Three Dolphins greats are in pursuit of football immortality as Pro Football Hall of Fame opens 2026 ‘Senior Class' process

Mark Clayton. Bob Kuechenberg. Dick Anderson. These three legends of the Dolphins' history are among the 'Senior' nominees to face further consideration for an induction into the Hall of Fame. The full list of 52 members nominated, per the Pro Football Hall of Fame's release, are facing a stressful few weeks as this list is whittled down to a list of finalists.

"Members of the Seniors Blue-Ribbon Committee, who also serve on the full Hall of Fame Selection Committee, will reduce the list of 52 candidates to 25, then again to nine, in balloting that will occur over the next several weeks. They then will meet virtually to discuss those nine Semifinalists and will choose three Finalists for the Class of 2026.

To be considered this election cycle, each person in the Seniors category could have appeared in a professional football game no more recently than the 2000 season."

— The Pro Football Hall of Fame's formal release on the Senior nominees

Miami Dolphins currently in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

• Head coaches: Don Shula & Jimmy Johnson
• Executives: Bobby Beathard, George Young
• Offensive players: Dan Marino, Brian Griese, Larry Csonka, Thurman Thomas*, Cris Carter*, Jim Langer, Dwight Stephenson, Paul Warfield, Larry Little
• Defensive players: Nick Buoniconti, Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas, Junior Seau*

Kuechenberg, who passed away in 2019, bridged the gap between the legendary offensive lines of the 1970s — which featured two members already in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Larry Little & Jim Langer, and the early 1980s lines that featured Dwight Stephenson and blocked for Dan Marino. His overlap between two great eras of Dolphins football feels like his best argument.

Dick Anderson's 34 career interceptions are an impressive mark and rank second all-time in franchise history. His role as a member of Miami's 'No Name Defense' helps bolster his case — as that unit was one of the formative ones in the NFL during the Dolphins' run as a dynasty in the mid-1970s.

And, of course, there's Mark Clayton. Clayton twice led the NFL in receiving touchdowns and was one half of the Marks Brothers with Mark Duper. Catching passes from Dan Marino, Clayton was a part of the passing attack that gave the world the first glimpses of the future of the NFL — some 40 years ahead of time. It's that impact on the game, not necessarily Clayton's raw production, that serves as his best argument for the Hall.

Keep an eye out for updates from the Pro Football Hall of Fame Committee over the next "several weeks". Miami's got a trio of deserving candidates in the hunt for football immortality.

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