Active NFL players who are destined for Hall of Fame: Patrick Mahomes, T.J. Watt slam-dunk selections

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is reserved for the best of the best. The exclusive club of greatness is hard to be inducted into, yet there always are a current crop of players in a generation who appear bound for Canton. 

Some players retire and have impressive resumes worthy of the Hall of Fame, but a true debate can be had. Others appear to be no-doubters when it comes to being inducted into Canton, whether they are first-ballot selections or not. Think Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Barry Sanders, Jerry Rice as an example.

This is the club we’re seeking with the current generation of players. Which active NFL players already have a convincing argument for Canton? When these players actually do retire, there is no doubt they will land in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. There is an impressive list of current players who fit this criteria. 

Which 12 players who are currently active are locks for the Hall of Fame? This list doesn’t count players who already retired this offseason (Zack Martin, Jason Peters) and the list was determined by value at their position. Great players like Tyreek Hill and Jalen Ramsey were omitted even though they likely will be Hall of Fame players (also going with players who have played seven seasons or more so no Justin Jefferson).

Patrick Mahomes could retire now and be inducted on the first ballot when he’s eligible for the Hall of Fame. He is just one of five quarterbacks to win three Super Bowls (Brady, Montana, Terry Bradshaw, Troy Aikman) and one of three quarterbacks to win three Super Bowl MVPs (Brady, Montana). Mahomes also has the second-most playoff wins by a quarterback in NFL history (17), behind only Brady (35). 

Mahomes also has the most wins (89) and passing touchdowns (245) by any quarterback in his first eight seasons in NFL history — and he played in just one game his rookie season. He has the most passing yards per game (288.9) in NFL history as well. And all this is before Mahomes has turned 30. 

Mahomes is heading to Canton. 

TE Travis Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs)

Travis Kelce is one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history. Where Kelce ranks among the greatest is up for debate.

Kelce has nine straight seasons with 80+ receptions — the longest streak by any player in NFL history. He has the most 1,000-yard seasons (seven) and 100-yard receiving games (38) by a tight end — as his 12,151 yards receiving trail only Tony Gonzalez (15,127) and Jason Witten (13,046) for the most in league history.

His 178 catches are the most in NFL postseaosn history, while Kelce’s 2,078 yards receiving and 20 receiving touchdowns trail only Rice. Kelce is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. 

T.J. Watt is entering the conversation of one of the greatest pass rushers in NFL history. He tied Michael Strahan for the most sacks in a single season (22.5, 2021) and has 108.0 sacks in 121 career games. Watt is the first player since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, to lead the league in sacks three times (2020, 2021 and 2023). His 0.89 sacks per game are the best in NFL history.

Watt is the third player in NFL history with at least 14.5 sacks in three consecutive seasons (2019-2021), joining Jared Allen (2007-2009) and Reggie White (1986-1988) and he has been selected as a first-team All-Pro four times. He just turned 30 last season too. 

No matter how the end of Aaron Rodgers’ career is panning out, he’s still a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Rodgers has four MVP awards, trailing only Peyton manning for the most in NFL history (five) and he’s one of five quarterbacks in league history with 500 passing touchdowns (fifth all time with 503). 

Rodgers has the best career touchdown-to-interception ratio in NFL history (4.3, 503 touchdowns to 116 interceptions) and has the best career passer rating in NFL history (102.6). He has five seasons with 4,000+ passing yards and five or fewer interceptions while every other quarterback in NFL history has only four. Oh, and Rodgers has a Super Bowl championship and Super Bowl MVP. 

Rodgers is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. 

Myles Garrett is putting up an impressive Hall of Fame resume of his own. He’s the first player in NFL history with 14+ sacks in four straight seasons (active streak) and the second player with 12+ sacks in five straight seasons (Lawrence Taylor is the other). His 102.0 sacks are the third-most before turning 30 in NFL history, and Garrett doesn’t turn 30 until December. 

Garrett has four first-team All-Pro selections and is a former Defensive Player of the Year. He has 10+ sacks in seven consecutive seasons, one of seven players to accomplish the feat (first since Jared Allen from 2007 to 2013).

Bobby Wagner is well on his way to Canton as one of the greatest off-ball linebackers of his generation. He has been selected to an All-Pro team in 11 consecutive years while having six first-team All-Pro selections and 10 Pro Bowl selections.

Wagner has 100+ tackles in all 13 seasons and led the league in tackles three times. He’s one of four players with 1,800+ tackles and 35+ sacks in NFL history (Ray Lewis, Junior Seau, London Fletcher), also in the category of the same four players with 1,800+ tackles, 35+ sacks, and 10+ interceptions. 

Edge Von Miller (Washington Commanders)

Von Miller, who recently signed a free agent deal with the Commanders, is one of the best pass rushers of this generation. The Super Bowl 50 MVP is tied for the most sacks in Super Bowl history (4.5 with Charles Haley), but also has 129.5 sacks with three first-team All-Pro selections and eight Pro Bowl selections on his resume. 

Miller has seven double-digit sack seasons and was the 2011 Defensive Rookie of the Year. His 10.5 sacks are tied for 11th in NFL postseason history as well. 

The Super Bowl 50 performance is enough to get Miller in. The only question remains whether he’ll be in on the first ballot or not. 

Mike Evans has played 11 seasons in the NFL, never having a season without accumulating 1,000 yards. The 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons are tied with Rice for the most in NFL history and they are the most to begin a career. Evans’ 11 seasons of 1,000 yards trail only Rice (14). 

Evans has six seasons with 1,000+ receiving yards and 10+ touchdown receptions, the fifth-most in NFL history — trailing only Rice (nine), Marvin Harrison (eight), Randy Moss (eight) and Terrell Owens (eight). His 105 touchdown catches are the ninth-most in NFL history. 

A six-time Pro Bowler, Evans probably won’t get into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot, but he has been consistently great year in and year out. 

The running back position has been diminished in today’s NFL, but Derrick Henry has been the best of the best in this generation. Henry is one of nine running backs with 2,000 yards rushing in a season and has the most rushing yards in a season after having a 2,000-yard season (1,921). 

Henry has led the NFL in rushing yards twice and in touchdowns three times. The five-time Pro Bowler is also the 2020 Offensive Player of the Year and has six 1,000-yard seasons. He also is the first player in NFL history with 1,900+ rushing yards in multiple seasons and has five seasons of finishing in the top two in rushing yards in NFL history — trailing only Jim Brown (eight), Sanders (seven) and Walter Payton (six). 

Henry has 11,423 career rushing yards (19th all time), but his 106 career rushing touchdowns are sixth-most in NFL history. He’s also ninth in rushing yards per game (84.0). The Hall of Fame resume is still building, but there’s a case to be made for Henry to get in on the first ballot. 

QB Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens)

Lamar Jackson doesn’t have a Super Bowl title, but he is good enough to have a Hall of Fame resume this early in his career. Jackson has one of the best win percentages in the regular season since the 1970 merger (third at .745) and is the youngest quarterback to win two MVP awards. 

Jackson was the first player with 40+ passing touchdowns and fewer than five interceptions in a season (2024). He’s the first quarterback in NFL history with 4,000+ yards passing and 800+ yards rushing in a season and is the first player to lead qualified quarterbacks in the NFL in passer rating (119.4) and rushing yards (915) in a season.

The NFL’s all-time rushing yards leader for quarterbacks (6,173), Jackson has the most 100-yard rushing performances (14) by any quarterback in NFL history. He also has the most 800- (four), 700- (six) and 600-yard (seven) rushing seasons by a quarterback in NFL history.

Jackson has transcended the position. He just needs a Super Bowl title to cap an already excellent career. 

An 11-time Pro Bowler, Trent Williams has been one of the underrated tackles in football for a long time. Williams has three first-team All-Pro selections, all of which have come after the age of 33. Williams has been one of the best pass-protecting left tackles of his generation, and has boasted his Hall of Fame resume in his 30s. 

If Williams keeps playing at a high level, he many go down as one of the best left tackles ever. 

Lane Johnson is arguably the best right tackle of his generation, the anchor of an Eagles offensive line that has won two Super bowl titles in the last seven years. A six-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro selection, Johnson has been arguably the best pass-protecting tackle in the NFL since he turned 30. 

Getting better with age, Johnson has the championship pedigree to go with his Hall of Fame resume.