Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Frank Gore and Jason Witten were among first-ballot players announced as the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 52 candidates.

The latest round of cuts to the Senior nominees for the Hall of Fame included two more two-time Super Bowl winning Raiders.

Three other former Browns also moved on to the next stage, including linebacker Carl Banks, defensive end Jim Marshall and cornerback Everson Walls. The group of 34 will be narrowed down to nine semifinalists before three finalists are selected for the final phase of voting early next year.

The field will be narrowed to nine within a month, with stiff competition among players in the Seniors category.

Brown recently joined MLive's Dungeon of Doom podcast to discuss his career, the current Lions and the team's push to get him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

52 Modern-Era Players advance in the voting process for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026 https://t.co/u7ocphUHPP pic.twitter.com/NQZnZvpcvR