Gary Patterson, the winningest football coach in TCU history, is one of 18 players and four coaches named to the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame Class, the National Football Foundation announced.

Patterson, inducted in his first year on the ballot, coached for 43 years, including 24 years as the head coach of the Horned Frogs.

Leaders praise Patterson's impact

"Gary Patterson's induction into the College Football Hall of Fame is certainly no surprise," said Mike Buddie, TCU director of athletics. "His profound impact on our football program, our athletic department, the city of Fort Worth, and the game itself is obvious."

"Each of these legends ranks among the absolute best to have ever played or coached the game, and we look forward to adding their incredible accomplishments to those permanently enshrined in the NFF Hall of Fame," said Archie Manning, former NFL great and NFF chairman.

TCU's 10th Hall of Fame inductee

Patterson becomes TCU's 10th inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame and the first since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2014.

Patterson's TCU tenure produced one of the most successful runs in modern college football, with a 181–79 record, 11 AP Top 25 finishes, 18 bowl appearances, and landmark wins in the Rose Bowl and Peach Bowl. His teams delivered seven top‑10 seasons, five No. 1 total‑defense rankings,s and a long list of standout players, including three Heisman finalists and dozens of All‑Americans and all‑conference selections.

Record of championships and awards

He won six conference titles, earned four Conference Coach of the Year honors, and was named National Coach of the Year 22 times. Patterson was inducted into the TCU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2025 and will receive the Davey O'Brien Legends Award in February.

Player inductees include Aaron Donald (University of Pittsburgh), Marvin Harrison (Syracuse University), Mark Ingram (University of Alabama), Ndamukong Suh (University of Nebraska), and Peter Warrick (Florida State University), among others.

In addition to Patterson, coach inductees include Chris Petersen (Boise State University/University of Washington), Jim Margraff (Johns Hopkins University), and Ken Sparks (Carson‑Newman University).

Induction ceremony set for December

According to the release, inductees will also receive on‑campus salutes at their universities and be permanently honored at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Each inductee will also receive a custom Jostens Hall of Fame ring.

The induction ceremony will take place in December 2026 at the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner in Las Vegas.