Jets Legends Nick Mangold and John Abraham are among the 52 Modern Era players who have advanced in the voting process for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026.
Also in that select group that will continue to get more select until the class is selected before February's Super Bowl is RB Frank Gore, who played in his 16th and final NFL season with the Jets in 2020.
Each member of the Modern-Era Players Screening Committee, an entity created a year ago to make the first reductions from the original list of nominees, cast a ballot for 50 individuals whom they believe should be considered for election. This year's roster of nominees included 128 names — 77 offensive players, 42 defensive players and nine special teams players.
Mangold, the 29th overall pick of the 2006 draft out of Ohio State, played 11 NFL seasons, every one of them as a Jet, starting 164 games and being selected for seven Pro Bowls in an eight-season span. He was inducted into the team's Ring of Honor in 2022.
Abraham arrived as the 13th pick of the 2000 draft out of South Carolina, the second of the famed "Four Aces" taken in Round 1 that April. "Abe" was a Jet for just his first six pro seasons but he was a pass-rush force at the start of the new millennium, recording 53.5 sacks, forcing 19 fumbles and being selected for three Pro Bowls from 2000-05.
Gore, in his first year of eligibility to enter the Hal, concluded his outstanding career that included 16,000 rushing yards with 653 rushing yards in 14 starts for the '20 Jets.
In the next step of the process, each member of the Hall of Fame's full 50-person Selection Committee will review the list of 52 Modern Era players and cast a vote for the 25 nominees each believes should advance to the Semifinalist stage. The names of the 25 Semifinalists (plus ties, if any, for the 25th position) will be announced in about five weeks.
Reduction votes also are occurring in the Seniors, Coach and Contributor categories. On Tuesday, the Hall of Fame released the list of 12 Coach candidates still under consideration. Later this week, progress in the Seniors and Contributor categories will be announced.
Eventually, 20 Finalists will be presented at the Selection Committee's annual meeting next year in advance of Super Bowl LX: 15 Modern Era players, three Seniors, one Coach and one Contributor. While there is no set number of enshrinees for any class, the Hall of Fame's selection process bylaws stipulate that between four and eight new members will be selected.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026 will be enshrined next August in Canton.
