In this special episode of The Buck Stops Here, host Kirk Buchner is joined by Pro Football Hall of Fame expert Paul Lawrence to break down the 2026 Modern-Era Finalists. They dive deep into the tough new voting rules, analyze locks like Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald, debate the cases of Eli Manning, Frank Gore, Willie Anderson, and the surprising rise of Kevin Williams—plus predictions on who actually gets in this year. Will the class expand beyond three inductees? Who’s stuck in positional logjams? And could this finally be the year for Darren Woodson or Tory Holt? All that and more—including insights on Jason Witten, kickers, and how the Patriots’ Belichick/Kraft factor might affect the vote. 🔗 Learn more at NotInHallOfFame.com 🗳️ Cast your vote in the upcoming United States Athletics Hall of Fame ballot—coming mid-March at USAHOF.com 00:00:34 – Welcome & intro to the Pro Football HOF discussion 00:03:50 – Explaining the new voting rules: Why only 3–4 inductees? 00:08:17 – QB breakdown: Drew Brees (lock), Eli Manning, and why Philip Rivers fell off 00:16:14 – Running backs: Frank Gore vs. Fred Taylor 00:23:50 – Larry Fitzgerald = automatic Hall of Famer 00:32:14 – Jason Witten’s tough path with Gronk looming 00:35:54 – Offensive line logjam: Anderson, Yanda, Evans—and who got left behind 00:44:00 – BIG surprise: Kevin Williams finally gets his due 00:48:33 – Safety spotlight: Is this Darren Woodson’s year? 00:51:59 – Adam Vinatieri: Will the kicker finally get in? 00:54:49 – Final predictions: Brees, Fitzgerald, Grady, Vinatieri… or Woodson? If you're a Pro Football Hall of Fame fan, SMASH that Like button, Subscribe for more deep dives, and turn on notifications so you don’t miss our reaction to the official 2026 inductee announcement! 👉 Got a hot take on this year’s ballot? Drop it in the comments—we read every one! #ProFootballHOF #HallOfFame2026 #DrewBrees #LarryFitzgerald #NFLHistory #HOFDebate #WillieAnderson #KevinWilliams #DarrenWoodson #NFLPodcast #TheBuckStopsHere #NotInHallofFame