hope for a smooth offseason with their signal-caller this year. If/once Stafford begins a sixth season as the Rams’ starting QB, it will mark the first time a Rams passer has started in Week 1 in six straight seasons since Marc Bulger (2004-09).
Offseason Outlook: Denver Broncos
Enjoying near-2024 Chiefs-level success in one-score games, the Broncos rode to a 14-3 record and the AFC's No. 1 seed. Denver far outdistanced longtime AFC West kingpin Kansas City and won the division by three games. The team's recent extension recipients led the way, with six players extended in 2024 or 2025 earning original-ballot Pro Bowl nods and four collecting All-Pro honors.
More impressively, the Broncos extended their season to the AFC championship game with Russell Wilson's $32MM cap figure topping their payroll. While Denver fell just short of Super Bowl LX -- with Bo Nix's season-ending ankle injury bringing one of the bigger what-ifs in recent NFL history -- the team has a clear window to continue as a top-tier operation in 2026. The Broncos are now clear of Wilson's record-setting dead money sum, and with Nix on a rookie contract, 2026 represents a sweet spot of sorts for the rejuvenated franchise.
Coaching/front office:
- Fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi
- Davis Webb promoted as OC replacement
- DBs coach Jim Leonhard became Bills' defensive coordinator
- Senior offensive assistant Pete Carmichael became Bills' OC
- DC Vance Joseph interviewed for Cardinals, Giants, Raiders, Ravens, Titans' HC jobs
- Webb interviewed for Bills, Raiders, Ravens' HC jobs, withdrew from Vegas search
- ST coordinator Darren Rizzi interviewed for Giants, Ravens' HC jobs
- Logan Kilgore promoted to QBs coach
Significant changes are on tap for Sean Payton's staff, though Denver's 2026 coach roster will include Joseph -- despite extensive HC interest -- and Webb even though teams pursued the latter for HC and OC jobs. Webb's status likely led to Lombardi's ouster. The longtime Payton underling was not viewed as a head coaching candidate despite the Broncos' recent success, and credit for Nix's development generally went to Payton and Webb. Lombardi, a three-stint Payton replacement, has landed with the Ravens.
Pro Football Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat: 2/5/26
Pro Football Rumors' Sam Robinson will be holding a live chat at 3pm Central today, exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers!
NFLPA Remains Averse To 18-Game Season
Many have long seen it as a foregone conclusion the NFL’s regular season will expand to 18 games. Moving from the current setup to one including an additional regular season contest (and one fewer week in the preseason) will require an agreement involving the NFL Players Association, though. 
The NFLPA has previously expressed its lack of a willingness to expand the schedule further, citing a number of concerns. The turbulent events of this past summer has left the union with temporary leaders in place, something which will delay negotiations on this front. In any case, interim executive director David White recently made it clear there remains no desire on the part of the NFLPA to explore any additions to the length of the season.
Players have “no appetite” for an 18th game, White said (via CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones). He added the issue of schedule expansion is “not casual” (h/t ESPN’s Brooke Pryor). The current CBA runs through 2030, leaving plenty of time for negotiations between the NFL and NFLPA to take place. Not much has happened since White was named interim leader of the union, and commissioner Roger Goodell said in October things would be put on pause until White’s permanent replacement is in place.
“It is not a given we’ll do that,” Goodell confirmed (via Mike Garafolo of NFL Network) when speaking about the possibility of adding an 18th game. “It’s something we want to talk about with union leadership.”
White’s stance on the matter has remained clear during his time in charge of the NFLPA. Meanwhile, union president Jalen Reeves-Maybin reiterated (via Pryor) an expanded schedule is “not something players are excited for.” Issues such as an additional bye week, roster sizes, travel for international games and playing surfaces are among those most important to the NFLPA. The willingness of the league to make concessions on at least some of those fronts will no doubt be key once formal negotiations begin.
The league’s slate of international contests has seen continued growth over several years, and at least nine games will be played outside of the United States in 2026. The NFL has a clear target in mind which would see every team play one overseas game per year as part of an 18-game schedule. There is still plenty of work to be done to ensure that will be possible, though, with a change in stance on the part of the union representing a notable hurdle.
Greg Roman Expected To Join Giants Staff
Greg Roman is set to reunite with John Harbaugh in New York. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, there’s a “strong possibility” the veteran coach joins the Giants in a “to-be-determined role.”
[RELATED: Giants To Hire Matt Nagy As OC]
Roman had a six-year stint on Harbaugh’s Ravens staff, including four as offensive coordinator. Baltimore had the league’s best offense during his first season at the helm, and they were a top-10 unit in 2020. However, when Lamar Jackson battled injuries in 2021 and 2022, the Ravens saw their offensive rank drop to the late teens. Roman resigned following that 2022 campaign. Roman also had a stint on Baltimore’s staff between 2006 and 2007, but he didn’t stick around when Harbaugh was hired in 2008.
Following his first Baltimore stint, Roman served as Stanford’s associate head coach under Jim Harbaugh. Roman followed his boss to San Francisco, where he served as the 49ers offensive coordinator for four seasons. While the passing attack struggled under the coach, the 49ers rushing game was one of the best in the NFL, with Roman guiding Frank Gore to four standout campaigns. He later joined Rex Ryan‘s staff in Buffalo, and despite guiding the Tyrod Taylor-led offense to nearly-top-10 showings, he only lasted two years with the Bills.
Roman’s stint in Buffalo was followed by his long tenure in Baltimore. After spending a year out of football, he caught on with Jim Harbaugh’s staff in Los Angeles, where he coached the Justin Herbert-led offense in 2024 and 2025. The Chargers ended up moving on from the offensive coordinator following a three-point showing during the team’s playoff loss to the Patriots. Despite his underwhelming performance with the Chargers, Roman was still a finalist for the Jets OC job that eventually went to Frank Reich.
With that opportunity settled, Roman is now set to reunite with John Harbaugh in New York. It’s uncertain exactly what role he’ll serve on the Giants staff. The team has already added Matt Nagy as their new offensive coordinator, but there are still plenty of open gigs on the staff. Roman has extensive experience coaching tight ends, although the Giants did bring in former Ravens TEs guru Danny Breyer as their new pass game coordinator. Considering his past success with RBs, perhaps Roman could find himself with a key role on that part of the Giants offense.
Ravens Add Lou Esposito, Israel Woolfork To Staff
Jesse Minter continues to shape his first coaching staff in Baltimore. On defense, the Ravens have hired Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito for the same role, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reported earlier tonight that the two sides were close.
While Esposito doesn’t have any direct ties to Baltimore, there are some indirect connections to the staff and the organization. When Minter joined the Chargers following a two-year stint as Michigan’s defensive coordinator, Esposito caught on with the program as the DL coach. During Esposito’s time at Michigan, he worked under former Ravens DC Wink Martindale, who has spent the past two years in the same role with the Wolverines.
This will represent Esposito’s first NFL gig. He’s had a long career coaching in the college ranks, including multiple stops at Western Michigan. Following a three-year stint as Davenport’s head coach, he spent seven years as the defensive coordinator at Western Michigan. In Baltimore, he’ll be working under long-time defensive line coach Anthony Weaver.
On the other side of the ball, the Ravens have landed on Lamar Jackson‘s new positional coach. Schefter reported yesterday that the Ravens have hired Israel Woolfork as their new QBs coach. Woolfork spent the past three seasons coaching Kyler Murray in Arizona, and he got a career year out of Jacoby Brissett this past season. He was a candidate for the Buccaneers offensive coordinator job earlier this offseason, and the Cardinals blocked him for a handful of interviews. Ultimately, he’ll head to Baltimore to coach a former MVP.
With Woolfork brought aboard, Tee Martin will not be returning to Baltimore for the 2026 campaign, per Jordan Schultz. Martin spent the past three seasons as the Ravens QBs coach, and he spent two years before that coaching Baltimore’s wideouts. The 47-year-old built a strong relationship with Jackson during his tenure with the organization, but Minter and new OC Declan Doyle decided to bring in their own QBs coach.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 2/5/26
Today’s reserve/futures deals:
Miami Dolphins
- TE Zack Kuntz
Zack Kuntz was a seventh-round pick by the Jets in 2023 and spent two years with the organization. The majority of his NFL career has been spent on New York’s practice squad, although he did find his way into two games with the Jets. He was waived at the end of the 2025 preseason and didn’t join a team for this past season. The tight end was selected by the DC Defenders during this past January’s UFL draft.
Giants Seem “Likely” To Retain WR Wan’Dale Robinson
Wan’Dale Robinson‘s career season couldn’t have come at a better time, as the impending free agent wideout is expected to garner a lucrative contract this offseason. While the Giants have brought in a new coaching staff, the organization is still making the receiver a priority.
According to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, Robinson’s return to New York “seems likely.” Raanan notes that Robinson has always been a “favorite” of Joe Schoen, who selected the Kentucky product in the second round of his first draft as Giants GM. Further, the reporter notes that the Giants need to add playmakers this offseason, and letting one of their top wideouts walk in free agency would defeat that purpose.
Robinson struggled to separate himself from the Giants other wide receivers through his first two NFL seasons, but he showed some progress in 2024 when he hauled in 93 of his 140 targets. With Malik Nabers being limited to four games thanks to a torn ACL in 2025, Robinson emerged as Jaxson Dart‘s preferred target. The 25-year-old wideout had his first 1,000-yard season, and he hauled in 92 catches and a career-high four receiving touchdowns.
As John Harbaugh looks to turn around the success of the organization, there’s some merit to maintaining continuity on offense. Nabers should be ready to go towards the beginning of the season, while Darius Slayton and Jalin Hyatt are set to return in 2026. Still, Robinson would provide Dart with another high-quality target, and he may also represent one of the best options the team could possibly pursue via free agency.
Outside of George Pickens, this year’s WRs free agent class lacks a true positional game-changer, opening the door for Robinson to garner a lucrative contract. Mike Evans offers an impressive resume but is entering his age-33 season following an injury-filled 2025 campaign, while the likes of Alec Pierce, Jauan Jennings, and Romeo Doubs bring a similar track record as Robinson. As a result, the Giants could find themselves competing with other suitors to retain one of their top WR.
Cardinals Add Miami’s Matt Merritt As RBs Coach
Mike LaFleur and Nathaniel Hackett aren’t wasting any time adding to their new Cardinals staff. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the team has hired Miami running backs coach Matt Merritt for the same role in Arizona.
[RELATED: Cardinals To Hire Nathaniel Hackett As OC]
Merritt joined the Hurricanes staff ahead of the 2024 season and guided a rushing attack that saw Damien Martinez and Mark Fletcher Jr. combine for 19 touchdowns. He also got some production from eventual first-overall pick Cam Ward, who rushed for 204 yards and four touchdowns on 60 carries. Fletcher Jr. took his production to another level in 2025, finishing with 1,192 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. CharMar Brown added seven scores of his own.
Other than his stint at Miami, Merritt’s stops have included Ohio State, Tennessee, and USF. During his tenure at that latter school, he helped guide a rushing attack that averaged 182.8 yards per game during the 2023 campaign. Nay’Quan Wright rushed for 797 yards and eight touchdowns, while QB Byrum Brown joined Jayden Daniels as the nation’s only signal callers to throw for at least 3,000 yards while compiling 800-plus rushing yards.
In Arizona, Merritt’s running back corps should be relatively set. James Conner will be leading the depth chart following a lost 2025 campaign, and Trey Benson will return as the RB2 following a handful of respectable outings last year. The team also has Corey Kiner on their offseason roster, while the trio of Emari Demercado, Zonovan Knight, and Michael Carter are all impending free agents.
Elsewhere in Arizona, the Cardinals have requested an interview with Dan Williams for their QB coach job, per Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network. Williams has spent the past seven seasons in Kansas City, including the past five coaching Patrick Mahomes as the Chiefs assistant QBs coach.