Jay Hilgenberg

[Bob Gill]

The most common way supporters describe Jay Hlgenberg's career is to say he played in the Pro Bowl seven years in a row (after the 1985-91 seasons). That's true, but I think it understates his impact.

At that time there were two major organizations that chose annual all-conference teams by polling sportswriters: UPI and Pro Football Weekly. And during Hilgenberg's run, each of these groups picked him as the all-NFL center every single year. One other major all-conference team was picked in those days: the starting team for the Pro Bowl, which I believe was voted on by the players themselves. And once again, Hilgenberg won the NFC's starting spot all seven years.

One other reputable organization was picking all-conference teams back then: Football News. I'm not familiar with the magazine, but I suspect that its teams were chosen by the members of the staff -- a much smaller pool than the voters who picked the other three teams. So I take this team less seriously than the other three, but it's still worth noting that the folks at Football News were not as enthusiastic about Hilgenberg. They picked him only two or three times in that seven-year stretch. Still, even if you consider Football News equal with the other three, Hilgenberg was the very clear consensus all-NFL choice for that whole span.

He didn't just get all-conference support, either. In 1988 and 1989 he was named to just about every all-NFL team, and he got occasional all-NFL selection in other seasons too.

In those days there were, what, 14 teams in the NFC? And for a stretch of seven years Hilgenberg was consistently regarded as the best center in the bunch. What about his team? Of course, the Bears won the championship in 1985, and they won at least 11 games in all but one of the other seasons. They were certainly one of the better publicized teams in the NFL. But somehow, despite all that exposure and all the honors, Hilgenberg still isn't in the Hall of Fame more than 30 years after he retired. I can't figure it out.

Jay Hilgenberg was no favorite player of mine. He played 1,000 miles from where I live, and anyway whose favorite player is a center? But it seems to me that he has a slam dunk case for the Hall of Fame, and I think it's time somebody pointed that out.

[Brian wolf]

I feel he should have gotten elected before Dent, Hampton, Covert and McMichael but centers wait forever ... with Payton and Singletary as well there may be too many Bears from that era, which hurts Hilgenberg and Marshall. Fencik should be in HOVG.

[JuggernautJ]

Well, as a fellow center named Jay I am all in favor of his inclusion in the Hall of Fame.
I'm very happy we (at least) got him into the Hall of Very Good in 2020.

...and anyway whose favorite player is a center?

That'd be me.
My favorite player is Chuck Bednarik (and yes, I played linebacker, too).


I don't know that I'd rank Jay Hilgenberg above Richard Dent but he seems to me to be about equal to the others Mr. Wolf mentioned.
It'd be interesting to see how Gary Fencik would fare in HoVG voting... by all means please nominate him in the near future!

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... ncGa00.htm

[Brian wolf]

I want to Jay ... but I think many of us are still trying to get older, deserving players in the HOVG. I want some from the 80s and early 90s but reluctant to vote for them yet, unless the HOF is unfairly snubbing them, like Henry Ellard.