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Eddie Robinson Jr. and Tyrone Poole are among six inductees named to the Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF) Class of 2026, per the Alabama State Hornets.
On Thursday (January 15), the organization announced that Robinson and Poole would be joining the 2026 BCFHOF class alongside Jimmy Smith (Jackson State), Nick Collins (Bethune-Cookman), legendary Florida A&M coach Rudy Hubbard, and longtime NFL Network reporter Steve Wyche (Howard). The class was selected from 28 finalists by the BCFHOF Selection Committee.
“What we have with the Class of 2026 is an incredible showcase of excellence, leadership, and impact that continues to come from Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” BCFHOF co-founder Doug Williams said in a statement. “This class exemplifies that mission.”
Robinson Jr., the head football coach at Alabama State, is being honored for his career as a standout linebacker at ASU, an 11-year NFL veteran, broadcaster, and program leader. A two-time All-SWAC Defensive Player of the Year, Robinson was inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame at age 28 and later played in Super Bowl XXXIV with the Tennessee Titans.
Poole, a Fort Valley State alumnus and two-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots, was a 13-year NFL veteran cornerback and the first Fort Valley State player ever selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. He now serves as head coach of Alabama State’s women’s flag football program and is also recognized for his community outreach and philanthropic work.
Smith, a former Jackson State standout, went on to become one of the NFL’s most productive wide receivers, earning five Pro Bowl selections and setting multiple franchise records with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Collins starred at Bethune-Cookman before becoming a cornerstone of the Green Bay Packers’ defense and a Super Bowl XLV champion. Hubbard led Florida A&M to the inaugural NCAA Division I-AA national title in 1978, while Wyche is honored for his influential journalism career, elevating HBCU football on the national stage.
The Class of 2026 will be officially inducted during the 17th Annual Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on June 6, 2026, in Atlanta. The inductees will also be recognized during halftime of the Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl on February 21, 2026, in New Orleans, airing live on NFL Network.
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