GREEN BAY – Clay Matthews and 11 other former Packers players are among the 128 modern-era nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
A six-time Pro Bowler who played a pivotal role on the Packers' Super Bowl XLV team, Matthews played 10 seasons in Green Bay after being drafted in the first round (26th overall) in 2009.
Matthews stands atop the Packers' all-time sack list (since 1982) with 83½ career sacks. His 10 sacks in 2009 remain a franchise rookie record. His six Pro Bowl selections are tied with Reggie White for the second-most selections by a defensive player in team history.
Matthews, who finished his career with the Los Angeles Rams in 2019, was enshrined in the Packers Hall of Fame in August of 2024.
Other former Packers among this year's nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame include receivers Donald Driver and Jordy Nelson, safety Nick Collins, linebacker A.J. Hawk, and guard Josh Sitton.
Other nominees who spent a portion of their NFL careers with the Packers include offensive linemen Jahri Evans and Jeff Saturday, tight end Wesley Walls, returners Eric Metcalf and Allen Rossum, and punter Sean Landeta.
The roster of Class of 2026 nominees consists of 77 offensive players, 42 defensive players and nine special teams players.
In the next step in the selection process, a screening committee will reduce the list to 50 (plus ties, if any, for the 50th spot). The results of that reduction will be announced in mid-October.
The full 50-person Hall of Fame selection committee then will reduce the list further – to 25 semifinalists, later this fall. Another vote will create a list of 15 modern-era player finalists who will be discussed at the annual selection meeting ahead of Super Bowl LX. The Class of 2026 can consist of three, four or five modern-era players under the Hall of Fame's bylaws.
