NEW ORLEANS_ In losing what appeared to be an excruciatingly tight election, Bengals Ring of Honor member Willie Anderson came as close as ever to being selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Thursday night in his fourth trip to the finals.
But a top-seven finish wasn't enough to secure induction into the smallest class in 20 years.
It did, however, guarantee that the man regarded as the best right tackle of the turn-of-the-century NFL automatically makes next year's Modern Era finals of 15 for the fifth straight year.
When the 2025 class was announced during NFL Honors, only tight end Antonio Gates, edge rusher Jared Allen, and cornerback Eric Allen emerged from the field of 15 Modern Era finalists.
The 49-member board of selectors, of which Bengals.com is a member, also elected senior nominee Sterling Sharpe, the Packers' prolific receiver from the 1990s,.
The total class of four was the minimum and half the average of eight since 2021 after a change in voting procedures this past year by the Hall's board of directors was meant "to help ensure that membership in the Hall of Fame remains elite."
Anderson, 49, who has been battling kidney problems, says he's feeling better lately. In order to cope, he's dropped from 380 to 319 pounds and looks svelte and in-shape. But he admits the wait has taken a frustrating toll.
"Every year, I never knock who made it. You can't knock who makes it. I would never do that," Anderson said. "And I never agree with anybody who is knocking who makes it because it could easily be me and somebody says, 'Hell, why did he make it?'
"I'm happy for those who made it. At this point in retirement, it's one of those tough things besides my health."
Joining Anderson in the cut to seven Modern-Era candidates but not making the Hall were six-time finalist Torry Holt, a wide receiver in the Greatest Show on Turf, and first-time eligibles Adam Vinatieri, the clutch kicker for the Patriots and Colts, and Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, a Cincinnati prep product.
Anderson and Holt, with 11 combined trips to the finals, join Vinatieri, and Kuechly in the final 15 for what is already an extremely crowded and competitive election for 2026.
First-time eligibles Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald are early favorites for induction. It's also the first year of eligibility for Bengals eight-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Geno Atkins, as well as nine-time Steelers Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey.
Plus, two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Eli Manning of the Giants figures to return to the final 15 even though he didn't make the cut to seven.
Before 2025 in the Modern Era Category, the voters cut the field from ten to five and then voted on the five candidates separately. If 80% got a yes vote, they were in, and most made it once they got that far. Since 2005, the only person who failed to reach 80 percent once reaching the final five was former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue.
But this year, voters cut from ten to seven and then were asked to vote for five with 80% still the standard and the minimum set at three. If three didn't get 80%, then the top vote-getters adding up to three got in. Since only three got in, that suggests a splintered and close vote.
Gates leads all tight ends with 116 career touchdowns. Jared Allen, whose 136 sacks are 12th on the all-time list, had made it to the finals in all five years of his eligibility. Eric Allen, in his 19th and next to last year of eligibility, got in with his 54 career interceptions in his second finals appearance.
Not only did Anderson have the challenge of the smaller class, but also the burden facing offensive linemen in general and right tackles specifically.
In the last two years, the Hall has inducted three pass rushers and no offensive linemen. While Anderson has been eligible since 2014, he has watched four of the top 12 all-time sackers he blanked go into the Hall: Michael Strahan, Jason Taylor, Julius Peppers and Jared Allen.
A Modern Era right tackle hasn't been inducted since Jackie Slater in 2001.
"The vote is like a secret society. Who knows how this thing goes on? I knew not to hold my breath this year. People in my corner who pushed for me were optimistic. They had been hearing some great things. But I knew better," Anderson said. I told myself for seven, eight months I was not going to let it make feel bad. But at the end, I felt like crap. I'm sure it will hit me again now that it's announced."
The revamped voting procedure has led to a bottleneck on the offensive line. For the second straight year, an O-lineman didn't get the call and now Pouncey is in the mix. And in 2027, former Bengals and Rams All-Pro left tackle Andrew Whitworth is eligible for the first time with a slew of credentials.
But as Whitworth walked the red carpet at NFL Honors Thursday night, he was thinking about Anderson, his teammate and mentor for the first two years of his career in Cincinnati.
"It continues to be frustrating just because, without question, in my opinion, he's the best right tackle of his time," Whitworth said. "For him not to get recognized for it is just unfortunate. I don't worry about processes I can't control. That's just who I am. I'm more worried about Willie getting to do what he needs to do."
