Kreutz, Petersen Named To College Football Hall of Fame Class Of 2026

Former University of Washington head football coach Chris Petersen and center Olin Kreutz have both earned a spot in the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026, the National Football Foundation announced today.

Petersen, who served as the Huskies' head coach from 2014 through 2019, and Kreutz, a three-year letterman (1995-97), will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame Dec. 8, in Las Vegas.

""The University of Washington is proud to have two inductees in the 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame class," said Pat Chun, UW Director of Athletics. "On behalf of all Huskies, we congratulate Olin Kreutz and Coach Chris Petersen, who represent excellence at every level of the game. From dominant performance and longevity to leadership, integrity, and lasting impact, their careers helped set the standard of excellence with Washington Football. We look forward to celebrating their inductions this year."

"On behalf of Washington Football, we are incredibly proud of Olin Kreutz and Coach Petersen on this well-deserved honor," said UW head coach Jedd Fisch. "Olin set the standard for the toughness and physicality that Washington football is built on. Coach Petersen is one of the best coaches of the modern era and led this program with elite standards, integrity, and consistent success. Congratulations to both on an outstanding achievement."

Petersen, the 1986 Northern California Athletic Conference MVP as a senior quarterback at UC Davis in 1986, began building his head coaching legacy at Boise State, where he compiled a 92-12 record over eight seasons (2006-2013). Known as an innovative offensive mind who built his programs on a strong, positive culture, Petersen led the Broncos to 10 or more wins in seven of eight seasons, including a 13-0 record in his first season in 2006, and a 14-0 mark in 2009.

Petersen's 2006 Boise State squad capped its perfect season with a thrilling 43-42 win over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, a game celebrated by many as one of the greatest of all time.

Following the 2013 season, having turned away many suitors in the past, Petersen accepted the head coaching position at Washington, where he continued his high level of success while further strengthening UW's reputation and academic success.

In 2016, Petersen's third season in charge of the Dawgs, Washington earned its first-ever berth in the College Football Playoff, taking on Alabama in the Peach Bowl. That team, which beat Colorado to win the Pac-12 Championship, finished 12-2. In 2017, the Huskies went 10-3, earning a berth in the Fiesta Bowl.

In 2018, Petersen's Huskies won another Pac-12 title, beating Utah in the championship game and earning a trip to the Rose Bowl. Petersen announced his retirement at the end of the 2019 regular season and capped his coaching career with a win over Boise State in the 2019 Las Vegas Bowl. He finished his six years at UW with 55-26 record, including a 6-0 mark in Apple Cup games, and finished his career with a won-lost record of 147-38 (.795).

Petersen was named the Paul Bear Bryant Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2009, the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year in 2010, and the Gene Stallings Award in 2017. His teams won the Pac-12 title twice, the Mountain West championship once, and the WAC crown four times. While at Washington, he coached 10 first-team All-America players, as well as three Pac-12 Players of the Year and two Pac-12 Scholar-Athletes of the Year.

"The main reason I love college football is that it is truly the ultimate team game, "Petersen said. "If a team plays well, the head coaches tend to get a lot of credit, but there's no chance they're going to be successful unless they're surrounded by great people and great places.

"That's been the great blessing in my career – the journey I've had, the people I've come across, and the places I've been," he continued. "This is the ultimate team award for all those great administrators, coaches and players at the University of Washington and Boise State University."

"Congratulations to Chris, Barb and the entire Petersen family," Chun added. "Coach Pete continues to have a profound and lasting impact on the University of Washington and the sport of college football. He is simply an extraordinary coach, leader and person. We look forward to celebrating his induction this year."

Since retirement from coaching, Petersen has served as a mentor for other coaches and as a college football analyst on FOX television, among other pursuits. He and his wife, Barbara, are the parents of two adult sons, Jack and Sam.

Kreutz came to Washington from Saint Louis High in Honolulu, Hawai'i (where he was also a state wrestling champion), and made an immediate impact, earning a letter as a true freshman on the 1995 Husky team that finished in a tie for the Pac-10 Championship, earning the program's Travis Spring Outstanding Freshman Award.

He went on to start all 12 games at center in 1996 and 1997, earning first-team All-Pac-10 in each of those two seasons, and consensus first-team All-America in 1997, when he also won the Morris Trophy as the Pac-10's top offensive lineman and the UW's Guy Flaherty Most Inspirational Award, the team's oldest and most prestigious honor.

Following the 1997 season, Kreutz entered the NFL Draft, and was selected by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1998 draft.

Kreutz then took over as the Bears' starting center for the next 13 seasons (1998-2010). During his time in Chicago, he was chosen to six Pro Bowl rosters, and was named first-team All-Pro in 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2006. He was a member of the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2000s, and has been named one of the 100 Greatest Bears of All Time.

Kreutz played six games for the New Orleans Saints in 2011 before an injury, followed by his retirement. Since his playing days, he's spent time as a radio and television commentator in Chicago. He and his wife, Wendi, are parents to six children. Kreutz was inducted into the Husky Hall of Fame in 2016.

"Being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame is an honor I could have never imagined growing up in Hawai'i. I carry Hawai'i with me in everything I do,." Kreutz said. "Washington laid the foundation and shaped me as a player and a person. Being recognized alongside Coach Petersen, representing Washington, makes it that much more special. Thank you to my coaches, teammates, family and everyone who supported me along the way."

""Olin Kreutz represents the very best of Washington football," Chun said. "His time as a Husky set the standard for toughness, preparation, and leadership in this program. Olin's legacy is not just measured by awards or longevity, but by the respect he earned from teammates and coaches. We congratulate Olin, Wendi, and the Kreutz Family on this much-deserved honor."

Husky Players in the College Football Hall of Fame (Induction Year)

HB Chuck Carroll (1964)

DT Steve Emtman (2006)

QB Don Heinrich (1987)

T Lincoln Kennedy (2015)

T Vic Markov (1976)

HB Hugh McElhenny (1981)

G Rick Redman (1995)

QB Bob Schloredt (1989)

T Paul Schwegler (1967)

G Max Starcevich (1990)

HB George Wilson (1951)

Husky Coaches in the College Football Hall of Fame (Induction Year)

Gil Dobie (1951)

Don James (1997)

Jim Owens (1982)

James Phelan (1973)

Darrell Royal (1983)

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