The Pro Football Hall of Fame's class of 2024 will officially be inducted on Aug. 3.
With less than a month until the annual event in Canton, Ohio, we're examining which players — past and present — on the league's 32 teams we think will one day receive a similar honor.
Here are three San Francisco 49ers who should eventually receive football immortality:
Bosa is still very early in his career, but it is not hard to spot the trajectory he is on as one of the best defensive players of his era. In five years, he has already been named to four Pro Bowls, missing out on that honor only during the 2020 season when he was limited to just two games due to injury.
He has already been a first-team All-Pro and has a Defensive Player of the Year award (2022), while also topping 10.5 sacks in three consecutive seasons.
He will be 27 years old during the 2024 season and should still theoretically be in the prime of his career for several more years. There is some projection and “what if” happening here, but as long as Bosa stays relatively healthy and continues producing the way he has so far. He looks like a player with a spot waiting for him in Canton. Especially if he eventually helps the 49ers get over the hump in the playoffs and helps produce a Super Bowl championship.
Offensive lineman are the most difficult positions to evaluate, not only in terms of their actual play but also for Hall of Fame purposes. They do not really have the same type of counting stats that every other position has. It is just one of those positions you just kind of have to know. With Staley, it should be obvious when it comes to his impact and greatness.
After being picked in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft (No. 28 overall), he played 13 seasons as the 49ers' starting left tackle and was a model of consistency within their offense. He rarely missed games, made six Pro Bowls, was a second-team All-Pro three times and was named to the NFL’s all-decade team for the 2010s.
Williams, like Bosa, is another player still active for the 49ers. Unlike Bosa, you do not have to do as much projecting with him because he is starting to get closer to the end of his career. His legacy is already pretty well established, and his resume is already nearly complete.
While he spent the bulk of his career (nine years) with Washington, he is just now set to enter his fifth year in San Francisco as the team’s starting left tackle. He has been one of the league’s elite lineman in both stops and already looks like a Hall of Fame presence.
He has been a Pro Bowler in 11 of his first 13 seasons (including 11 in a row) and a three-time first-team All-Pro (in each of the past three seasons).
He was great in Washington, but getting an opportunity to play in Kyle Shanahan’s offense in San Francisco has only increased his reputation and helped solidify him as a Hall of Fame tackle.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers made a bunch of aggressive moves in the 2025 offseason. One of those moves was General Manager Omar Khan’s decision to trade away former All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to acquire tight end Jonnu Smith and cornerback Jalen Ramsey from the Miami Dolphins. The Steelers clearly viewed Ramsey as a cornerstone piece to elevate their defense to an elite level in 2025. As training camp has come and gone, Ramsey has quickly reminded those in Latrobe, PA, just how dominant he can still be. Following a practice session, Ramsey sat down with Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor, and Channing Crowder for an episode of The Pivot podcast to share his early impressions of life in the Steel City. During the conversation, Ramsey spoke about the culture he has experienced since joining the Steelers, expressing admiration for the way the organization operates. He pointed to the smooth handling of TJ Watt’s contract negotiations as an example of how the Steelers take care of their own. "Probably so," Ramsey said on The Pivot podcast when asked if his career would have been different if the Steelers would have drafted him. "Yeah, 100 percent... If I would've started my career here, it probably would've been different. My focus may have been a little bit different at times. I may have been here my whole career. This is like a place where I feel like, one, they take care of they own. I truly believe that they take care of their own. Two, guys really want to be here." Ramsey explained that such mutual commitment between player and team is not common across the league, making Pittsburgh stand out. He also noted how much players genuinely want to be part of the organization, praising the coaching staff, fan base, and the team’s tradition of winning. To him, it is a football environment built for long-term success and player happiness. "I've heard them say it when they were going through TJ [Watt's] contract, I was watching Mike [Tomlin's] interviews," Ramsey said. "He's like, 'Both sides want to get it done, so it's gonna get done. That's not always the case where you at everywhere. But here, it is like, 'I want to be here. Let's figure it out. Let's do it the right way!' They handle business the right way. Fans are amazing here. Coaching staff is amazing here. They're always winning here. It's not much to not be happy about if you truly love football." Ramsey went further by admitting that if he had been drafted by the Steelers earlier in his career, things might have turned out much differently. He suggested that his mindset and focus could have been even sharper and that he might have spent his entire career in Pittsburgh. Steelers' Jalen Ramsey Really Loving His Time In Pittsburgh For Ramsey, the Steelers represent the kind of stability, respect, and winning culture that players strive for. His comments not only highlight his high regard for the organization, but also serve as a reminder of the unique culture that has made Pittsburgh one of the most respected franchises in the NFL. Ramsey was drafted in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He arrives in Pittsburgh at the age of 30, aiming to help the team build the best defense in the league. His career has included stops in Jacksonville, with the Los Angeles Rams where he won a Super Bowl, and with the Dolphins. Now he is enjoying his time in the Steel City. Do you believe Ramsey's career would have been a lot different had Pittsburgh originally drafted him in that 2016 NFL Draft?
Lakers governor Jeanie Buss is supposed to remain in charge of the team for years even after the sale. Given what just happened with the Boston Celtics, it might only be months. When the Grousbeck family sold the Celtics for $6.1B in March, ESPN reported that Wyc Grousbeck would stay on as the Celtics CEO and governor through the 2027-28 season. Now, new owner Bill Chisholm will take over once the sale is final. That should concern current Lakers team governor Jeanie Buss, whose family sold a majority interest in the Los Angeles Lakers to investor Mark Walter. Buss is supposed to stay on as team governor for "at least a number of years," according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, but new NBA owners haven't been keen on waiting to take control of teams recently. Mark Cuban thought he would continue running the Dallas Mavericks when he sold a controlling interest to the Adelson family in November 2023. Before the end of that season, when Dallas advanced to the NBA Finals, new team governor Patrick Dumont, the son-in-law of Miriam Adelson, was firmly in charge. General manager Nico Harrison reported directly to Dumont, which is how Luka Doncic ended up traded to the Lakers despite Cuban's objections. It might be different with the Lakers. Walter has owned a minority share in the Lakers since 2021, so he's had a working relationship with Buss. Her role as team governor may be a condition of the sale itself. With the team preparing for a long-term future with Doncic, Walter and his fellow owners might opt for continuity in the team governor role. But in general, people do not spend billions of dollars on a professional sports team so that someone else can be in charge. Buss is in charge of the Lakers now. Recent history says she won't be for long.
Dolphins fans can breathe a collective sigh of relief with the latest update on the injury to pass rusher Chop Robinson. The second-year defender had to be carted off the practice field Wednesday during a joint practice with the Detroit Lions. Robinson posted an update on social media a couple of hours later to let fans know he is “good” and the injury is “nothing serious.” It sounds like he avoided anything that would cause him to miss significant time, and the carting off the field was simply a precautionary measure. As a rookie, Robinson played in all 17 games for the Dolphins, starting one. He finished with 26 tackles, eight tackles for loss and six sacks. He finished fifth in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. Robinson was the No. 21 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Penn State. He played two seasons for the Nittany Lions after starting his career at Maryland. Over the course of his collegiate career, Robinson finished with 60 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, three pass deflections, two fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles. Robinson had a career high 5.5 sacks in 2022. As a member of the Class of 2021, Robinson was a four-star recruit out of Gaithersburg (M.D.) Quince Orchard, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He was the No. 1 overall prospect in the state, the No. 5 EDGE in the class and the No. 62 overall prospect in the class. The Dolphins have their next preseason game on Saturday against the Lions. We might not see Chop Robinson play in that contest, but it doesn’t mean the injury is a serious one and would likely only be a precautionary measure from the team as it prepares for the regular season. Tyreek Hill trade rumors Multiple NFL teams reportedly monitoring future with Dolphins In addition to Robinson, there’s been drama with the Dolphins lately. There are now rumors that Tyreek Hill could fetch some trade requests from other teams. “So his status is uncertain, with an oblique injury right now, as for when he gets back in the lineup, is still up in the air,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said on SportsCenter. “Right now, I have talked to a few teams that are at least monitoring his future a little bit. Could he be a potential trade target? Now, I know the Dolphins earlier this summer were telling teams, no, we’re not trading Tyreek Hill, but they just, you know, wonder, is he going to be available? It could be wishful thinking. “Maybe they want him to be available, but he’s a player that when I bring up the teams and say, who’s sort of a trade target you’re watching? They bring up Tyreek Hill, so we’ll see. He’s a big option for Tua and that’d be a major move if they did move away from him.” On3’s Nick Kosko contributed to this report.
The Los Angeles Lakers believe that they can win the championship next season after finishing as the third seed in the Western Conference this past year. Bringing in Luka Doncic midway through the year gives them the confidence that they can score with anyone in the league. They also brought in some help at the center spot by signing Deandre Ayton. While LA feels good about the improvements that they made to the roster this offseason, one NBA insider doesn't believe that they addressed one concern enough for them to win a title. More news: Lakers Criticized for Passive Approach to Trade Market by Anonymous NBA Executive NBA insider claims the Lakers are too bad at center to win a title According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, he believes that the Lakers' biggest concern is at the center spot. "Nothing the Lakers do is under the radar, so this potential pitfall might seem more obvious than the other contenders' concerns. But until proved otherwise, L.A. is soft in the middle." Ayton doesn't have a lot of fans around the league after the Portland Trail Blazers paid him to go away. This is the second team that has cast him aside due to effort issues. Ayton played with the Phoenix Suns when they made the NBA Finals in 2021, so it's not like he hasn't been playing in competitive games. To see him not care at multiple stops is alarming. If the Lakers can get him to try harder when he's on the court, this signing might work out for them. If they can't get him to improve his effort, the Lakers aren't going to win a title. More news: Lakers Hiring Former Mavericks Award-Winning Coach The Lakers need the center spot to be better in order to win the title Jaxson Hayes clearly wasn't a good enough starter last season once Anthony Davis was traded away, but they are hoping he is a great backup. He had the best season of his career last year. It still all comes back to Ayton and his ability to finish better around the rim and block shots. The defense got shredded in the playoffs, especially in the paint. If Ayton plays up to his potential, this Lakers team has a real shot to win it all. If he's the same guy he was in Portland, he might be released at the end of next year. Latest Lakers News For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.