Fred Taylor - Seven 1,000-yard rushing seasons and 11,695 yards rushing isn't enough

[saturdaysarebetter]

Greetings everyone.

In looking at the NFL's all-time rushing leader list, Frank Gore is third all-time with 16,000 rushing yards. I can't imagine the third all-time leading running back doesn't get into the HOF. Adrian Peterson is fifth with 14,918 yards. He'll get in. Derrick Henry is still active and ninth all-time and will get in as well.

In looking down the list, Fred Taylor has the most yards rushing of a non-Hall-of-Famer (or near future one) since he's been retired for more than 10 years now. I always thought he was a very good back, not necessarily a hall-of-fame back when watching him, but in checking, he had seven 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Taylor's 11,695 yards is still in the top 20 of career rushing yards in NFL history.

For those that recall 1,000-yards being the magic number rushing for a 14-game season (unlike the 16 and 17-game seasons) that averaged out to 71.4 yards rushing per game to reach 1,000 yards. Taylor for his career averaged 76.4 yards rushing per game.

In 2000, Taylor rushed for 1,399 yards in 13 games. In 2003, he rushed for 1,572 yards in 16 games. In 2004, in 14 games played he rushed for 1,224 yards.

I'm not advocating Taylor for the HOF just seeking out your thoughts and opinions. He was a Pro Bowler just once, yet had seven 1,000-yard rushing seasons, and his average per game would exceed 1,000-yards rushing in a 14-game season, a he had a 4.6 yards per carry career average with more than 2,500 carries.

Is Taylor HOF worthy?

[PaulPFHOF]

I think the challenges Taylor's case has is that it has similarities with many of his peer RBs from late 1990s/early 2000s in terms of stats and career accomplishments-not much about his resume separates him. Plus no first team All Pro selecion (AP), and never led league in rushing, no defining or great playoff stats, was never top 5 RB in league in any season of career. And now with the great 2000s RBs hitting the ballot he case will fall even further down the queue. He has a resume but hard to see it as a strong one, and process is only going to get harder for him. A SB win or a few massive seasons and its likely a very different debate.

[SeahawkFever]

I think the challenges Taylor's case has is that it has similarities with many of his peer RBs from late 1990s/early 2000s in terms of stats and career accomplishments-not much about his resume separates him. Plus no first team All Pro selecion (AP), and never led league in rushing, no defining or great playoff stats, was never top 5 RB in league in any season of career. And now with the great 2000s RBs hitting the ballot he case will fall even further down the queue. He has a resume but hard to see it as a strong one, and process is only going to get harder for him. A SB win or a few massive seasons and its likely a very different debate.

Could you see Fred Taylor being a future Hall of Very Good running back?

[PaulPFHOF]

yep