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Class of 2012 Hall of Fame Finalists (1 Viewer)

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Class of 2012 Finalists

Two first-year eligible nominees – coach Bill Parcells and tackle Will Shields – are among the 15 modern-era finalists who will be considered for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame when the Hall’s Selection Committee meets in Indianapolis, Ind. on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012.

Joining the first-year eligible, are 12 modern-era players and a contributor. The 15 modern-era finalists, along with the two senior nominees announced in August 2011 (former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jack Butler and former Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins guard **** Stanfel) will be the only candidates considered for Hall of Fame election when the 44-member Selection Committee meets. To be elected, a finalist must receive a minimum positive vote of 80 percent.

Although technically a first-year eligible candidate, Parcells has been a finalist twice before (2001, 2002) following his announced retirement as head coach of the New York Jets in 1999. At the time the Hall of Fame By-Laws did not require a coach to be retired the now mandatory five seasons. Parcells returned to coach the Dallas Cowboys in 2003 and the five-year waiting period was in effect when he retired from coaching in 2006.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee’s 17 finalists (15 modern-era and two senior nominees*) with their positions, teams, and years active follow:

Jerome Bettis – Running Back – 1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers

Tim Brown – Wide Receiver/Kick Returner – 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jack Butler* – Cornerback – 1951-59 Pittsburgh Steelers

Cris Carter – Wide Receiver – 1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles, 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings, 2002 Miami Dolphins

Dermontti Dawson – Center – 1988-2000 Pittsburgh Steelers

Edward DeBartolo, Jr. – Owner – 1977-2000 San Francisco 49ers

Chris Doleman – Defensive End/Linebacker – 1985-1993, 1999 Minnesota Vikings, 1994-95 Atlanta Falcons, 1996-98 San Francisco 49ers

Kevin Greene – Linebacker/Defensive End – 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-99 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers

Charles Haley – Defensive End/Linebacker – 1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys

Cortez Kennedy – Defensive Tackle – 1990-2000 Seattle Seahawks

Curtis Martin – Running Back – 1995-97 New England Patriots, 1998-2005 New York Jets

Bill Parcells – Coach – 1983-1990 New York Giants, 1993-96 New England Patriots, 1997-99 New York Jets, 2003-06 Dallas Cowboys

Andre Reed – Wide Receiver – 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins

Willie Roaf – Tackle – 1993-2001 New Orleans Saints, 2002-05 Kansas City Chiefs

Will Shields – Guard – 1993-2006 Kansas City Chiefs

**** Stanfel* – Guard – 1952-55 Detroit Lions, 1956-58 Washington Redskins

Aeneas Williams – Cornerback/Safety – 1991-2000 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, 2001-04 St. Louis Rams

In addition to Parcells, other finalists who have been eligible in previous years include Bettis, Brown, Carter, Dawson, Doleman, Haley, Kennedy, Martin, Reed, Roaf and Stanfel. Although they were eligible in previous years, this is the first time Butler, DeBartolo, Greene and Williams have been finalists.

From this year’s list, four players – Butler, Dawson, Kennedy, and Shields spent their entire NFL career with just one team.

Butler and Stanfel were selected as senior candidates by the Hall of Fame’s Seniors Committee at their August 2011 meeting. The Seniors Committee reviews the qualifications of those players whose careers took place more than 25 years ago. The remaining 15 modern-era finalists were determined by a vote of the Hall’s 44-member Selection Committee from a list of 105 preliminary nominees that earlier was reduced to a list of 26 semifinalists.

To be eligible for election, modern-era players and coaches must be retired at least five consecutive seasons. Contributors need not be retired.

Doleman, Greene, and Haley have been eligible for eight years. Dawson, Kennedy, and Reed have each been eligible for election for seven years, Carter five years, and Brown and Williams three years. Bettis, Martin and Roaf are in their second year of eligibility. Since the retirement minimum for a player prior to 1968 was three years, senior nominees Butler and Stanfel have been eligible since 1963 when the Hall of Fame first opened.

The Selection Committee will meet in Indianapolis, Ind. on Saturday, February 4, 2012, to elect the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2012. The election results will be announced at 5:30 p.m. ET during a one-hour NFL Network special, live from the Super Bowl Media Center. The Class of 2012 will be the 50th class to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

At the 2012 selection meeting, the selectors will thoroughly discuss the careers of each finalist. Although there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s current ground rules stipulate that between four and seven new members will be selected each year. No more than five modern-era nominees can be elected in a given year and a class of six or seven can only be achieved if one or both senior nominees are elected. Representatives of the accounting firm Deloitte & Touche will tabulate all votes during the meeting.

At the announcement, Pro Football Hall of Fame President/Executive Director Steve Perry will be presented with an envelope containing the names of the nominees elected. Each newly elected member will be contacted immediately by the Hall of Fame. Members of the Class of 2012 in Indianapolis for the Super Bowl will be asked to join the live announcement show. Those not able to attend will be asked to join via teleconference.
 
With there being no no-brainers this year except Parcells, I think this is the year where guys who should already be in make it in - Cris Carter and Dermontti Dawson, most notably.

 
Dawson is deserving, but I think Shields and Roaf go in ahead of him. Will the Committee vote for three o-linemen (or four, counting Stanfel) in one year?

 
Without looking at stats too closely, I would go with Carter, Doleman, Haley, Martin, Roaf and Williams.

 
I would vote for these non Senior candidates:

Cris Carter

Dermontti Dawson

Bill Parcells

Willie Roaf

Aeneas Williams

IMO these guys are in the next tier:

Tim Brown

Chris Doleman

Cortez Kennedy

Curtis Martin

 
Jack Butler* – Cornerback – 1951-59 Pittsburgh Steelers

Cris Carter – Wide Receiver – 1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles, 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings, 2002 Miami Dolphins

Dermontti Dawson – Center – 1988-2000 Pittsburgh Steelers

Bill Parcells – Coach – 1983-1990 New York Giants, 1993-96 New England Patriots, 1997-99 New York Jets, 2003-06 Dallas Cowboys

Willie Roaf – Tackle – 1993-2001 New Orleans Saints, 2002-05 Kansas City Chiefs

**** Stanfel* – Guard – 1952-55 Detroit Lions, 1956-58 Washington Redskins

 
I don't see how Dawson, Shields, and Roaf aren't in already nevermind get skipped over this time. One is new, I get that, but if a linemen has their resume and doesn't get in? cmon

 
'Gottabesweet said:
Andre Reed should be in if ART Monk GOT IN.
Half the WRs playing today should be in too if we are going to let WR2s like Monk in. Monk is a travesty. Don't use Monk as a guideline. Forget he's in there :thumbup: DawsonShieldsRoafDolemanTuna
 
I think all of the modern finalist should be in; at least all of the players. I don't care about coaches or contributors and don't think they should get in ahead of any player.

 
Why no love for Chris Doleman?
:goodposting: I will never understand why he does not get more respect. I understand sacks have not always been an official stat but he ranks 4th in career sacks behind Smith, White, and Greene. I realize Greene is not in either and IMO they should both be.
 
'Gottabesweet said:
Andre Reed should be in if ART Monk GOT IN.
Half the WRs playing today should be in too if we are going to let WR2s like Monk in. Monk is a travesty. Don't use Monk as a guideline. Forget he's in there :thumbup: DawsonShieldsRoafDolemanTuna
different eras are hard to grasp in these discussions. He set records when he played, difficult to achieve records. One could go the other direction(the past) and say Monk was better than all the WRs before with his record. I'm not stating as such and don't want this to be a Monk only thread, it's just that people seem to forget Monk's place when he played. We have all this peer talk about everyone else, yet with Monk people name players that weren't his peers.If Joe Somebody breaks Emmitt's record, that's awesome. If Bill Somebody breaks it ten years later, does that ruin the first guy's accomplishment? Monk's unfairly been lumped in with today's WRs.
 
There's an interesting note in this article about how few defensive tackles have entered the Hall since 1980:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1015013-nfl-hall-of-fame-will-seattle-seahawks-cortez-kennedy-make-it-this-time
Sapp's going in next year, so a DT will be in soon.

Mine:

Carter

Doleman

Parcells

Roaf

Eddie D (Homer Pick all the way. I doubt he'll ever get in because of the way he was forced out, but he created one of the best organizations in Football during his time Owning the Niners.)

 
There's an interesting note in this article about how few defensive tackles have entered the Hall since 1980:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1015013-nfl-hall-of-fame-will-seattle-seahawks-cortez-kennedy-make-it-this-time
Sapp's going in next year, so a DT will be in soon.

Mine:

Carter

Doleman

Parcells

Roaf

Eddie D (Homer Pick all the way. I doubt he'll ever get in because of the way he was forced out, but he created one of the best organizations in Football during his time Owning the Niners.)
I give Bill Walsh most if not all of the credit there. He was the 49er Org., not Eddie. Most of the coaches from his tree take Walsh's principles first before his offensive philosophy. As much as I love Eddie D. for his passion and $$, he also drove Walsh into early retirement. The 49ers post Walsh was an arrogant Organization, and Eddie and Policy pretty much ran the team into the ground. Just look at the Eddie/Policy era drafts. The Organization with Policy as GM was shoddy. Ask Browns fan what they think of Carmen Policy. He was Eddie's guy for years. When the 49ers got away from Walsh's organizational principles, that was the end of what Walsh built. Eddie got sloppy. Not just with his perjury pinch. He got fast and loose with the Salary Cap as well.Heck, he is a big reason why there is a Salary Cap. He would have moved the team to Los Angeles if it wasn't for a few dead voters and then Mayor Willie Brown in his pocket.

 
Class of 2012 Finalists

Jerome Bettis –yes

Tim Brown –yes

Jack Butler* no

Cris Carter –yes

Dermontti Dawson yes

Edward DeBartolo, Jr. no

Chris Doleman – no

Kevin Greene –no way

Charles Haley no

Cortez Kennedy yes

Curtis Martin – no

Bill Parcells –no

Andre Reed yes

Willie Roaf – yes

Will Shields – yes

**** Stanfel* - no

Aeneas Williams – no
Seriously?Bettis before Doleman?

I didn't know the NFL hall of Fame took bowling skills into consideration

And Tim Brown before Doleman?

 
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He also likes Bettis over Martin. Besides winning a Super Bowl ring AS A BACKUP, Bettis has nothing over Martin. Check the stats. Check the film.

 
Andre Reed should be in if ART Monk GOT IN.
Half the WRs playing today should be in too if we are going to let WR2s like Monk in. Monk is a travesty. Don't use Monk as a guideline. Forget he's in there :thumbup: DawsonShieldsRoafDolemanTuna
different eras are hard to grasp in these discussions. He set records when he played, difficult to achieve records. One could go the other direction(the past) and say Monk was better than all the WRs before with his record. I'm not stating as such and don't want this to be a Monk only thread, it's just that people seem to forget Monk's place when he played. We have all this peer talk about everyone else, yet with Monk people name players that weren't his peers.If Joe Somebody breaks Emmitt's record, that's awesome. If Bill Somebody breaks it ten years later, does that ruin the first guy's accomplishment? Monk's unfairly been lumped in with today's WRs.
No, thats not true Bri.Compare him to his peers and teammates.Simply put, the guy led his team in receiving 4 out of 17 seasons. He had 1 All-Pro season. How is he a Hall of Famer when he was not the best receiver on his team, let alone his conference or league? I will link previous threads if you'd like to learn more. :thumbup:
 
Why no love for Chris Doleman?
Viking fan who loved Doleman but I am not sure he is hallworthy. Chris Carter is much more deserving. And I agree with previous poster that there are several OL types who deserve recognition this year--Roaf and Shields. I also like Curtis Martin, but don't know if this is his year. I don't think Parcels is a first ballot guy, but he will probably get it anyway. Seems like HC and owners who won a SB are automatics.Mine:Jack Butler (because you have to have one of the old timers)CarterRoafShieldsCurtis Martin
 
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My votes:

Tim Brown – Wide Receiver/Kick Returner – 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cris Carter – Wide Receiver – 1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles, 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings, 2002 Miami Dolphins Curtis Martin – Running Back – 1995-97 New England Patriots, 1998-2005 New York JetsBill Parcells – Coach – 1983-1990 New York Giants, 1993-96 New England Patriots, 1997-99 New York Jets, 2003-06 Dallas CowboysAndre Reed – Wide Receiver – 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins Willie Roaf – Tackle – 1993-2001 New Orleans Saints, 2002-05 Kansas City ChiefsWill Shields – Guard – 1993-2006 Kansas City Chiefs
 
He also likes Bettis over Martin. Besides winning a Super Bowl ring AS A BACKUP, Bettis has nothing over Martin. Check the stats. Check the film.
I like Martin better than Bettis, but the bolded statement is not true. Consider:All Pro selections (AP):

Bettis: 2 1st team, 1 2nd team

Martin: 1 1st team, 2 2nd team

Pro Bowls:

Bettis: 6

Martin: 5

Other Honors:

Bettis: 1993 NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, 1996 NFL AP Comeback Player of the Year, 2001 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year

Martin: 1995 NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year

Rushing TDs:

Bettis: 91

Martin: 90

Passing TDs:

Bettis: 3

Martin: 2

These are all small edges, but they are edges for Bettis nonetheless, to go along with the ring advantage.

 
Class of 2012 Finalists

Jerome Bettis –yes

Tim Brown –yes

Jack Butler* no

Cris Carter –yes

Dermontti Dawson yes

Edward DeBartolo, Jr. no

Chris Doleman – no

Kevin Greene –no way

Charles Haley no

Cortez Kennedy yes

Curtis Martin – no

Bill Parcells –no

Andre Reed yes

Willie Roaf – yes

Will Shields – yes

**** Stanfel* - no

Aeneas Williams – no
My votes:

Tim Brown – Wide Receiver/Kick Returner – 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Cris Carter – Wide Receiver – 1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles, 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings, 2002 Miami Dolphins

Curtis Martin – Running Back – 1995-97 New England Patriots, 1998-2005 New York Jets

Bill Parcells – Coach – 1983-1990 New York Giants, 1993-96 New England Patriots, 1997-99 New York Jets, 2003-06 Dallas Cowboys

Andre Reed – Wide Receiver – 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins

Willie Roaf – Tackle – 1993-2001 New Orleans Saints, 2002-05 Kansas City Chiefs

Will Shields – Guard – 1993-2006 Kansas City Chiefs
You guys both chose more than 5 non Senior candidates. The max is 5.
 
Andre Reed should be in if ART Monk GOT IN.
Half the WRs playing today should be in too if we are going to let WR2s like Monk in. Monk is a travesty. Don't use Monk as a guideline. Forget he's in there :thumbup: DawsonShieldsRoafDolemanTuna
different eras are hard to grasp in these discussions. He set records when he played, difficult to achieve records. One could go the other direction(the past) and say Monk was better than all the WRs before with his record. I'm not stating as such and don't want this to be a Monk only thread, it's just that people seem to forget Monk's place when he played. We have all this peer talk about everyone else, yet with Monk people name players that weren't his peers.If Joe Somebody breaks Emmitt's record, that's awesome. If Bill Somebody breaks it ten years later, does that ruin the first guy's accomplishment? Monk's unfairly been lumped in with today's WRs.
Monk broke exactly one record: career receptions. And he held it for less than a year before Jerry Rice broke it and eventually buried it. And the only thing hard to achieve about that is playing long enough; Monk only finished in the top 10 in the league in receptions four times in his career, and only led the league once, so it's not like he was way more productive than his peers. He was the definition of a compiler; he doesn't belong in the Hall and neither does Reed.
 
I think Shields is getting a little too much love here. Consider these guards:

Matthews: 14 seasons, 7 1st team All Pro selections, 3 2nd team All Pro selections, 14 Pro Bowl selections, 0 rings

McDaniel: 14 seasons, 7 1st team All Pro selections, 2 2nd team All Pro selections, 12 Pro Bowl selections, 0 rings

Allen: 14 seasons, 6 1st team All Pro selections, 1 2nd team All Pro selection, 11 Pro Bowl selections, 1 ring

Faneca: 13 seasons, 6 1st team All Pro selections, 2 2nd team All Pro selections, 9 Pro Bowl selections, 1 ring

Hutchinson: 11 seasons, 5 1st team All Pro selections, 2 2nd team All Pro selections, 7 Pro Bowl selections, 0 rings

Shields: 14 seasons, 2 1st team All Pro selections, 4 2nd team All Pro selections, 12 Pro Bowl selections, 0 rings

And consider these other OL contemporaries:

Dawson: 13 seasons, 6 1st team All Pro selections, 0 2nd team All Pro selections, 7 Pro Bowl selections, 0 rings

Ogden: 12 seasons, 4 1st team All Pro selections, 5 2nd team All Pro selections, 11 Pro Bowl selections, 1 ring

Roaf: 13 seasons, 3 1st team All Pro selections, 6 2nd team All Pro selections, 11 Pro Bowl selections, 0 rings

Walter Jones: 12 seasons, 4 1st team All Pro selections, 2 2nd team All Pro selections, 9 Pro Bowl selections, 0 rings

Pace: 13 seasons, 3 1st team All Pro selections, 1 2nd team All Pro selection, 7 Pro Bowl selections, 1 ring

There are some other relevant factors, like blocking for top offenses, MVPs, and 2000 yard seasons.

Don't get me wrong, I think Shields will ultimately make it, and he should IMO. However, I think most of the other OL identified here, maybe all of them, are more deserving, including all of the other guards. In particular, I think it is fairly clear that both Dawson and Roaf are more deserving, which is enough IMO for Shields to wait another year.

All that said, I think it is difficult to effectively compare offensive linemen. If there are counterpoints that help Shields, I'm interested in seeing them.

 
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All that said, I think it is difficult to effectively compare offensive linemen. If there are counterpoints that help Shields, I'm interested in seeing them.
I think Pro Bowl and even All-Pro aren't great metrics for offensive linemen, who often get those slots based on reputation rather than performance. It's like Mike Alstott.
 
All that said, I think it is difficult to effectively compare offensive linemen. If there are counterpoints that help Shields, I'm interested in seeing them.
I think Pro Bowl and even All-Pro aren't great metrics for offensive linemen, who often get those slots based on reputation rather than performance. It's like Mike Alstott.
Yet Shields has a great rep and only got 2 1st team All Pro selections. Kind of strange IMO.I don't disagree that they aren't great metrics, but what should be used to distinguish between them?
 
He also likes Bettis over Martin. Besides winning a Super Bowl ring AS A BACKUP, Bettis has nothing over Martin. Check the stats. Check the film.
I like Martin better than Bettis, but the bolded statement is not true. Consider:All Pro selections (AP):

Bettis: 2 1st team, 1 2nd team

Martin: 1 1st team, 2 2nd team

Pro Bowls:

Bettis: 6

Martin: 5

Other Honors:

Bettis: 1993 NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, 1996 NFL AP Comeback Player of the Year, 2001 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year

Martin: 1995 NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year

Rushing TDs:

Bettis: 91

Martin: 90

Passing TDs:

Bettis: 3

Martin: 2

These are all small edges, but they are edges for Bettis nonetheless, to go along with the ring advantage.
Bettis' edge in pro bowls is pretty meaningless when you consider that he made his last one as like the 4th alternate in a season where he ran for 941 yards (20th most in the NFL that year) and averaged a whopping 3.8 YPC (tied for 33rd among players with enough rushes to qualify). Also, Martin had two 1,300+ rushing yard seasons where he didn't even make the pro bowl. Plus, Bettis only had four seasons over 1,200 (which many agree is more of a barometer for RB greatness these days instead of 1,000), while Martin did it seven times.

To me, Martin is far more deserving than Bettis. Martin is a guy who should probably make it, while Bettis should never make it, IMO.

 
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I am a viking fan but I think two the players that should get in before the rest are Charles Haley and Cortez Kennedy,

 
He also likes Bettis over Martin. Besides winning a Super Bowl ring AS A BACKUP, Bettis has nothing over Martin. Check the stats. Check the film.
I like Martin better than Bettis, but the bolded statement is not true. Consider:All Pro selections (AP):

Bettis: 2 1st team, 1 2nd team

Martin: 1 1st team, 2 2nd team

Pro Bowls:

Bettis: 6

Martin: 5

Other Honors:

Bettis: 1993 NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, 1996 NFL AP Comeback Player of the Year, 2001 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year

Martin: 1995 NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year

Rushing TDs:

Bettis: 91

Martin: 90

Passing TDs:

Bettis: 3

Martin: 2

These are all small edges, but they are edges for Bettis nonetheless, to go along with the ring advantage.
Bettis' edge in pro bowls is pretty meaningless when you consider that he made his last one as like the 4th alternate in a season where he ran for 941 yards (20th most in the NFL that year) and averaged a whopping 3.8 YPC (tied for 33rd among players with enough rushes to qualify). Also, Martin had two 1,300+ rushing yard seasons where he didn't even make the pro bowl. Plus, Bettis only had four seasons over 1,200 (which many agree is more of a barometer for RB greatness these days instead of 1,000), while Martin did it seven times.

To me, Martin is far more deserving than Bettis. Martin is a guy who should probably make it, while Bettis should never make it, IMO.
As I said, I like Martin better (i.e., I agree Martin's overall resume is more impressive). I was just pointing out that it isn't true that Bettis has nothing over Martin. He does. The thing that I find most impressive is 2 1st team All Pro selections for Bettis to just 1 for Martin. I suspect most people would not expect that.While I agree that Pro Bowl selections are not a great metric, your comment about Bettis's last Pro Bowl selection is off base. According to Wikipedia, Bettis was a backup to Duce Staley to start the 2004 season, but when Staley got hurt mid-way through the year, Bettis stepped in and gained 100+ yards in each of his six regular season starts, as well as in their first playoff game. He scored 13 TDs and passed for another in 14 regular season games, and then added 2 TDs in 2 playoff games. He was a key performer for a team that went 15-1 and lost in the AFC Championship Game. His selection was reasonable.

I think Martin should definitely make the HOF, although I he would not make my group for this year. I think Bettis is a bubble candidate, and I go back and forth on whether I think he should make it, but I think he will make it, regardless.

 
Cortez Kennedy should get in (note I'm a Seahawks homer, but that doesn't change what should happen).

8 Pro Bowls (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999)

3 AP 1st team All Pro (1992, 1993, 1994)

1 Defensive Player of the Year (1992)

Recorded 668 tackles, 58 sacks, 3 INTs

Here's a video of Jon Gruden's plea to vote Kennedy into the HoF:

My link

 
If Parcells and Curtis Martin both go in would Parcells introduce Martin? Would that be the first time an inductee introduced an inductee?

 
In before the Steeler homers get all silly with their shilling for Bettis.
The Steeler homers will shill for Dawson before Bettis. The guy was 1st team All-Pro six straight years at a position where only one guy gets that honor. IMO, if you're unquestionably the single best player at your position (non-kicker) for 6 consecutive seasons, you belong in the HOF.For all the people here that consistently argue peak value over "compiling", here is your guy. How many other players in NFL history can you say were the clear-cut best at their position for a 6-year span? The list is pretty short.
 
This year IMO

Tim Brown –

Cris Carter –

Dermontti Dawson –

Andre Reed –

Aeneas Williams – as an Eagle fan I hated playing against this guy. He constantly came up with huge plays and I think was one of the 1st to be called a "shut-down" corner before moving to safety and playing very well there too.

Should be in as well (ranked)

Cortez Kennedy – seriously under-rated as all DTs

Chris Doleman – somehow he's been forgotten

Charles Haley – headcase apparently doesn't help

Bill Parcells – I don't think he's as great as he and everyone thinks he is but he'll get in and I wouldn't be surprised if its this year

Willie Roaf –

 
In before the Steeler homers get all silly with their shilling for Bettis.
The Steeler homers will shill for Dawson before Bettis. The guy was 1st team All-Pro six straight years at a position where only one guy gets that honor. IMO, if you're unquestionably the single best player at your position (non-kicker) for 6 consecutive seasons, you belong in the HOF.For all the people here that consistently argue peak value over "compiling", here is your guy. How many other players in NFL history can you say were the clear-cut best at their position for a 6-year span? The list is pretty short.
I'm not disagreeing with your assertion that Dawson deserves the HOF or the idea that he was the best C of his era. I agree with you there. But, there are very few things in these conversations that are "unquestionable" and I don't think AP selections necessarily make something "unquestionable".
 

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