Legendary Detroit Lions wide receiver Herman Moore missed the cut in his bid for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but that doesn't mean he won't be inducted into a Hall of Fame in 2026. Not only that, but he'll also be joined by another Lions great.
On Wednesday, the National Football Foundation (NFF) announced the 2026 class for the College Football Hall of Fame. Among the 18 players selected are Moore and former defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
The two former Lions join a long list of former Lions to make the College Football Hall of Fame, including WR Calvin Johnson, offensive tackle Lomas Brown, and kicker Jason Hanson. Moore and Suh enter the 2026 class alongside big names, such as University of Pittsburgh's Aaron Donald, University of Alabama's Mark Ingram, and Syracuse University's Marvin Harrison.
Moore led the Virginia Cavaliers to new heights
Moore played three seasons at the University of Virginia, where he was a consensus First Team All-American in 1990. Moore still also holds the NCAA record for yards per reception (22.0) with a minimum of 105 receptions.
Moore left the University of Virginia as the school's record holder for receiving yards (2,504) and receiving touchdowns (22), while helping lead the program to its first-ever #1 ranking during a brief period in 1990. The Cavaliers have since retired Moore's #87 jersey.
Moore was drafted by the Lions tenth overall in 1991, where he was one of the game's best WRs in the 1990s. In his albeit brief peak in the mid-1990s, Moore led the league in receptions twice, including a then-NFL record 123 in 1995.
Moore was selected to the Pro Bowl four times and was a First-Team All-Pro selection three times, which is tied with Calvin Johnson for the most in franchise history for a WR.
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Moore is a member of both the Virginia and Michigan Sports Halls of Fame and was inducted into the Pride of the Lions in 2018. He remains one of the best eligible Lions players not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Moore's efforts to also be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame have continued to fall short. Despite a Hall of Fame-level prime, Moore's 9,174 receiving yards and 62 TD receptions were underwhelming compared to what's expected of a Hall of Fame WR. With Sterling Sharpe having similar career numbers and being inducted last year, there's renewed hope that Moore's time will come.
Suh was unstoppable in his senior season and beyond
At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Ndamukong Suh was nothing short of dominant, especially in his senior season. If there were an award given to defensive players, there was a high probability that Suh won it.
In that 2009 season, the Cronhuskers allowed just 10.43 points per game, leading the nation, thanks in part to Suh's 21 tackles for loss and 12.0 sacks. For his efforts in that iconic 2009 season, Suh was a rare defensive Heisman Trophy finalist, finishing fourth. Like Moore, Suh's college jersey number has also been retired.
The Lions would select Suh second overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. Suh's dominant play from Nebraska continued as he was selected to his first of three First-Team All-Pro selections en route to the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Suh would also be selected to Second-Team All-Pro twice, along with five Pro Bowl nods.
Despite his dominant play, Suh is commonly remembered for his series of controversial on-field actions, which labeled him as a dirty player.
After his time in Detroit ended in 2014, Suh avoided major controversies and went on to carve out a solid remainder of his career, which included three Super Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl LV win in 2021. Suh's performance led him to be named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2010s.
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Suh is not yet eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a recent retiree, but he is expected to make it in at some point down the road. How long remains to be seen. Pro Football Reference's Hall of Fame Monitor has Suh as the 12th-ranked DT of all time, and the third highest among those not in the Hall of Fame behind Aaron Donald and Kevin Williams.
Donald, like Suh, isn't yet eligible, while Williams is currently a finalist for 2026.
While Suh's case may not be as strong as those two, being a member of an All-Decade Team continues to be one of the best arguments a player can make for enshrinement.
Moore and Suh will be formally inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame at the end of the year, on December 8, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada, during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner.