Colts legend Reggie Wayne was not among the Modern-Era players elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026, which was announced Thursday night.
Four Modern-Era players were named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026: Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, linebacker Luke Kuechly, kicker Adam Vinatieri and quarterback Drew Brees.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee was able to select up to five Modern-Era players. Last year, the selection committee named four total inductees (with three Modern-Era players) for the Class of 2025, marking the committee's smallest group of inductees since 2005.
Wayne, one of the most productive and impactful wide receivers in the NFL, was in his seventh year as a finalist. Despite being one of just nine players in NFL history with at least 1,000 receptions, 14,000 yards and 80 touchdowns – just in the regular season – Wayne's wait for a golden jacket continues.
Six of those aforementioned players (Tim Brown, Isaac Bruce, Tony Gonzalez, Marvin Harrison, Terrell Owens, Jerry Rice) are Pro Football Hall of Famers, and one (Larry Fitzgerald) was also named a finalist alongside Wayne for the Class of 2026. Steve Smith Sr. Was named a finalist for the Class of 2025, but did advance to the 15-person group of finalists in 2026.
In addition to his remarkable regular season achievements, Wayne also ranks top 10 in NFL postseason history in receptions (93, sixth), receiving yards (1,254, seventh), receiving first downs (67, fourth) and receiving touchdowns (9, T-10th).
Wayne has now reached the finalist round in all seven years of his eligibility with what is, to his peers at least, as clear-cut of a case as anyone's.
"It should come down to your body of work, what did you do when you played," Pro Football Hall of Fame selector Mike Chappell said in December. "And he was at the absolute top of the list when he played.
"...I've stood up for Reggie all six years, and the main -- the overriding selling point on Reggie is there's only two players in NFL history, only two, that rank top 10 in regular season catches and yards and postseason catches and yards. And it's Reggie and Jerry Rice. When you're on that list of 'me and Jerry Rice,' it means something...Part of it I think is there's already a ton of Colts in from that team, from that era...and then there's he had Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck his whole career...well, that's not Reggie's fault. That's the hand he was dealt. So I wish I understood."
"He did things the right way, he's doing things the right way, he's paying it forward by being a position coach," Chappell added. "I don't get it."
"I mean man, put him in," head coach Shane Steichen said in December. "Jeez. I mean, the guy – what he's done over his career and even, I mean, we still show teach cut-ups of him in our meetings. But his statistical numbers are right there with Andre Johnson... And Andre got in, so I think there's no reason that he shouldn't get in the Hall of Fame. He did it the right way. He showed up for his guys. I mean, hearing the stories from the training room and everything – how hard he practiced, I think was the most impressive thing. They said he always showed up, and he always practiced and he always did it the right way. And then it obviously showed up on Sundays. He's the ultimate competitor. Made a ton of plays. He should definitely get in."
