Skill Positions and the HOF Dilemma

[Brian wolf]

Tomarrow is a big day for modern finalists for the HOF.
We all have our choices for the final 15, then five elections.

The big question will be, can more than one offensive lineman get elected ?
The favorites are Alan Faneca and Tony Boselli. I predict Faneca but could he be punished for all the Steelers getting in, since the the Blue Ribbon Panel announced the ten seniors for election in 2020 ?

As we know, skill position players making the HOF is a given.
People love exciting play on both sides of the ball, especially on offense. Without scoring, you cant win games but shouldnt more offensive linemen get more credit for their offensive skill position, success ?
Shouldnt defensive interior linemen get more credit for defensive turnovers and sacks of the defensive skill positions ?

A dilemma indeed ...
We all feel like they should but sometimes they don't.
At least the guys in the trenches should get more credit for great/dynastic teams and maybe Faneca and Seymour will start getting their chance at election again tomorrow.

Looking at the great teams of NFL history, its amazing that teams like the 60's Chiefs, 70's Steelers, 80s and 90's 49ers, and 2000's/2010's Patriots have NO offensive linemen in the HOF ...

Yes, those teams have skill position entries and defensive players but deserve more. We all realize that you cant put the whole teams in the Hall but a lot of great players have been left out. The Raiders and Chiefs won two SB's between them, during the 60's and 70's but have MANY HOF players.
This doesnt bode well for the Tyrers, Budde's, Haynes, and Powells of these teams but shows how skill position players are in the forefront more times than most. (Except for the defensive, superb Chiefs, though I consider Thomas and Robinson as skill players)

Hopefully, in the future as more and more skill position players get elected, voters will remember the offensive and defensive linemen that helped make their play possible and not just because the skill position players helped contribute to great, championship teams.

If a Brady, Manning or Brees makes the HOF, lets put at least an offensive lineman with them to show the respect they truly deserve.

[JuggernautJ]

Welcome to the board!

"Looking at the great teams of NFL history, its amazing that teams like the 60's Chiefs, 70's Steelers, 80s and 90's 49ers, and 2000's/2010's Patriots have NO offensive linemen in the HOF ..."

Well, there's Mike Webster and... um...
Jim Tyrer, as we've discussed here before, has probably been denied because of the circumstances surrounding his death.

But I (and most here) would probably agree with your sentiment: more interior linemen!!!

Have you seen The Hall of (the) Very Good?
We have a few of those mentioned in there: http://www.profootballresearchers.org/h ... -good.html

[Brian wolf]

Haha ... forgot Webster. Was almost there.

Still, this line is very underrated like the Brady/Patriot lines.

Lots of linemen are left out, like Kuechenberg, Stepnoski, Williams, Newton, Jacoby, Cross, Wistert, White, Macek, Washington, Neely, Banducci, Nesser, Emerson, Light, and others though its subjective ...

[Brian wolf]

Though Parker for the Colts is elected, I felt more 50s-70s Colt offensive linemen deserved more recognition if not HOF/HOVG consideration ...

[JuggernautJ]

Lots of linemen are left out, like Kuechenberg, Stepnoski, Williams, Newton, Jacoby, Cross, Wistert, White, Macek, Washington, Neely, Banducci, Nesser, Emerson, Light, and others though its subjective ...

A lot of those guys are in the PFRA's Hall of Very Good.
Banducci, Kuech, Jacoby, Wistert... check it out!