Not to early to talk 2026 Hall of Fame nominees

[PanthersATL]

128 players on the initial nomination list for the 2026 HoF, including...

• Jake Delhomme
• Luke Kuechly
• Steve Smith
• Greg Olsen
• Thomas Davis
• Ryan Kalil
• John Kasay
• Charles Tillmnan
• Eric Metcalf
• Lee Woodall

https://www.panthers.com/news/former-panthers-among-128-preliminary-nominees-pro-football-hall-of-fame-class-of-2026-luke-kuechly-steve-smith

[strato]

Jake is in my Hall of Fame and he’ll have to settle for that. 

Smitty deserves it on talent and what he did for his team (not to his teammates). I am not feeling Smitty making it this year. 

Luke should be a first ballot IMO.

 

[tukafan21]

1 hour ago, strato said:

Jake is in my Hall of Fame and he’ll have to settle for that. 

Smitty deserves it on talent and what he did for his team (not to his teammates). I am not feeling Smitty making it this year. 

Luke should be a first ballot IMO.

 

Luke abasolutely should have been a first ballot guy and I still think the only reason he wasn't was the new stupid voting procedure, under the old, he probably gets in last year.

We also need him to get in this year so it can give Smitty a more realistic shot in 2027, as I just can't see any way they put two Panthers in the same year, plus with Fitzgerald a shoe in, not sure we'll see two WRs in the same year either with the backlog of them combined with the new voting.

[WUnderhill]

1 hour ago, strato said:

Jake is in my Hall of Fame and he’ll have to settle for that. 

Smitty deserves it on talent and what he did for his team (not to his teammates). I am not feeling Smitty making it this year. 

Luke should be a first ballot IMO.

 

You are selling Smith short by not acknowledging his numbers. Go check all time receiving yards and all purpose yards for receivers. If I remember correctly he’s I think #3 all time behind only Jerry Rice and Tim Brown for all purpose yards. It’s crazy how everybody acts like he’s some fringe guy that needs to wait his turn. The HOF should have been publicly shamed for putting Andre Johnson in ahead of him.

[Cpt slay a ho]

4 minutes ago, WUnderhill said:

You are selling Smith short by not acknowledging his numbers. Go check all time receiving yards and all purpose yards for receivers. If I remember correctly he’s I think #3 all time behind only Jerry Rice and Tim Brown for all purpose yards. It’s crazy how everybody acts like he’s some fringe guy that needs to wait his turn. The HOF should have been publicly shamed for putting Andre Johnson in ahead of him.

Amen 

[OneBadCat]

18 minutes ago, WUnderhill said:

You are selling Smith short by not acknowledging his numbers. Go check all time receiving yards and all purpose yards for receivers. If I remember correctly he’s I think #3 all time behind only Jerry Rice and Tim Brown for all purpose yards. It’s crazy how everybody acts like he’s some fringe guy that needs to wait his turn. The HOF should have been publicly shamed for putting Andre Johnson in ahead of him.

He's also #6 all time in 100 yd games despite 100 less targets than all of the top 5.

Won the triple crown on a team 28th in passing attempts. Smith was better than Fitzgerald. I'll stand business on that.

[strato]

25 minutes ago, WUnderhill said:

You are selling Smith short by not acknowledging his numbers. Go check all time receiving yards and all purpose yards for receivers. If I remember correctly he’s I think #3 all time behind only Jerry Rice and Tim Brown for all purpose yards. It’s crazy how everybody acts like he’s some fringe guy that needs to wait his turn. The HOF should have been publicly shamed for putting Andre Johnson in ahead of him.

I would never intentionally sell him short. He was as good as anybody and better almost everyone. I was lucky to watch him and the Panthers were very lucky to have him. 
 

I think I was mainly talking through the lens of the mainstream who don’t appreciate that. 

[tukafan21]

45 minutes ago, OneBadCat said:

He's also #6 all time in 100 yd games despite 100 less targets than all of the top 5.

Won the triple crown on a team 28th in passing attempts. Smith was better than Fitzgerald. I'll stand business on that.

Depends what you mean by "better than Fitzgerald"

At each of their peaks, sure, Smitty was the far more dangerous player and would absolutely strike more fear into opposing DC's than Fitz did.  But Fitzgerald definitely had a better career and is a clear cut 1st ballot HOFer, something as much as I love Smitty, never was going to be of course.

[LinvilleGorge]

I think Smitty is a HOFer he's just such an asshole that I can't get myself to care if he gets in or not.

Let that poor bastard in Baltimore take a lap every year he doesn't get in. LOL 

[kungfoodude]

Luke, SS and Greg should be in.

Strong case for TD, IMO.

[Lmao]

3 hours ago, WUnderhill said:

You are selling Smith short by not acknowledging his numbers. Go check all time receiving yards and all purpose yards for receivers. If I remember correctly he’s I think #3 all time behind only Jerry Rice and Tim Brown for all purpose yards. It’s crazy how everybody acts like he’s some fringe guy that needs to wait his turn. The HOF should have been publicly shamed for putting Andre Johnson in ahead of him.

https://www.footballperspective.com/the-steve-smith-post/
 

I concur….

[Davidson Deac II]

Steve Smith has a few disadvantages though.

1.  There is a glut of Wide Receivers in or being considered.   It shouldn't matter, but it might.  

2.  He isn't the most diplomatic fella.  Also shouldn't matter, but it might. 

3.  No ring.  Definitely shouldn't matter, but it might.  If he had one, that might get him in over some of the others.

I think Luke is the most likely Panther to get in.  

[Lmao]

3 hours ago, WUnderhill said:

You are selling Smith short by not acknowledging his numbers. Go check all time receiving yards and all purpose yards for receivers. If I remember correctly he’s I think #3 all time behind only Jerry Rice and Tim Brown for all purpose yards. It’s crazy how everybody acts like he’s some fringe guy that needs to wait his turn. The HOF should have been publicly shamed for putting Andre Johnson in ahead of him.

[Lmao]

23 minutes ago, Lmao said:

https://www.footballperspective.com/the-steve-smith-post/
 

I concur….