As a two-time Super Bowl champion who ranks among the NFL’s all-time leading passers, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger seems destined for Canton. Will he be a first-ballot hall of famer?
That will be answered a year from now.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced a 2026 class Thursday with Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald earning induction in their first year of eligibility, joined by Roger Craig, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri in a class that included no Pittsburgh Steelers.
But 2027 might bring another black-and-gold celebration in Canton, Ohio. Roethlisberger is among the candidates eligible for the first time next year, along with former Steelers Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell and Joe Haden, among others. The Steelers already have 23 former players enshrined in the hall.
Next year’s class isn’t short on options. The list of other first-time candidates starts with tight end Rob Gronkowski, running back Adrian Peterson, cornerback Richard Sherman and offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth. Plus, they’ll all be competing with the holdovers from this year.
Here’s a look at the resumes of four former Steelers up for induction as first-timers in 2027.
Ben Roethlisberger
Quarterback
18 seasons (all with Steelers)
Roethlisberger doesn’t have the individual awards of a Brees, but winning was the Steelers quarterback’s best attribute. A two-time Super Bowl winner, Roethlisberger compiled a 165-81-1 record.
He started his career as the 2004 Offensive Rookie of the Year and earned six Pro Bowl nods over his career. His 64,088 career passing yards rank seventh in NFL history, having been passed this season by Matthew Stafford. His 418 touchdown passes rank ninth.
The obvious weakness in Roethlisberger’s resume is that he never won a league MVP award, not for a season or a Super Bowl.
Antonio Brown
Receiver
12 seasons (first nine with Steelers)
Brown was on his way to a hall-of-fame career, but a series of controversies seemingly dashed those hopes. In his latest off-field incident, he faced criminal charges in Florida stemming from a shooting in May 2025.
His football resume included seven Pro Bowl nods, all with the Steelers. He was named first-team All-Pro four years in a row from 2014-17 and earned a spot on the NFL’s all-decade team for the 2010s.
Brown led the league in receiving yards twice and receptions two times.
His 928 career receptions rank 26th all-time, putting him between Art Monk and Torry Holt. His 12,291 receiving yards ranked 28th, and his 83 touchdowns are tied for 27th.
Brown was runner-up for offensive player of the year in 2015 and ’17 and finished third in voting in 2014. He won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in 2021.
Le’Veon Bell
Running back
Eight seasons (first five with Steelers)
Bell also had a hall-of-fame start to his Steelers career. He reached the Pro Bowl in three of his first five seasons and earned first- or second-team All-Pro honors in 2014, ’16 and ’17.
However, his career took a downturn after he sat out the 2018 season in a contract dispute with the Steelers. He left as a free agent a year later, and his production dipped over his final three seasons with the Jets, Chiefs, Ravens and Buccaneers.
He rushed for 6,554 career yards, added 399 catches for 3,289 receiving yards and scored 51 touchdowns.
Joe Haden
Cornerback
12 seasons (last five with Steelers)
Haden arrived in Pittsburgh in 2017 as a shutdown corner who had match up with an opponent’s top receiver. He had reached the Pro Bowl twice with the Browns (2013-14) and went again with the Steelers in 2019.
He was a solid player for more than a decade, finishing his career with 29 interceptions and seven forced fumbles. He also made 615 total tackles with 504 solo stops. But Haden lacks the individual awards to sway voters, having been voted a second-team All-Pro only once.