Best Players Not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Defensive Linemen

Our position-by-position look at the best eligible players not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame now shifts from offense to defense as we look at the best defensive linemen who have not yet earned a bust in Canton.

From Art Donovan, Deacon Jones and Ben Davidson to Bubba Smith, Mark Gastineau, and Michael Strahan, NFL history is filled with charismatic defensive linemen who were recognized not just for their talent, but also for their showmanship and flamboyance.

Defensive line units have also regularly been fan favorites with names such as “Doomsday”, “The Fearsome Foursome”, “The Purple Gang” and “The Steel Curtain.”

Defensive linemen have also been well respected by Hall of Fame voters, as the position is second only to the offensive line in the number of modern era players enshrined in the Hall.

However, much like offensive linemen, because statistics are inconsistent and tell only a part of the story, ensuring that the most deserving defensive linemen are inducted is a tough challenge.

Though some recognition was given to the sack as far back as the 1960s and sack leaders were printed on Topps football cards in the 1970s, the sack wasn’t recognized as an official statistic until 1982.

This provides a challenge for some of the best defensive linemen of the 1960s and 1970s who were known for their pass-rushing ability, but don’t have the same “numbers” to show for their prowess as players of the last three decades.

There are, of course, also great defensive linemen who were primarily run stuffers and didn’t have impressive stat totals, regardless of whether they played prior to or after the sack became a recognized stat.

In selecting the best defensive linemen not in the Hall of Fame, I looked at the individual statistics of post-1982 candidates, but also looked at overall team defensive prowess for players from all eras.

I also analyzed how each candidate compared to players of their own era in regard to Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections.

Selecting the top 10, and event the best 25, was quite a challenge as there are many great defensive linemen who have yet to receive the call from Canton, but who were regular participants in the Pro Bowl or key performers on championship teams.

One player who ended up being ranked much lower on the list than one might expect is former Viking Jim Marshall.

At the time of his retirement, Marshall had played in more games than any other player in NFL history. On a line that included Hall of Famers Carl Eller and Alan Page, Marshall was generally considered to be equal to those two greats.

However, when comparing his credentials with those of other comparable defenders, Marshall surprisingly didn’t stack up. He participated in only two Pro Bowls and was never an All-Pro.

In addition, Marshall famously was man handled by a variety of offensive linemen in the four Super Bowl appearances for the Vikings.

Despite being eligible for the HOF for 25 years, Marshall has been a finalist only once, in 2004.

So, here is my list of the top 10 eligible defensive linemen not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I look forward to your comments, discussion, and disagreements.

Click Here to read more and see pictures of each player in the top 10.

10. Neil Smith – Kansas City Chiefs/Denver Broncos/San Diego Chargers – 1988-2000

9. Alex Karras – Detroit Lions – 1962-1978

8. Charles Haley – San Francisco 49ers/Dallas Cowboys – 1986-1999

7. Claude Humphrey – Atlanta Falcons/Philadelphia Eagles – 1968-1981

6. Roger Brown – Detroit Lions/Los Angeles Rams – 1960-1969

5. Chris Doleman – Minnesota Vikings/Atlanta Falcons/San Francisco 49ers – 1985-1999

4. Richard Dent –Chicago Bears/San Francisco 49ers/Indianapolis Colts/Philadelphia Eagles – 1983-1997

3. L.C. Greenwood – Pittsburgh Steelers– 1969-1981

2. Cortez Kennedy – Seattle Seahawks – 1990-2000

1. John Randle – Minnesota Vikings/Seattle Seahawks – 1990-2003

Best Players Not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Offensive Linemen

In the fifth installment of our position-by-position look at the best eligible players not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, we are looking at the position that has sent more than twice as many players to the Hall of Fame in the last 15 years than any other, the offensive line.

Since 1996, 17 offensive linemen have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. By comparison, in the same time period a total of only 22 offensive skill players (8-WR, 7-QB, 4-RB, 3-TE) have been selected.

Overall in the modern era, more offensive linemen (34) have been enshrined in Canton than players from any other position. Standing second is the defensive line with 27.

Given the abundance of offensive linemen in the Hall of Fame, you might think that creating a list of the best linemen not in the Hall of Fame would be a little like making a sandwich from Thanksgiving leftovers; enough decent pieces to get a meal, but obvious that the best stuff is already gone.

Surprisingly, that really isn’t the case.

With most of the other positions I have evaluated so far there are usually 3-4 players at the top of the list who obviously have been overlooked by Hall of Fame voters and deserve induction, but then most of the others on the list have enough flaws that it is clear to see why they have not been chosen.

Of the offensive linemen on my list, you could easily make a strong case that most of the top 20 deserves to one-day be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Because offensive linemen don’t have individual statistics on which to be judged, their merit for greatness is generally based on such things as Pro Bowl and All-Pro recognition and team success.

Of the 34 modern era offensive linemen in the Hall of Fame, only seven never appeared in a Super Bowl or NFL/AFL Championship game.

One reason I believe that Hall of Fame voters have been so aggressive in selecting offensive linemen to the HOF in recent years, rather than filling the slots with offensive skill players is that you don’t have the same level of statistical confusion with linemen that you do with skill position players.

As offensive statistics have exploded over the last three decades due to rules changes and offensive styles, it has made it significantly harder to distinguish which skill position players really deserve to be labeled as the best of all-time.

At most positions the answer has simply been to select only those obvious “no-brainer” choices and put off selecting players who are at all questionable.

Those slots have been going to offensive linemen because there are a plethora of players at the guard, tackle and center positions that regularly stood out through Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections as being among the elite in the league.

However, the one flaw with that scenario is that each year a lot more offensive linemen receiver Pro Bowl recognition than players at the skill positions. While usually only two running backs, three quarterbacks and four wide receivers earn Pro Bowl selection per conference, as many as 10 offensive linemen can be selected from each conference.

Thus, there are a total of 98 eligible offensive linemen who are not in the Hall of Fame despite having earned at least three trips to the Pro Bowl (many of them five of more) during their careers.

With so many worthy candidates to select from and no individual statistics with which to differentiate players, it was a challenge to identify the best players not in the Hall of Fame at this position.

As with the other positions, I looked at how they compared to players of their own era in regard to Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections. I also reviewed how the team annually rated in offensive categories and gave special consideration to players on teams that annually ranked among the best in the league either running or throwing the football.

I also looked at team success, but primarily only when other categories were too-close-to-call.

So, here is my list of the top 10 eligible offensive linemen not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I look forward to your comments, discussion, and disagreements.

Click Here to read more and see pictures of each player in the top 10.

10. Joe Jacoby – Washington Redskins – 1981-1993

9. Mick Tingelhoff – Minnesota Vikings – 1962-1978

8. Jay Hilgenberg – Chicago Bears/New Orleans Saints – 1981-1993

7. Dick Stanfel – Detroit Lions/Washington Redskins– 1952-1958

6. Bob Kuechenberg – Miami Dolphins – 1970-1983

5. Dick Schafrath – Cleveland Browns – 1959-1971

4. Walt Sweeney –San Diego Chargers/Washington Redskins – 1963-1975

3. Dermontti Dawson – Pittsburgh Steelers– 1988-2000

2. Jim Tyrer – Kansas City Chiefs/Washington Redskins – 1961-1974

1. Jerry Kramer – Green Bay Packers – 1958-1968

Best Players Not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Tight Ends

Our position-by-position look at the best eligible players not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame continues with a rundown of the best tight ends that have not earned a trip to Canton.

Choosing which tight ends deserve immortality in the Hall of Fame is a difficult challenge.

In general, you would expect the best tight ends to be exceptional receivers and powerful blockers. However, few tight ends can truly be called “great” in both areas.

Instead, most tight ends either are great blockers and adequate receivers or, as is the case more often in the last couple decades, great receivers and average blockers.

The Hal of Fame voters waited until 1988 to finally induct a tight end and it remains the least represented position with a total of seven players honored in the Hall.

The first two tight ends to enter the Hall of Fame were arguably the two that best epitomized the requisite combination of blocking and receiving prowess. Mike Ditka and John Mackey were the dominant tight ends of the 1960s as they combined for 10 Pro Bowl appearances and five first-team All-Pro honors.

The next three tight ends inducted into the Hall of Fame, Jackie Smith, Kellen Winslow and Ozzie Newsome were all recognized for their receiving prowess.

While few argued the merits of the sixth tight end inducted into the Hall of Fame, Dave Casper, there was some question of his worthiness because his tenure as a premier player in the league was relatively short.

The induction of Charlie Sanders into the HOF in 2007 caught many people off guard. Sanders had been a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time All-Pro for mediocre Detroit Lions teams in the 1970s, but his career stats were considered pedestrian and he was never a Hall of Fame finalist before being chosen as a Senior Nominee and ultimately inducted in 2007.

Using statistics to validate the worthiness of a tight end for the Hall of Fame is an exercise in futility. Even tight ends from the same era can have very different levels of offensive production.

Some teams, like the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970s, have used the tight end predominantly as another blocker.

In 1973, the Buffalo Bills used the seventh overall pick in the draft to select Paul Seymour, an offensive tackle out of Michigan. They then moved Seymour to tight end and over the next five years he caught only 62 passes, but was a key blocker on the unit that helped O.J. Simpson win three rushing titles between 1973 and 1977.

Other teams have used the tight end as another pass receiver who may sometimes line up in the traditional tight end spot on the line of scrimmage, but often is split out like a flanker.

Don Coryell and the San Diego Chargers forever changed the way tight ends were used when they took the long and lanky Kellen Winslow and made him their receiving tight end. Winslow caught 541 passes in nine seasons while giving Dan Fouts a third dynamic receiving option.

You will see one recurring theme in the players selected as the 10 best not in the Hall of Fame. All of them, regardless of in which era they played, caught more passes in their careers than both John Mackey and Charlie Sanders.

In fact, of the 25 tight ends chosen for this overall list, only six have fewer career receptions than Sanders (336 receptions) or Mackey (331).

As has been the case with all positions, I tried to base my selections first and foremost on how the players compared with others from the same era. How many times was he an All-Pro or Pro Bowl player, how many times was he among the top receiving tight ends in the league, how integral was he to the offensive attack for his team.

Trying to use prowess specifically as a blocker was a challenge because the actual amount of blocking done by each tight end varies greatly and is difficult to quantify.

So, here is my list of the top 10 eligible tight ends not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Click Here to read more and see pictures of each player in the top 10.

10. Riley Odoms – Denver Broncos – 1972-1983

9. Charle Young – Philadelphia Eagles/Los Angeles Rams/San Francisco 49ers/Seattle Seahawks – 1973-1985

8. Jay Novacek – Arizona Cardinals/Dallas Cowboys – 1985-1995

7. Steve Jordan - Minnesota Vikings – 1982-1994

6. Todd Christensen –New York Giants/Oakland-Los Angeles Raiders – 1979-1988

5. Keith Jackson – Philadelphia Eagles/Miami Dolphins/Green Bay Packers– 1988-1996

4. Pete Retzlaff – Philadelphia Eagles – 1956-1966

3. Mark Bavaro – New York Giants/Cleveland Browns/Philadelphia Eagles– 1985-1994

2. Ben Coates – New England Patriots/Baltimore Ravens – 1991-2000

1. Shannon Sharpe – Denver Broncos/Baltimore Ravens – 1990-2003

Best Players Not In the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Wide Receivers

Our position-by-position look at the best eligible players not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame continues with a spotlight on the position where HOF voters have arguably displayed the most inconsistency in their choices: wide receiver.

Perhaps more than any other position, the role and statistics associated with wide receiver has changed dramatically over the last fifty years as the NFL record books have gone from no players with 500 career receptions in 1960 and only four in 1970 to 106 today, including 85 who have joined the club since 1990.

For that reason, the Hall of Fame selectors seem to be in a constant struggle with history to try and deduce which former pass catchers belong in Canton.

Of the 20 modern era wide receivers in the Hall of Fame, only seven were selected in their first four years of eligibility. In fact, the last wide receiver to be selected to the Hall of Fame in his first season of eligibility was Steve Largent in 1995.

Since Largent’s induction, eight wide receivers have been selected to the Hall of Fame with only Michael Irvin (third year) being chosen in his first five years on the ballot.

While Hall of Fame voters have generally withstood the temptation to select receivers to the Hall of Fame based solely on career statistics, what the explosion of receiving totals has done is overshadow the legitimate candidacy of players who played the position in the era before receivers started averaging 70 or more catches per season.

The selection of Bob Hayes to the Hall of Fame this year is a good step toward recognizing players who excelled at the position before statistics became so bloated. However, there are still many Hall of Fame deserving former receivers who were instrumental members of championship teams and possess career resumes equal or better than those of players who are already inducted.

This list includes some recently retired players who will certainly receive the call from the Hall of Fame in the next few years, but it also looks at some all-time greats who were considered legitimate Hall of Fame candidates at the time of their retirements, but have since been lost in the sea of statistics.

In developing this list, each player was 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 also 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.

Below is a list of my choices for the top 10 wide receivers not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Click Here to read more and see pictures of each player in the top 10.

10. Gary Clark – Washington Redskins/Phoenix Cardinals/Miami Dolphins – 1985-1995

9. Sterling Sharpe – Green Bay Packers – 1988-1994

8. Mark Clayton – Miami Dolphins/Green Bay Packers – 1983-1993

7. Otis Taylor – Kansas City Chiefs – 1965-1975

6. Harold Carmichael –Philadelphia Eagles/Dallas Cowboys – 1971-1984

5. Henry Ellard – Los Angeles Rams/Washington Redskins/New England Patriots– 1983-1998

4. Andre Reed – Buffalo Bills/Washington Redskins – 1985-2000

3. Cris Carter – Philadelphia Eagles/Minnesota Vikings/Miami Dolphins – 1987-2002

2. Drew Pearson – Dallas Cowboys – 1973-1983

1. Cliff Branch – Oakland Raiders – 1973-1985

Best Players Not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Quarterbacks

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 for victories 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.

Below is a list of my choices for the top 10 quarterbacks not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Click here to read more and see pictures of each player in the top 10.

10. Bernie Kosar – Cleveland Browns/Dallas Cowboys/Miami Dolphins – 1985-1996

9. Jim Hart – St. Louis Cardinals/Washington Redskins – 1966-1984

8. Roman Gabriel – Los Angeles Rams/Philadelphia Eagles – 1962-1977

7. John Hadl – San Diego Chargers/Los Angeles Rams/Green Bay Packers/Houston Oilers – 1962-1977

6. Phil Simms – New York Giants – 1979-1993

5. Boomer Esiason – Cincinnati Bengals/New York Jets/Arizona Cardinals – 1984-1997

4. Randall Cunningham – Philadelphia Eagles/Minnesota Vikings/Dallas Cowboys/Baltimore Ravens – 1985-2001

3. Ken Stabler – Oakland Raiders/Houston Oilers/New Orleans Saints – 1970-1984

2. John Brodie – San Francisco 49ers – 1957-1973

1. Ken Anderson – Cincinnati Bengals – 1971-1986

Best Players Not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Running Backs

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.

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 the players I consider to be the best eligible player at each position not in the Hall of Fame, career statistics will be just one of a number of factors used to create the lists.

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.

Below is a list of my choices for the top 10 running backs not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Click here to read more and see pictures of each player in the top 10.

10. Freeman McNeil – New York Jets – 1981-1992

9. Curt Warner – Seattle Seahawks/Los Angeles Rams – 1983-1990

8. James Brooks – San Diego Chargers/Cincinnati Bengals/Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Cleveland Browns – 1981-1992

7. Floyd Little – Denver Broncos – 1967-1975

6. Chuck Foreman – Minnesota Vikings/New England Patriots – 1973-1980

5. Terrell Davis – Denver Broncos – 1995-2001

4. Herschel Walker – Dallas Cowboys/Minnesota Vikings/Philadelphia Eagles/New York Giants – 1986-1997

3. Ricky Watters – San Francisco 49ers/Philadelphia Eagles/Seattle Seahawks – 1992-2001

2. Ottis Anderson – St. Louis Cardinals/New York Giants – 1979-1992

1. Roger Craig – San Francisco 49ers/Los Angeles Raiders/Minnesota Vikings – 1983-1993

Catching a Spot in the Hall of Fame

So what exactly does it take to become a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

I suspect a number of current NFL wide receivers were asking themselves that very question after the 2009 Hall of Fame class was announced. Given the career statistics of the eligible wide receivers not chosen as part of the Class of 2009, the current receivers are probably wondering exactly what they will have to do to earn a bust in Canton.

Cris Carter and Andre Reed, who have the most catches of any players eligible for the Hall of Fame and rank third and sixth respectively for career receptions with more than 2,100 catches between them, were left off the list of players who will be inducted during the Hall of Fame Weekend in August.

Now the Hall of Fame selectors have a long history of making some of the greatest legends in NFL history wait beyond their initial year of eligibility before finally bestowing football immortality. Among the all-time greats who had to wait multiple years before getting their Hall of Fame bust were Fran Tarkenton, Sam Huff, Alan Page, Frank Gifford, Dick “Night Train” Lane, Willie Lanier and Willie Davis, so it isn’t a complete surprise that Carter has now been denied twice and Reed has missed out for the last three years. However, even recognizing that fact, they are just the most recent examples of seemingly deserving wide receivers that have struggled to catch the attention of HOF voters.

Perhaps more than any other position, the role and statistics associated with wide receiver have changed dramatically over the last fifty years as the NFL record books have gone from no players with 500 career receptions in 1960 and only four in 1970 to 106 today, including 85 who have joined the club since 1990. For that reason, the Hall of Fame selectors seem to be in a constant struggle with history to try and deduce which former pass catchers belong in Canton.

The first standard-barer for the position was the legendary Don Hutson who caught 488 passes for 7,991 yards and 99 touchdowns during an 11-year NFL career that ended in 1945. Not surprisingly, Hutson was a charter Hall of Fame inductee in 1963. However, what may be a little more surprising is that the first player to pass Hutson’s career reception total has never even sniffed Hall of Fame induction.

Billy Howton (shown above) was a consistent receiver in the NFL for 12 years, including the first seven following in Hutson’s footsteps with the Green Bay Packers. A four-time pro bowler and two time first team all-pro, he completed his career in 1963 as a member of the Dallas Cowboys and that season eclipsed Hutson’s career totals for catches and receiving yards, finishing his career with 503 catches for 8,459 yards and 61 touchdowns. Despite retiring as the leading receiver in NFL history and registering more 50 reception and 1,000 yardage seasons that Hutson, Howton has never been a finalist for the Hall of Fame.

Of the 20 Modern Era wide receivers that have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, eight, including 2009 selection Bob Hayes (371 catches, 7,414 yards) and 2001 inductee Lynn Swann (336 catches, 5,462 yards) have fewer receptions and yards receiving than Howton. In fact, four of Howton’s contemporaries, Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch, Tom Fears, Dante Lavelli and Pete Pihos, all have at least 100 fewer receptions than Howton, yet by 1976 all had received their Hall of Fame busts.

So why were these players easy Hall selections and Howton is still waiting? While Hirsch, Fears, Lavelli and Pihos were all exciting game-changers who played on championship caliber teams, Howton might be considered the NFL’s first “stats monster” as he gobbled up receptions and yardage playing primarily in anonymity for losing teams.

Howton’s reign as the all-time receiving leader didn’t last long as Raymond Berry eclipsed Howton’s career total in 1964 and since then, every eligible player who has concluded his career as the NFL’s career reception leader has earned induction into the Hall of Fame. Surprisingly, of these six players, only Berry and Steve Largent were selected to the Hall of Fame in their first season of eligibility. Charley Taylor was chosen in his second, but Charley Joiner was a finalist five times before being selected and Art Monk and Don Maynard were each chosen in their eighth year as a finalist. Of the 20 modern era wide receivers who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, only seven were selected in their first four years of eligibility.

That number will grow by one next year when sure-first ballot selection Jerry Rice becomes eligible, but it is tough to predict whether the inclusion on the ballot of Rice, who registered 447 more catches and 7,951 more receiving yards than any other player in history, will help or hinder the selection of other receivers from the modern era.

While Howton may have been the first “stats monster”, he certainly now has plenty of company. There are currently 17 wide receivers, including seven active players, with at least 800 career receptions and that number will continue to grow in the coming years.

How Hall of Fame voters choose to handle this position in the future will be very interesting. It is hard to predict whether the induction of Hayes, the former Olympic sprinter who ushered in the era of speed receivers in the NFL, will lead to the selection of other game-breakers from a by-gone era when career stats were not inflated or if his selection was a last gesture to the past.

While I think Carter, Reed and current receivers including Marvin Harrison and Randy Moss deserve enshrinement, I hope the selection committee will also continue to dig back into history to pull out worthy candidates from the past. Game-changers like Otis Taylor, Drew Pearson and Cliff Branch have been lost in this era of exorbitant stats, but all were important components of championship teams and made big plays when their teams needed them the most.

Who knows, there may someday even be room in Canton for the original “stats monster.”