Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

No clue, he's way better than Dan Fouts. Maybe our newfangled adjusted passing metrics give us a clearer view of this, but Elway over Steve Young is a major head-scratcher as well. If we really needed an Exhibit Z for why not to cite honors out of context... welp, here it is.

JuggernautJ wrote:In my opinion, including neither Nagurski or Grange indicates to me that many of the selectors either don't know or don't care about early NFL history.
I'm happy for Dutch, though.

I'll say it again ... we need a "Like" button on this forum.

If the highlights mean anything Willie Davis and Howie Long will be on top 100

Saw Bruce and Reggie, too (obvious choices)

Lots of finalists today:

DE
Doug Atkins
Willie Davis
Carl Eller
Len Ford
Bill Hewitt
Deacon Jones
Howie Long
Gino Marchetti
Julius Peppers
Andy Robustelli
Lee Roy Selmon
Bruce Smith
Michael Strahan
Demarcus Ware
JJ Watt
Reggie White
Jack Youngblood

DT
Buck Buchanan
Curley Culp
Art Donovan
Joe Greene
Cortez Kennedy
Bob Lilly
Gene Lipscomb
Leo Nomellini
Merlin Olsen
Alan Page
John Randle
Warren Sapp
Tom Sestak
Ernie Stautner
Randy White
Bill Willis

LB
Chuck Bednarik
Bobby Bell
Derrick Brooks
Dick Butkus
Harry Carson
Bill George
Kevin Greene
Jack Ham
Ted Hendricks
Clarke Hinkle
Sam Huff
Luke Kuechly
Jack Lambert
Willie Lanier
Ray Lewis
Von Miller
Ray Nitschke
Dave Robinson
Joe Schmidt
Junior Seau
Mike Singletary
Lawrence Taylor
Derrick Thomas
Brian Urlacher
Dave Wilcox

Man, idk about this approach though. By lumping all the defensive positions together like this, I feel like they're making it seem less important, just getting it out of the way. Does not rub me right. Having Hinkle (and Hewitt) as a defensive player is certainly interesting though, even Tanks felt this was too bold for his taste! Who do we think was the greatest DP of the two-way era?

Ray Lewis (obvious choice) was announced as the first LB on the team and they showed clip of him at the table with Belichick, Collinsworth and Eisen during MNF.

During MNF pre-game when they were revealing the finalists I thought it was interesting Hinkle was at LB, in that it's interesting how they handled two-way players. The quick bio for him the NFL put online was funny, too. In that they said he was on the 1970's all-decade team (typo) and that they said nothing about his play at LB and instead had a few lines about his accomplishments rushing, and kicking.

So if there are twice as many finalists as those selected (I think that's correct, isn't it?) are we to consider those not selected as the second best 100 players in NFL history?
Do they, in fact, constitute a "second team?"

^Yes.

I like the Bill Hewitt choice, what I've read from secondary sources indicates that he was a player who made plays in the opponents' backfield, so may be a sack leader type were there any way to compile that (he was known for getting a bit of a quick start too which frustrated some opponents' coaches when not called). Glad they recognized Hinkle too, but its a really tough place to put both of them with the All-Pro teams of that era not recognizing defensive positions.

I had predicted Aaron Donald getting a DT spot - that seems pretty dumb now. I did have Willie Davis though, so maybe I got that one right.

Anyone else surprised to see Tom Sestak and some non-HOFers? Wonder if the HOF eligible non-HOFers may be a sneak peak at what they do for the centennial class?

How I rank ends. I would have had Humphrey on there----Doleman, too. in place of
Ware and Hewitt.

Hewitt, have not seen by small clips of Hewitt. So, I know nothing about him
except for what I've read. I guess he was good, but it's not like anyone knows


DE
Reggie White
Bruce Smith
Deacon Jones
Gino Marchetti
JJ Watt
Jack Youngblood
Lee Roy Selmon
Michael Strahan
Willie Davis
Howie Long
Carl Eller
Len Ford
Doug Atkins
Andy Robustelli
Julius Peppers
Bill Hewitt
Demarcus Ware

Some of the best missing


DT
Bob Lilly
Joe Greene
Merlin Olsen
Alan Page
Randy White
Bill Willis
Leo Nomellini
————Aaron Donald (missing)
————Arnie Weinmeister (missing)
John Randle
Curley Culp
Cortez Kennedy
Warren Sapp
————Dan Hampton (missing)
————Bryant Young (missing)
————Alex Karras (missing)
Tom Sestak
Buck Buchanan
————Henry Jordan (missing)
Gene Lipscomb
Ernie Stautner
————Kevin JWilliams (missing)
Art Donovan