Try NFL Sport Channel Seach:
Selected searches:
NFL Football Players Draft Injuries Rookies Season Superbowl
Items by
The 10 Best Quarterbacks Not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Published: June 13, 2009
No Comments
Continuing the position-by-position look at the best eligible players not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, we now turn our attention to the most visible and scrutinized position on the field: quarterback.
Many would argue that quarterbacks receive too much credit fin victory and too much blame in defeat, but the reality is that more than any other position, quarterbacks are evaluated and judged based on the success of their team.
Quarterbacks including Dan Marino, Y.A. Title and Fran Tarkenton are graded down slightly because they never won a championship despite posting huge statistical numbers.
At the same time, the lack of dominant statistics are overlooked in quarterbacks like Bob Griese, Troy Aikman, and Terry Bradshaw because they led teams to multiple championships.
Of the 23 modern era quarterbacks that have earned induction in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, only Warren Moon and Sonny Jurgensen never quarterbacked in a conference or league championship game.
In recent years, Hall of Fame voters have inducted a number of players at other positions who were never part of championship caliber teams, but that pattern has rarely extended to quarterback.
Of the 17 modern era players who didn’t participate in a Super Bowl that have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since 1995, Moon is the only quarterback.
The list of top quarterbacks not in the Hall of Fame further illustrates the inconsistencies displayed by Hall of Fame voters, as several seem to possess very similar resumes to some of the quarterbacks that have gained enshrinement.
It is an interesting mix that includes several quarterbacks who were recognized among the best in the game during their careers, but were never able to lead teams to championship heights. However, it also includes a number of quarterbacks who did play in Super Bowls while also earning individual recognition, but for some reason have never been deemed worthy of Hall of Fame induction.
Statistics can be helpful in identifying greatness and were among the criteria evaluated in selecting this list. However, because stats, especially career numbers, can be misleading and have become inflated over the last 30 years, they were just one of several factors used to create the list.
Each player was also evaluated in the context of the time in which he played and for many of the older players, I highlight where they ranked all-time at the time of their retirement.
I looked at how each compared against other players (Hall of Famers and non-Hall of Famers) from that era and whether, at the time of his retirement, the player was considered a legitimate candidate for the Hall of Fame.
Because the Hall of Fame voters give championship success such high priority in selecting quarterbacks, I did look at team success as a measure of consideration. However, I believe that the Hall of Fame voters have placed too much emphasis on that element for quarterbacks, so I did not make it as high a consideration as the voters have.
I look forward to comments, discussion and disagreements.
10 Best Running Backs Not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Published: June 7, 2009
No Comments
The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio is where NFL greats take the next step and become immortal legends. Since opening its doors in 1963, 253 former players, coaches and administrators have received football’s greatest honor, but there is a growing list of seemingly deserving players who for one reason or another have been unable to earn a bust in Canton.
Over the next several weeks, I am going to review every football position through a series of “Top 10” lists that looks at the best eligible players in NFL history at each position who are not in the Hall of Fame. I will also look at the 10 most deserving players not in the Hall of Fame (regardless of position) and 10 players who are in the Hall of Fame, but maybe shouldn’t be.
I am starting my position-by-position rundown by looking at the best eligible running backs not in the Hall of Fame.
As is the case with all offensive skill positions, the statistical numbers accumulated by running backs has ballooned over the last three decades. Of the top 50 players in career rushing yards in NFL history, only seven played a majority of their careers prior to 1980.
In 1980, Jim Brown and O.J. Simpson were the only members of the 10,000-career rushing yards club. Today, that club includes 24 players.
Among running backs in the Hall of Fame, 16 totaled less than 6,000 career yards rushing, but all of those players completed their careers prior to 1972.
It will probably start to sound like a broken record as I move through this series, but one of the biggest problems with the Hall of Fame selection process is that as the game changes and statistics increase, the Hall of Fame voters have forgotten an entire generation of great players who played most of their careers before the stats explosion of the last three decades.
That is particularly the case for running backs, as the Hall of Fame voters seem to have basically decided to ignore the position despite its obvious value in helping teams win championships. Rather than genuinely comparing stats from skill position players of all generations to determine who legitimately belongs in the Hall of Fame, voters seem to have tossed the entire issue aside by gravitating toward selecting players at positions where statistics have little impact.
Since 1995, only four running backs (Eric Dickerson, Marcus Allen, Barry Sanders, Thurman Thomas) and nine wide receivers have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Conversely, during the same period, 18 offensive linemen and 10 defensive linemen have received the call from the hall.
So, as I look at who I consider to be the best eligible players at each position not in the Hall of Fame, career statistics will be just one of a number of factors used to create each list.
First and foremost, I am looking at the career of each player in the context of when he played. I will look particularly at how he compares against other players (Hall of Famers and non-Hall of Famers) from that era and whether, at the time of his retirement, he was considered a legitimate candidate for the Hall of Fame.
I look forward to comments, discussion and disagreements.
