The Athletic's "NFL 100"

[conace21]

Possibly, but I don't think so, and I'm not alone. John Turney's list of Top Wide Receivers in NFL History listed Hirsch #32. Bryan Frye at Football Perspective has composed a list of the top 1,000 NFL players. Hirsch was #553. His postseason honors were pretty light, considering he had one of the All Time great WR seasons. Larry Wilson didn't make the NFL's Top 100 list a decade ago.. Terrell Owens didn't make the 100th Anniversary Team, which had a limited number of spots at WR. I couldn't see Hirsch topping either one of those players.

[Brian wolf]

Hirsch had more impact than team cancer Owens ... With him the Rams went to four championships with three being consecutive ...

[conace21]

Hirsch had more impact than team cancer Owens ... With him the Rams went to four championships with three being consecutive ...

Hirsch was the #2 WR behind Tom Fears on three of those four division title winners. (He actually was #3 in 1949.) TO, despite his antics, always had support of a number of teammates.
A lot of free lists on the internet list TO and Randy Moss very high on the list of greatest receivers.. I think his drops and his disruption of the 2005 Eagles are both enough to keep him down on the top of the list. I still think he has a better claim to the Top 100 Team than Hirsch. Heck, Fears would have had a better case to make the list.

[GameBeforeTheMoney]

Elroy Hirsch was one of the most impactful players of the 1950s -- and an absolute superstar. Played some defense early in his career as well. Stats don't always tell the whole story, but he was really high (top 5) on the list of TDs, receptions, and receiving yards during the 1950s.

[Brian wolf]

I understand, Conace21 but number one receiver or not, Owens antics, drops and disruptions of at least three contending teams is inexcusable. Then he disappeared in postseason, without catching a TD in the SB despite NE's young secondary. He played well and inspiring but was also aided on a pick play that gave him his longest reception. We all know he had great talent, especially running with the ball like a Charley Taylor or John Mackey but his career should have been better ... the only QB that endorses him was his first, Steve Young ... Hirsch was a big play receiver as well who understood the team concept, while Fears was basically a great possession receiver ...

[TanksAndSpartans]

Hirsch was a big play receiver...while Fears was basically a great possession receiver ...

I agree with this. Even though they were all Ends, I think they had different roles in the offense. Comparing Hirsch and Fears would be kind of like comparing a WR with what is now called a tight end. I'd expect Fears to have more catches, Hirsch more big plays.

[Brian wolf]

I just feel deep down, regardless of impact or ability and I was wrong on being too harsh of Owens, if youre a Top 100 Player All-time for the NFL, you have to be a team player first. If not, its all either the eye test or statistics that stay in someones memory and you hope team accomplishments stand out.

[JuggernautJ]

I've said it previously so feel free to pass if you've heard it all before...

It's said great players make those around them better.
Players who are "cancers" on their teams do the opposite, they drag everyone down. They hurt their teams.
I don't think they deserve special attention (unless it is from a mental health professional) and I won't reward their BS.

I have played with (and coached) guys like that before and, regardless of "talent" want nothing to do with them or their antics.

As such I will never be a proponent of guys like T.O. or "Ochocinco"...
I don't want them on my team... let them go play individual sports where they can be the center of attention... golf, tennis... I don't care but not a team sport. And certainly not on my team...

/Rant

[Brian wolf]

To be honest JuggernautJ, my love for the Cowboys team ended the day Jerry Jones signed Owens; especially after the antics of Keyshawn Johnson, who at least tried to do what HC Bill Parcells asked. With TO, I knew it would be feast or famine. I was hoping Romo could find a way to win a championship with him but everything had to fall in place.
Instead, I had to watch Parcells leave, when the team was close to doing something and watch as a great 2007 season went by the wayside with the Giants upsetting the Cowboys in the playoffs and keeping the Patriots from going perfect.

Despite all their talent, the Cowboys and Wade Phillips did nothing with Owens getting jealous of Jason Witten of all people ? Another team let down by the antics of Owens.

[JuggernautJ]

One of the more physically gifted D backs on the Juggernauts thought it was "all about him."
He wouldn't stay in his zone and insisted on freelancing all over the field... much to the team's detriment.

I told him to stay in his zone or he wouldn't start.
He claimed I was jealous of his ability and didn't want him to "make the highlight reels" (which was all he was concerned about) (and no, we didn't have any highlight reels in actuality).

I benched him.
We went undefeated and won the championship of our league that year.... without him playing.
He was a great athlete but in the end, harmful to the team because he wouldn't play the schemes/defenses.
Despite all his talent, we were better off without him.

Incidentally, he did go in late in a game where we had a big lead... and within a few plays pulled his hamstring trying to show me up by making an interception in a zone that wasn't his. He made the pick but couldn't play any longer.
Poetic justice.