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Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2021 (1 Viewer)

Yogibear

Yogibear

Footballguy
Well, the list of 15 Finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2021 has been revealed.  Here's the list:

Jared Allen

Ronde Barber

Tony Boselli

LeRoy Butler

Alan Faneca

Torry Holt

Calvin Johnson

John Lynch

Peyton Manning

Clay Matthews Jr.

Sam Mills

Richard Seymour

Zach Thomas

Reggie Wayne

Charles Woodson

Looking at the list, there are three names that have a legitimate shot.  One, of course, is Peyton Manning.  The other two is Calvin Johnson & Charles Woodson.  Keep in mind that Bill Nunn is the Contributor Finalist, Tom Flores is the Coach Finalist, & Drew Pearson is the Senior Finalist for the Class of 2021.  Only five of the 15 finalists will be enshrined this year.  Who does everyone think will make it this year?

 
How did Clay Matthews make it this far? He was a slightly above average LB who just played forever. I hate that longevity is so thoroughly rewarded. I'm already annoyed about hearing about Frank Gore, and he was better at his position than Matthews was(and also nowhere near HOF worthy)

As for guys who should make it: Peyton Manning is about the easiest call ever. I'd vote Alan Faneca and Zach Thomas as the next best, as guys who should have been in years ago, and have had lesser players at their positions make it in before them. 

The last 2 names are tougher, Jared Allen and LeRoy Butler would be my picks. Butler is the most underrated player of the 90's in m opinion. Best safety of the decade. Allen was an elite pass rusher, who is extremely underrated as an all around DE. He was the best DE in the NFL for 5+ years in my opinion.

I think guys like Boselli, Woodson, Calvin, and Barber are all very worthy as well, they just come in behind these guys to me.

 
Seymour is Hall worthy...those first three Super Bowl teams were won more with defense and he was one of the anchors...if there was a stat for getting double-teamed there wouldn't be a question about him getting in.

 
Jared Allen

Ronde Barber

Tony Boselli - Does not deserve it simply did not play long enough (is what it is with injuries)....too many others more deserving 

LeRoy Butler

Alan Faneca - Totally deserves it. Dominant 12 year career and only 4...count them 4 holding penalties in 12 years

Torry Holt - Must go in before Calvin Johnson, better career and a huge part of the greatest Show On Turf

Calvin Johnson - 

John Lynch

Peyton Manning - Slam Dunk

Clay Matthews Jr.

Sam Mills

Richard Seymour

Zach Thomas - IN

Reggie Wayne - IN (The Yang to Marvins Harrisons Yin for Peyton Manning)

Charles Woodson - IN

 
Yogibear said:
Jared Allen

Calvin Johnson

Peyton Manning

Zach Thomas

Charles Woodson
Click to expand...
I'm a little surprised by all the love Zach Thomas is getting. Maybe "IDP FF HOF", not nearly as convinced he was one of the best LB's of his era.

IMO Charles Woodson and Calvin Johnson are two guys are among the best that have every played the position all time. Peyton may not belong up there with the Montana/Brady types but he'll get in on stats alone first vote easily.

Sentimental favorite is Jared Allen. Loved watching that guy play. May not be a first ballot but I hope he makes it eventually. 

 
Godsbrother said:
I would love to hear the rationale of those choosing Boselli over Faneca
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Faneca was all-pro 6 times (9 pro bowls). on this list i think only Manning was all-pro more times. any player who was all-pro 6 times should have been in on the first ballot. 

 
Posted this in the previous thread:

Just Win Baby said:
Last year, I included these guys in my first tier (as well as Bruce and Polamalu, who were inducted):

  • Ronde Barber
  • Tony Boselli
  • Alan Faneca
  • Torry Holt
  • Zach Thomas
I also noted that I thought Atwater and Butler should make it, but both had been eligible for so long, I assumed it would have to be via the veterans committee. Atwater made it, but Butler didn't. I view Butler as a first tier guy in addition to the 5 guys named above. But I still assume he will have to make it via the veterans committee.

This year, there are a few obvious additions to my first tier:

  • Peyton Manning
  • Charles Woodson
  • Darren Woodson
  • Calvin Johnson
I think Manning and Charles Woodson are first ballot locks. I would feel compelled to include Darren Woodson and Calvin Johnson in my list. So I only have room for one of the others above. I would be okay with any of them, though I assume Johnson's inclusion will push Holt to next year. It is very close for me between Barber and Thomas. I'll go with Thomas. So my 5 non special nominees are:

  • Calvin Johnson
  • Peyton Manning
  • Zach Thomas
  • Charles Woodson
  • Darren Woodson
I think the voters are unlikely to choose Thomas or Darren Woodson and substitute others like Faneca and Lynch. I'm fine with Faneca, but I do not think Lynch is deserving... at least not before Barber, Butler, and Harrison (see below).

As for the special nominees:

  • I think Flores is undeserving and would not vote for him. I've posted my take on his case in multiple threads here over the years.
  • I support Pearson making it.
  • I have no knowledge or opinion on Bill Nunn.
One last note. For some reason, this is the first year Rodney Harrison has been a semifinalist. This highlights one of the issues in the process to me... nothing has changed about his HOF case, so why now? That said, I have said for years that I think he is a clear HOFer, and I would vote for him. I have assumed he would only get in via a senior nomination, and that still seems likely.
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Darren Woodson didn't make it as a finalist.

Given I already chose a WR, I'll let Holt slide to next year and beyond. Same for Barber since I already chose a DB. That leaves Boselli and Faneca, so I would choose Faneca, making this group my 5 non-special nominees:

  • Alan Faneca
  • Calvin Johnson
  • Peyton Manning
  • Zach Thomas
  • Charles Woodson
As I said before, I'm skeptical the voters will choose Thomas. We'll see.

 
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Todem said:
Jared Allen

Ronde Barber

Tony Boselli - Does not deserve it simply did not play long enough (is what it is with injuries)....too many others more deserving 

LeRoy Butler

Alan Faneca - Totally deserves it. Dominant 12 year career and only 4...count them 4 holding penalties in 12 years

Torry Holt - Must go in before Calvin Johnson, better career and a huge part of the greatest Show On Turf

Calvin Johnson - 

John Lynch

Peyton Manning - Slam Dunk

Clay Matthews Jr.

Sam Mills

Richard Seymour

Zach Thomas - IN

Reggie Wayne - IN (The Yang to Marvins Harrisons Yin for Peyton Manning)

Charles Woodson - IN
Click to expand...
I think your “Holt over Calvin” comment is a bit off. If Calvin was part of the greatest show on turf, as opposed to the “greatest disaster on turf” for most of his career, he would have destroyed the record books.

I don’t think it’s close. Calvin should easily get in over Holt.

 
BoltBacker said:
I'm a little surprised by all the love Zach Thomas is getting. Maybe "IDP FF HOF", not nearly as convinced he was one of the best LB's of his era.
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His case:

  • Selected as 1st team All Pro 5 times and 2nd team All Pro 2 times in his 13 year career. Those were 7 of the 10 seasons he played at least 14 games -- all but his first 2 seasons and his final season.
  • Defensive ROY and member of 2000s All Decade Team.
  • Remains #5 in tackles (since 1987) and #16 in forced fumbles (since 1999). Only 2 HOF LBs have more tackles -- Seau and Lewis.
  • His teams were 108-100 in the regular season, with just 3 losing seasons, and made the playoffs 6 times.
  • Key player on several good defenses.
YMMV

 
kutta said:
I think your “Holt over Calvin” comment is a bit off. If Calvin was part of the greatest show on turf, as opposed to the “greatest disaster on turf” for most of his career, he would have destroyed the record books.

I don’t think it’s close. Calvin should easily get in over Holt.
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Good point. But Holt is still Hall worthy and will get in along with Wayne. I have no qualms with Calvin Johnson as a HOF either.

It is a strong final list this year.

 
I don't think any of the WRs get in this year.  Not that they aren't deserving, but I don't look at any of those names and think "That guy had a HOF career". 

They should all get in eventually, but only after more deserving players.

 
Manning - Manning is a slam dunk by a seven-footer, really
Faneca - Six All Pro years, as mentioned eariler
C. Johnson - The most gifted and dominant receiver I've ever seen
C. Woodson - Versatility, speed, and then the late-career transition

The rest of these guys are all just top-notch players. I would think they'd wait a bit, but they're all great in my book. 
 

 
IMO more offensive linemen should be in the HOF.  I think both Faneca and Boselli should get in.  Holt is long overdue as well so my top 5 for this class would be those 3 and Manning and Woodson.  

 
BoltBacker said:
I'm a little surprised by all the love Zach Thomas is getting. Maybe "IDP FF HOF", not nearly as convinced he was one of the best LB's of his era.

IMO Charles Woodson and Calvin Johnson are two guys are among the best that have every played the position all time. Peyton may not belong up there with the Montana/Brady types but he'll get in on stats alone first vote easily.

Sentimental favorite is Jared Allen. Loved watching that guy play. May not be a first ballot but I hope he makes it eventually. 
Click to expand...
Say what??

I am a Patriots home and can say this is an untenable position to take. 

 
Cowboysfan8 said:
Darren Woodson not even a finalist ?

🙄
Click to expand...
We’re obviously biased but the lack of love for Woody is a joke. He was one of the first hybrid safeties who could cover slot receivers and and hit. He did both things exceptionally well. 
 

3 Super Bowls, most tackles in franchise and 4 time first team ALL-PRO (not Probowl!)

Shame. 

 
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Leroy Butler - 181 games, 889 Tackles, 20.5 sacks, 38 ints.  All 90s 1st team safety not in the HOF

Troy Palomalu - 158 games, 783 Tackles, 12 sacks, 32 ints.  All 00s 1st team safety in the HOF

Not a knock on Palomalu but Butlers’ numbers are very comparable.  Butler is criminally underrated and I believe the only starter from the all decade team of the 90s not in the HOF.  Butler’s HOF call is long overdue.

 
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Pipes said:
Leroy Butler - 181 games, 889 Tackles, 20.5 sacks, 38 ints.  All 90s 1st team safety not in the HOF

Troy Palomalu - 158 games, 783 Tackles, 12 sacks, 32 ints.  All 00s 1st team safety in the HOF

Not a knock on Palomalu but Butlers’ numbers are very comparable.  Butler is criminally underrated and I believe the only starter from the all decade team of the 90s not in the HOF.  Butler’s HOF call is long overdue.
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I agree he is long overdue. I have been posting for years that he is deserving, but have assumed he would end up getting in via the veterans committee since he has never really generated any buzz.

On the other hand, Atwater was long overdue and got in last season, 20 years after he last played in 1999 and in his third year as a finalist. Butler last played in 2001 and was a first time finalist last year and second time finalist this year. So maybe I've been inappropriately assuming his chances are too low to get in sometime soon.

The biggest problem IMO is that Lynch is now an 8 time finalist, so it seems likely that he would get in first, and I can't see Butler as a second safety in a class, especially not this one, with another DB, Charles Woodson, as a virtual lock IMO. I think Butler is very clearly more deserving than Lynch, as is Rodney Harrison, but Lynch seems to have the favor of the media.

 
Just Win Baby said:
His case:

  • Only 2 HOF LBs have more tackles -- Seau and Lewis.
Click to expand...
And this is sort of my problem. If you play the "One of these guys does not look like the other" game here it seems to me Zach Thomas stands out like a sore thumb with those two guys.

What I remember most about Thomas:

- Stood across the LOS from Peyton Manning and they screamed audibles at each other for 20 second of the play clock on every down.... and then the Colts would beat them.

- He always seemed to be in on the tackle..... about 5 yards down field. Which is better than missing the tackle, don't get me wrong. It just means more in fantasy football than real football.

- The 108-100 record over 13 years was almost exactly what I expected. Somewhere between half a game and one game over .500 is my recollection of the Dolphins. Seau was the best player on a team that carried Stan Humphries to a Super Bowl appearance(when Seau only had one shoulder to do it). Ray Lewis was the best player on a team that dragged Trent Dilfer to an actual Super Bowl victory. Thomas would do just enough for the Dolphins to lose a WC game some years.

It's fine, HOF talk is pretty much a version of who "should have" won the Oscars imo. Almost half the guys in there already I probably wouldn't have put in there. That's one reason I find the reluctance to consider Rivers a HOF'er so laughable. Rivers has more TD's than Dan Marino, Fran Tarkenton, and John Elway and at least Rivers knocked on the door of getting to a SB. If we are just going to make it the "Hall Of Very Good" then I am fine with Thomas making it, but then Rivers should be a first ballot easily. I realize we agree on this, I'm just saying I find the line somewhere well below Rivers and slightly above Thomas.

 
Calvin, Manning and Woodson are locks. I hope they finally let Lynch in after 8 tries, especially with the Super Bowl in Tampa. 

 
Capella said:
Calvin, Manning and Woodson are locks. I hope they finally let Lynch in after 8 tries, especially with the Super Bowl in Tampa. 
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There are at least two safeties (Butler, Harrison) who are more deserving IMO. I think Lynch is the definition of borderline. But he has an inflated reputation, so I expect he will get in ahead of the other two, whether this year or later.

 
Just Win Baby said:
...so I would choose Faneca, making this group my 5 non-special nominees:

  • Alan Faneca
  • Calvin Johnson
  • Peyton Manning
  • Zach Thomas
  • Charles Woodson
As I said before, I'm skeptical the voters will choose Thomas. We'll see.
Click to expand...
Happy to see the voters chose four of these guys, with Thomas as the exception, as predicted.

It was inevitable that Lynch would make it, so at least that is over with.

 
Manning go in as a Colt or Bronco?

Both I guess. HOF has gear for him for both teams.

 
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Work hard. Make plays.

Loved watching all 3 of the first time ballot inductees. It's not really easy to cheer for many IDPs, but Woodson made many fans while at Michigan as one of the all time great college players.  It's great that he's inducted the same year as Peyton. While there wasn't a rivalry there, they're forever linked for the Heisman. 

 
Balco said:
Surprised Lynch is in over Leroy Butler.
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It seems wrong, but it can be hard to overcome a narrative.  Butler was 1st team All-Pro twice as many times as Lynch and each won one Super Bowl, but Lynch won his on a team where the defense got all of the credit and he is remembered as one of the core players on that defense, while Butler's came on a team that is remembered for Brett Favre, Desmond Howard and Reggie White.  Sadly, Butler is almost a forgotten man when it comes to that SB-winning team. 

 
Ghost Rider said:
It seems wrong, but it can be hard to overcome a narrative.  Butler was 1st team All-Pro twice as many times as Lynch and each won one Super Bowl, but Lynch won his on a team where the defense got all of the credit and he is remembered as one of the core players on that defense, while Butler's came on a team that is remembered for Brett Favre, Desmond Howard and Reggie White.  Sadly, Butler is almost a forgotten man when it comes to that SB-winning team. 
Click to expand...
I think it also speaks to how weird the NFL Hall of Fame voting is - someone takes up a players cause and pitches them to a handful of others. I think Lynch was a solid player but he is not a hall of famer. 

 
Balco said:
Surprised Lynch is in over Leroy Butler.
Click to expand...
Isn’t Butler in balloting limbo? Didn’t make it in through the regular balloting process but not retired long enough to be considered by the Senior Committee (25 year requirement).

 
Anarchy99 said:
Isn’t Butler in balloting limbo? Didn’t make it in through the regular balloting process but not retired long enough to be considered by the Senior Committee (25 year requirement).
Click to expand...
I thought he was a finalist this year?

 
Balco said:
I thought he was a finalist this year?
Click to expand...
Apparently he was last year and this year. I think they have a 15 year limit for regular balloting? IIRC, Butler retired in 2001. Five year wait + 15 years = 2021. If so, then Butler would have to move to being a Senior Committee candidate after this year and wait five years. Or for all these years have I been thinking players only get 15 years on the ballot and that wasn’t the case? Am I confusing this with baseball?

 
Agree with consensus that Butler should be in over Lynch, and so should Rodney Harrison IMO. 

 
Anarchy99 said:
Apparently he was last year and this year. I think they have a 15 year limit for regular balloting? IIRC, Butler retired in 2001. Five year wait + 15 years = 2021. If so, then Butler would have to move to being a Senior Committee candidate after this year and wait five years. Or for all these years have I been thinking players only get 15 years on the ballot and that wasn’t the case? Am I confusing this with baseball?
Click to expand...
Can’t find any evidence of any limit to number of years for regular consideration.

Also, a player’s career must have been completed for 25 years to be eligible for senior nominee consideration. 

 
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