2026 Senior Bowl Hall of Fame Class Announced
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Senior Bowl Announces 2026 Hall of Fame Class and 2025 Rookies of the Year
Five legends. Three rising stars. And a ceremony worthy of the history they represent.
The Grand Hotel Golf Club & Spa • Point Clear, Alabama • May 3, 2026
MOBILE, Ala. — The Panini Senior Bowl has a way of identifying greatness before the rest of the world catches up — and on Tuesday, the organization honored the men whose careers proved exactly why that reputation is earned. The Senior Bowl announced its 2026 Hall of Fame class and three 2025 NFL Rookies of the Year, cementing another chapter in the storied legacy of one of professional football's most prestigious traditions.
Five inductees. Three rookies making their mark. And a ceremony that will take place May 3 at The Grand Hotel Golf Club and Spa in Point Clear, Alabama — a fitting backdrop for a celebration of football excellence that spans more than seven decades.
"We are thrilled to welcome the 2026 Senior Bowl Hall of Fame class back to the Mobile area," said Senior Bowl Executive Director Drew Fabianich. "It is a privilege to celebrate the lasting impact of these five individuals whose careers exemplify the tradition and excellence of the Senior Bowl. We are proud to be a small part of each of their incredible journeys."
THE 2026 SENIOR BOWL HALL OF FAME CLASS
Harry Agganis | Quarterback | Senior Bowl Class of 1953
Before there was a conversation about two-sport athletes in American sports history, there was Harry Agganis — and he was doing it better than almost anyone who came after him. Nicknamed "The Golden Greek," Agganis was the kind of talent that comes along once in a generation — a two-sport star out of Boston University who earned All-American honors in football in 1951, was drafted in the first round of both the NFL and MLB drafts in 1953, and chose the Boston Red Sox over the Cleveland Browns to stay close to his mother and pursue baseball. He broke into the major leagues in 1954 and was in the midst of a breakout campaign in 1955 — batting .313 — when his life was tragically cut short at just 26 years old.
The 1953 Senior Bowl MVP never got to show the world everything he was capable of. But the legacy he left behind in Mobile — and in the hearts of everyone who watched him play — has endured for more than seven decades.
His nephew Mike Agganis, accepting the honor on behalf of the family, said it best — "Though his life was tragically cut short, his legacy as a remarkable athlete and humble man continues to inspire a generation."
Jason Campbell | Quarterback | Senior Bowl Class of 2005
Jason Campbell arrived at the 2005 Senior Bowl as one of the most decorated quarterbacks in Auburn University history — and he left Mobile as a first-round pick. Selected 25th overall by the Washington Redskins, Campbell went on to play nine seasons in the NFL — starting 79 games across five franchises and cementing himself as one of the most respected signal callers of his era. At Auburn, he led the Tigers to an undefeated season in 2004, was named SEC Player of the Year, and was the MVP of the SEC Championship Game. His Senior Bowl week was the springboard that launched it all.
"I am beyond grateful and excited to be selected to the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame," Campbell said. "It is truly an honor to be joining a group of great players and coaches that represent the great history of the game we love."
Roman Harper | Safety | Senior Bowl Class of 2006
Roman Harper's induction statement is one of the most raw, honest, and powerful things you will read in professional football this year — and it tells you everything you need to know about who this man is beyond the stat line.
"When I played in this game, I was the angriest I have ever been in my life," Harper said. "To look back and be enshrined in this game really gives me clarity knowing how far I've come, and how much I've grown as a man and as a person."
Selected 43rd overall by the New Orleans Saints in 2006, Harper spent 11 seasons in the NFL — recording 641 tackles, 11 interceptions, and 18 sacks across 156 games. He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection in 2009 and 2010, won Super Bowl XLIV with the Saints, led New Orleans in tackles during that championship run, and helped push the Carolina Panthers to Super Bowl 50 in 2015. He was inducted into the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame in 2020. At Alabama, he was a First Team All-SEC performer in 2005 who arrived at the Senior Bowl carrying something heavy — and left Mobile with a career that justified every bit of that fire.
Anthony "Booger" McFarland | Defensive Tackle | Senior Bowl Class of 1999
Booger McFarland did not just play in the NFL. He dominated it — and he credits Mobile, Alabama with starting the journey that made it all possible.
"I was fortunate enough to play almost a decade in the NFL," McFarland said, "and it all got started in Mobile, Alabama."
Selected 15th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1999 after a decorated career at LSU — where he was the 1995 SEC Freshman of the Year and a 1998 First-Team All-American — McFarland spent eight years terrorizing offensive lines before earning the rarest distinction in the sport. He is a two-time Super Bowl champion — winning with Tampa Bay in Super Bowl XXXVII in 2002 and with Indianapolis in Super Bowl XLI in 2006. Across 109 games, he recorded 22.5 sacks, 174 tackles, and 49 tackles for loss. He is now one of the most recognizable voices in sports media as an ESPN analyst and Monday Night Football commentator.
Norv Turner | Head Coach | Senior Bowl 1997, 1998, and 2005
Thirty-four years in the NFL. Three AFC West titles. Two Super Bowl rings as an offensive coordinator. And a coaching tree that includes some of the most legendary names the sport has ever produced.
Norv Turner's resume speaks for itself — but what makes his Senior Bowl legacy special is the role this game played in his philosophy as a coach. "The highlight each year was to work with the players whose dream was to use the game as a springboard to getting a shot in the NFL," Turner said.
As offensive coordinator with the Dallas Cowboys under Jimmy Johnson, Turner helped engineer back-to-back Super Bowl championships in 1992 and 1993 — coaching Hall of Famers Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin in the process. He went on to serve as a head coach with the Washington Redskins, Oakland Raiders, and San Diego Chargers — winning three straight AFC West titles with the Chargers from 2007 to 2009 — and coached Hall of Fame talents including Randy Moss, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Antonio Gates. He coached in three Senior Bowls across nearly a decade — and his fingerprints on the NFL coaching profession will be felt for generations.
2025 NFL ROOKIES OF THE YEAR
Overall Rookie of the Year — Tyler Shough, QB, New Orleans Saints
Nobody who watched Tyler Shough at the Senior Bowl last February was surprised by what happened in his rookie season — they were just glad it finally arrived. The journey to get here was anything but linear. Shough played at Oregon, Texas Tech, and Louisville before being selected 40th overall by the Saints in the 2025 NFL Draft — and when his number was called in Week 8, he did not flinch.
Shough set the franchise record for wins by a rookie quarterback, completed 67.6% of his passes, threw for 2,384 yards and 10 touchdowns, and earned NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for December. He was named to the 2025 PFWA All-Rookie Team and finished the season as the clear answer to a question the Saints had been asking for years — who is our quarterback? Shough answered it loudly.
AFC Rookie of the Year — RJ Harvey, RB, Denver Broncos
RJ Harvey was everything the Denver Broncos needed and then some. Selected 60th overall out of UCF — where he set the program record for career touchdowns — Harvey appeared in all 17 games, produced 896 yards from scrimmage, scored 12 touchdowns, and returned 16 kicks for 353 yards as the team's starting return specialist. When starter J.K. Dobbins went down with a season-ending injury in Week 10, Harvey stepped into the lead role without hesitation and delivered — including a three-touchdown performance against the Dallas Cowboys that earned him NFL Rookie of the Week honors. Twelve touchdowns. 193 touches. One statement rookie year.
NFC Rookie of the Year — Grey Zabel, OL, Seattle Seahawks
Grey Zabel came from North Dakota State — an FCS program — and went 18th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Every skeptic who raised an eyebrow at that pick got their answer across 20 starts. Zabel anchored a Seahawks offensive line that finished third in the league in scoring, ran for 2,096 yards and 19 touchdowns, and averaged 123.3 rushing yards per game. He was a centerpiece of the line that protected Bo Nix all season and started in Seattle's 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX. A two-time FCS National Champion at NDSU — in 2021 and 2024 — Zabel proved that the path to NFL excellence does not require a Power Four address.
BEYOND THE CEREMONY — SENIOR BOWL CHARITIES CELEBRITY GOLF CLASSIC
The celebration does not end at the induction ceremony. On Monday, May 4 — the day after the Hall of Fame dinner — the Senior Bowl will host its sixth annual Senior Bowl Charities Celebrity Golf Classic at Lakewood Golf Club in Point Clear. More than 20 foursomes will pair celebrities from across the football world — including the 2026 inductees and Rookie of the Year honorees — for a day on the course with a purpose that goes well beyond the scorecard.
All proceeds benefit the Senior Bowl's Mobile Baldwin Athletic Partnership — a program that provides critical resources to underfunded public high school football programs across the two-county area, supplying everything from pants and jerseys to blocking sleds and video technology to programs that need it most. This is the Senior Bowl doing what it has always done — using the platform of football to invest in the next generation.
ABOUT THE SENIOR BOWL
The Panini Senior Bowl is the premier college football all-star game and the official first step in the NFL Draft process. For more than 76 years, Mobile, Alabama has proudly hosted this historic event — making it the longest continually running all-star game in football. Past Hall of Fame honorees include some of the greatest names the sport has ever produced — Joe Namath, Walter Payton, Dan Marino, Bo Jackson, Von Miller, and legendary coaches Paul "Bear" Bryant, Tom Landry, and Don Shula among them.
The 2026 induction ceremony will be held Sunday, May 3 at The Grand Hotel Golf Club and Spa in Point Clear, Alabama.
The Panini Senior Bowl | Mobile, Alabama | Senior Bowl Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony: May 3, 2026 | Senior Bowl Charities Celebrity Golf Classic: May 4, 2026 | Lakewood Golf Club, Point Clear, Alabama
