The five years needed from retirement to eligibility will pass for these all-time great NFL players, who range from an all-time wide receiver in Arizona Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald to Super Bowl-winning New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees. There are some possible first-time ballot Hall of Famers on this list on both sides of the ball.

Jared Allen, whose NFL path started with the Kansas City Chiefs, has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A pass rushing specialist, Allen went on to play six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and finish his career with the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers. He racked up 136 career sacks, leading the NFL twice in that department.

Normally each year we get five inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, so when Rich Eisen listed four players and then there felt like a pregnant pause during the NFL Honors show on Thursday night,