Those five made it through a grueling process and months of voting to reach this point.
After surviving votes from an initial nominee list of 128 players, through reduction votes that took the group to 50, then 25 semifinalists, to a final 15.
Kuechly was one of four automatic finalists, as one of the players who made the final seven for the Class of 2025 but were not chosen. The others in that group were wide receiver Torry Holt, tackle Willie Anderson, and Vinatieri.
The other 11 finalists this year were Brees, Jahri Evans, Fitzgerald, Frank Gore, Eli Manning, Terrell Suggs, Reggie Wayne, Kevin Williams, Jason Witten, Darren Woodson, and Marshal Yanda.
In the initial reduction to 10, Holt, Wayne, Evans, Williams, and Manning were eliminated.
Selectors then chose a final seven, which included the four modern players selected, plus Anderson, Yanda, and Suggs.
That left Gore, Woodson, and Witten in the group from eight to 10.
With those results, Anderson, Yanda, and Suggs will be automatic finalists for the Class of 2027.
