Former Viking Kevin Williams is a Hall of Fame finalist for the first time

Kevin Williams is a Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist.

Finally.

One of only five eligible players in NFL history with an All-Decade honor and five first-team All-Pro selections not in the Hall of Fame, Williams is among the 15 modern-era finalists that will be considered for the Class of 2026, the Hall announced Dec. 30.

The former Vikings defensive tackle is the only first-time finalist for 2026 who is not in his first year of eligibility. Williams has been eligible for six years but had not even been a semifinalist until this year.

“This is freaking awesome,” said Jared Allen, Williams’ former Vikings teammate and a member of the Hall’s Class of 2025. “This is a massive step for Kevin. He deserves it.”

Williams is joined by four who are finalists in their first year of eligibility. Two are considered heavy favorites to become first-ballot Hall of Famers: quarterback Drew Brees and receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr., the Minneapolis native and Holy Angels graduate who played all 17 seasons with the Cardinals and ranks second in NFL history in receptions (1,432) and receiving yards (17,492), and sixth in receiving touchdowns (121).

The other first-year finalists are tight end Jason Witten and running back Frank Gore. The rest of the modern-era finalists and their years of eligibility as a finalist are: receiver Reggie Wayne (7), receiver Torry Holt (7), offensive tackle Willie Anderson (5), safety Darren Woodson (4), guard Jahri Evans (3), linebacker Luke Kuechly (2), quarterback Eli Manning (2), edge rusher and Minnesota native Terrell Suggs (2), kicker Adam Vinatieri (2) and guard Marshal Yanda (2).

The selection committee will vote separately on five others in the seniors category (quarterback Ken Anderson, running back Roger Craig and defensive end L.C. Greenwood), coaches category (Bill Belichick) and contributor category (owner Robert Kraft). A minimum of one and a maximum of three can be elected from these combined categories.

Williams’ case gained momentum this year as Allen reached the Hall in his fifth year of eligibility. Being one of only five players not in the Hall of Fame that made All-Decade and five All-Pros helped sway selectors. Williams made All-Decade in the 2000s and earned five first-team All-Pros in his first seven seasons after the Vikings selected him ninth overall in 2003. The other four are:

Williams played 11 of his 13 seasons with the Vikings before finishing with a year in Seattle and a year in New Orleans. He had 63 sacks, 113 tackles for loss, five interceptions, 73 passes defensed and four touchdowns.

His four return touchdowns are an NFL record for defensive tackles that he shares with Hall of Famer Bob Lilly. His five interceptions and two pick-sixes also are tied for NFL records among defensive tackles. And his 73 passes defenses were the most by a defensive tackle by 34 from 2003-15.

Williams is one of 22 defenders on the NFL’s Team of the 2000s. All but four are in the Hall of Fame. The only one with more than five first-team All-Pro selections is Hall of Famer Ray Lewis with seven. Four other defenders on that team of the 2000s had five first-team All-Pro selections: Ed Reed, Derrick Brooks, Zach Thomas and Brian Dawkins. All are in the Hall of Fame.