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Barry Sanders
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The highest honor an NFL player can receive is to be elected to the Pro Football Hall
of Fame. Unfortunately, which team a player plays for and how that team is perceived often
means almost as much as how well the player plays.
To date, no homegrown Broncos player has been elected to the Hall of Fame. Yet there
are quite a few scouts who will tell you that former Broncos MLB Randy Gradishar was
almost as good, even as good, as Jack Lambert, and that ex-Broncos CB Louie Wright
was an even better player than Mel Blount.
While Lambert was considered a cinch pick, and Blount went in pretty quickly, Gradishar
and Wright really haven’t received serious consideration, although they were the two
best members of the Orange Crush defense, with apologies to Bob Swenson, Tom Jackson and
Rubin Carter.
Unlike Lambert, Gradishar was not a flashy headhunter, just a great anticipator who was
a deadly tackler and great short-yardage defender. As for Wright, he could cover with the
best of them and was the type of big, physical corner everyone wants, but he had bad hands
and did not intercept many passes. Also, both Gradishar and Wright disappeared from the
spotlight after football.
Let’s not kid around: Staying in the public eye by becoming a high-profile
announcer can’t hurt a player’s or a coach’s chances of making the Hall of
Fame. Fox’s John Madden was considered almost an Al Davis puppet and a lightweight
coach by a great many people when he was actually coaching the Raiders. However, after
years in the booth, people now are saying that maybe Madden should be a Hall of Fame
coach.
CBS’ Dan Dierdorf, who was inducted in 1996, belongs in the Hall of Fame. However,
I doubt the former offensive tackle would be in today if he were not a high-profile
announcer. Just look at how long it took for OG Tom Mack to get in — his career
concluded in ’78, and he was inducted into the Hall this past summer — despite
the fact that Mack never missed a game, played in 184 consecutive contests and made 11
straight Pro Bowls.
What follows is a look at active and recently retired players who should receive
consideration for the Hall of Fame when they are eligible. Players are listed
alphabetically by team nickname.
QB Jim Kelly / ex-Bills — A 50-50 guy, maybe a little better. Was
overshadowed by Dan Marino and John Elway but was a superb player in his own right. Not
winning a Super Bowl hurt him, and playing in Buffalo did not help his passing stats any.
WR Andre Reed / Bills — Very good for a very long period of time,
but was he truly great?
DE Bruce Smith / Bills — A lock and one of the greatest pass
rushers ever. However, people forget that as a rookie he was a fat, lazy underachiever.
RB Thurman Thomas / Bills — The way he played in all four Super
Bowls — except for the first against the Giants — will hurt him, but he was a
terrific all-around back for a number of years.
RB Terrell Davis / Broncos — If his next three years are like his
last three, he will be a cinch.
QB John Elway / ex-Broncos — One of the greatest of all time.
Might have been the greatest if he had not played most of his career in Dan
Reeves’ offense.
TE Shannon Sharpe / Broncos — Should not make the Hall but could
because he has caught so many passes. Has become a halfway decent blocker, but for much of
his career he was a big wide receiver playing tight end.
CB Aeneas Williams / Cardinals— If he played for a high-profile
team, he would have a much better chance. But he has gone to five Pro Bowls and has
started 127 out of a possible 128 games in his eight-year career. Then again, they never
put former Cardinals CB Roger Wehrli in.
LB Junior Seau / Chargers — Probably the best linebacker of the
’90s. Plays the game with flair. One scout says, "He always makes the highlight
films, and everyone knows who he is, unlike a Chad Brown. Plus, he has done it a lot
longer than Chad has done it."
QB Warren Moon / Chiefs — Will make it because of his stats
during the regular season. But a lot of experts say the bottom line should reflect how he
did in the playoffs, and he had many teams capable of winning everything that never went
to a Super Bowl. One scout says, "A lot of the Oilers teams he quarterbacked had the
best talent in football, yet they always came up short, and Moon had so many key playoff
games when he could not put many points on the board in the second half."
QB Troy Aikman / Cowboys — Look at the numbers he’s put up,
and look what he has on his fingers — three rings. Plus, he has played some of his
best games in the playoffs and Super Bowls.
OG Larry Allen / Cowboys — A modern-day Jim Parker. Just needs to
continue to play at this level for a few more years.
WR Michael Irvin / Cowboys — High profile and numbers are big
pluses and give him a chance. But his past off-the-field problems do not help.
CB Deion Sanders / Cowboys — Could be the best cornerback ever.
RB Emmitt Smith / Cowboys — Another sure thing. When he was in
his prime, he gained yards, kept the chains moving, scored touchdowns and was a perfect
fit for the offense.
QB Dan Marino / Dolphins — An absolute cinch. Perhaps the
greatest passer ever. At his best, combined Joe Namath’s release and guts with the
pinpoint control of Otto Graham.
WR Jerry Rice / 49ers — The best at his position since Don
Hutson.
QB Steve Young / 49ers — One more Super Bowl win would make him a
cinch, but he should still make it.
OT Tony Boselli / Jaguars — Appears to be on the way but needs to
stay healthy and continue to play at his present level for at least four more years. It
would be very nice for the Jaguars to have the first player they ever drafted go into the
Hall.
QB Mark Brunell / Jaguars — Has a long way to go but is off to a
good start. With a great young team around him, he could win a few rings before his career
is over.
RB Fred Taylor / Jaguars — Way, way too early to even consider
him, but he showed Hall of Fame talent as a rookie.
S Steve Atwater / Jets — A long shot but if he has a Pro Bowl
season in New York, and the Jets go to the Super Bowl, he could make it.
RB Barry Sanders / ex-Lions — May have been the most exciting
runner ever. If not ever, at least since Gale Sayers.
DL Ray Childress / ex-Oilers — Was very, very good and at times
dominating for a long period of time. Had a great knack for coming up with fumbles.
However, Childress was not a flashy, high-profile pass rusher, and he played for the
Oilers, so he probably will not get much consideration. One expert says, "If Elvin
Bethea and Curley Culp never got serious consideration, how will Childress make it?"
OG Mike Munchak / ex-Oilers — Was not as versatile as Bruce
Matthews but may have been an even better pure guard. According to one scout, Munchak was
not as overpowering but was as good as John Hannah, and more than a few suggest that
Munchak was every bit as good as Gene Upshaw. However, Munchak never went to a Super Bowl
and spent his entire career in Houston.
QB Brett Favre / Packers — The best of his era, but he’ll
still have to do it for a few more years.
DE Reggie White / ex-Packers — One of the greatest of the greats
at his position and a tremendous leader.
TE Ben Coates / Patriots — May be the best tight end of the
’90s but has tailed off in recent years, especially when it comes to blocking and
running after the catch. One old-time scout votes for Coates and says that if you put his
career against John Mackey’s, Coates is every bit as good.
WR-RS Tim Brown / Raiders — Has Hall of Fame numbers but has
played for the Raiders during an era in which they are down. Since his knee surgery, Brown
has not been a true home-run hitter.
CB Charles Woodson / Raiders — If he can build off his rookie
year and play for the next 10 years, he could be considered.
OT Jonathan Ogden / Ravens — Has Hall of Fame ability but rarely
shows the passion and intensity of a Hall of Fame player. Still very young, and the sky is
the limit if he really wants it. One scout says, "Abilitywise, he is Anthony Munoz
with healthy knees, but he is no ass kicker."
CB Darrell Green / Redskins — A lot like Nolan Ryan. He is close
to 40 years old and still going strong, in large part because he still runs the way Ryan
threw at his age. Green has an excellent chance to make the Hall of Fame.
C Dermontti Dawson / Steelers — A lock. His career very closely
resembles that of Mack’s with the Rams. But as a Steeler, Dawson has been in the
spotlight.
OL Bruce Matthews / Titans — Has played 16-plus great seasons at
three different positions. Should waltz right in on the first ballot, but playing his
entire career for the Oilers/Titans will not help him any.
WR Cris Carter / Vikings — Borderline candidate, but he has a
high profile and is a great role model for others.
OG Randall McDaniel / Vikings — So good for so long, he almost
has to make it.
WR Randy Moss / Vikings — If he stays healthy and keeps his nose
clean, he could be in the same class as Rice and Hutson when he retires. However, those
are two big "ifs."
DT John Randle / Vikings — A long shot, but if the Vikings win a
Super Bowl, and he has a big game, he could have a chance. |
