Eli Manning Headlines Pro Football Hall of Fame’s First-Year Nominees

Manning joins Luke Kuechly, Terrell Suggs and Adam Vinatieri among 16 players nominated for Canton in their first year of eligibility.

Quarterback Eli Manning of the New York Giants celebrates their Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots on Feb. 5, 2012, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Manning was named the game's Most Valuable Player. Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

Two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning headlines the list of 16 former NFL players who were nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 in their first year of eligibility. The first-year nominees all concluded their playing careers in the 2019 season, with a six-year waiting period before potential enshrinement.

Other first-year nominees include a pair of Defensive Player of the Year award winners in Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs, as well as four-time Super Bowl champion, and the NFL’s all-time leading scorer, in kicker Adam Vinatieri. Along with the holdover nominees from previous years, there are 167 total modern-era players up for consideration.