BYU’s Dennis Pitta is eligible for College Football Hall of Fame induction

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Dennis Pitta has already cemented his status as a BYU legend, but now he finds himself on the verge of college football immortality.

The 2027 ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame ballot was released this week, and Pitta, the former Cougars walk-on turned record-breaking star, was among the 80 players included.

“I’m honored to be on the ballot with some very distinguished and accomplished names in college football,” Pitta said Tuesday in an appearance on “BYU Sports Nation.”

“… I just feel fortunate. I mean, certainly given my start at BYU as a walk-on and with very few prospects of being able to get to this point, now as a potential College Football Hall of Famer, I think it’s pretty cool to just at least be on this ballot.”

From a BYU walk-on to being on the CFB Hall of Fame Ballot

Big time for our guy Dennis Pitta 🙌 pic.twitter.com/cLBgW3VMMB

— BYUtv Sports Nation (@BYUSportsNation) June 2, 2026

In four seasons (2004, 2007-09) as a tight end in Provo, Pitta caught 221 passes for 2,901 yards and 21 touchdowns, ranking among the all-time program leaders in each category.

Pitta also holds the most receiving yards of any tight end in college football history, crossing the 1,000-yard mark as a junior and capping his senior year with consensus First Team All-American honors.

A fourth-round draft selection by the Baltimore Ravens, Pitta spent parts of six seasons with the franchise and racked up 2,098 receiving yards with 13 touchdowns before injuries forced him to retire. He won Super Bowl XLVII with the Ravens in 2013 — catching a touchdown in the game — and remains a fan favorite in Baltimore to this day.

BYU currently boasts seven members of the College Football Hall of Fame: head coach LaVell Edwards, quarterbacks Gifford Nielsen, Marc Wilson, Jim McMahon, Steve Young and Ty Detmer, and tight end Gordon Hudson.

Compared to Hudson, Pitta has one fewer career touchdown but has more catches and receiving yards, while Hudson has two All-America nods to Pitta’s one.

Other notable names on the 2027 College Football Hall of Fame ballot are Robert Griffin III, Tavon Austin, Cris Carter, Tony Gonzalez, Ryan Kerrigan, Marshawn Lynch and Cam Newton, along with Latter-day Saints Manti Te’o, Kellen Moore and Mike Leach.

Members of the National Football Foundation will vote for the prospective Hall of Fame candidates. Since its founding in 1951, the Hall has inducted 1,370 former players and coaches.

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