Tom Brady is first eligible for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the Class of 2028, based on his final retirement in 2023 and the NFL’s five-year waiting rule.

How Hall of Fame eligibility works

  • The Pro Football Hall of Fame only considers players after they have been inactive for five consecutive seasons.
  • Brady’s definitive second retirement was in 2023, which puts his first year of eligibility at 2028.
  • Given his records, titles, and awards, he is universally expected to be a first-ballot inductee once he hits that 2028 ballot.

Key dates and context

  • Retirement (final announcement): 2023.
  • First Pro Football Hall of Fame eligibility: Class of 2028.
  • Some early posts once referenced 2027, but those lined up with his brief 2022 retirement; the five-year clock ultimately runs from his true final retirement in 2023, which is why reputable timelines now list 2028.

Quick comparison table

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Item Details
League Pro Football Hall of Fame (NFL)
Waiting period 5 full seasons after last playing/retirement.
Brady’s final retirement year 2023.
First eligible class 2028.
Expectation Overwhelmingly projected as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

So if you’re tracking the “when is Tom Brady eligible for the Hall of Fame ~~” thread: circle 2028 as the year his Canton moment can officially happen.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.