The Pro Football Hall of Fame will induct new members into the shrine in early August. Canton will be filled with fans hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite NFL retirees who made this year's class. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will not have a player on that list.
The HOF will honor Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly, Adam Vinatieri, and Roger Craig in this year's modern-era class. Fans are waiting for Tom Brady to receive the honor and a partial Buccaneers tie-in, but Gerald McCoy could be the next Bucs deserving former player.
Eric Edholm of NFL.com released his list of all NFL teams and the one player that provides the best chance to get into the Hall of Fame. For Edholm, it's McCoy.
Gerald McCoy is Tampa Bay Buccaneers best bet to be next for the Hall of Fame
There is no doubt that McCoy deserves this level of recognition, but his time with the Buccaneers was only eight seasons before he left for the Panthers and Raiders for two additional NFL years. In all, McCoy put in 10-years of NFL service.
The former Bucs' defensive tackle isn't eligible for the Hall just yet. Retired in 2001, McCoy will be on his first ballot next year for the 2027 class. Many see him as a legit semifinalist out of the gate, but he isn't considered a lock to be inducted on his first try.
Two other players do stand out as names to keep an eye on, despite their eligibility continuing to slip away. Mike Alstott might be one of the best fullbacks in NFL history, but the position doesn't get the recognition it deserves.
The HOF lists the running back position as "running back," then "halfback and fullback" combined. Six players carry the "FB" tag including Jim Brown and Larry Csonka as the most notables.
Alstott's road to the HOF is going to be long, and more likely than not, he won't get in, but Simeon Rice could be the next Buccaneer to make it. In 2026, Rice made it into the top 25 as a semi-finalist. It's only a matter of time before he gets in, given 122 sacks. Most defensive players with more than 100 sacks are in the Hall.
Add us as a preferred source on Google