Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Of course his name often gets mentioned but, it seems, not as often as other great defensive minds throughout history. 'Sgt Rock' was a 3-time Pro Bowler as a player and did stellar work under Burnsie's '80s Vikes, making them the #1 D in both '88 & '89. Was DC for Monte Clark's Lions as well as being his DC for that '76 campaign in San Fran. He also mentored Pete Carroll & Monte Kiffin who both would go on win SBs as a HC & DC respectively. Where do you all place him legacy-wise? Do those back-to-back blowouts suffered against SF in the '88 & '89 playoffs hurt it in any way?

Don't think I'd rank him ahead of folks like Richie Petitbone (also a HotVG player), Bill Arnsparger, or Buddy Ryan, for three.

Maybe HOAVG (Hall of the Almost Very Good)

Certainly not HoF and a stretch of HoVG. He had some all-pro players on those Vikings defenses. Who made who?

Sadly the Hall of Fame (claims that it) does not recognize Assistant Coach as a category for enshrinement (despite what many feel is the real reason for Dick LeBeau's inclusion).
That kind of precludes any HoF consideration for Coach Peters.

So perhaps the thinking should be "was he in the top tier of assistant coaches?"
While we may rank others above him (including those already listed and the usually mentioned Clark Shaughnessy) it may still be that he belongs in the top tier...

Can't the combination of someone being a borderline HOF-player and a borderline-HOF coach cumulate into some being an "all-purpose" candidate? Or must one be inducted strictly by their status as a player or strictly their status as a coach? Assistant coaches should not be automatically voided of consideration, I would guess.

I know, to be a HOFer you have to be best-of-best but late-'80s Niners getting the best of you can't be considered a felony (and Floyd did best them in '87). But if it's enough to void him of HOF-consideration, then why not HOVG? Why not? I'm sure Kiff & Carroll would agree among MANY others - Burnsie himself who would stay out of D-philosophy and simply tell him, "Just stop them"; Doleman & Browner would agree as well.

A three time pro-bowl player isn't a borderline hall of famer. Neither is a good assistant coach. Sorry but a combination of the two doesn't cut it.

I would put him in the HOG (Hall of Good).

JohnH19 wrote:Certainly not HoF and a stretch of HoVG. He had some all-pro players on those Vikings defenses. Who made who?

Counterpoint- those '76 49ers that were sacking QB's like crazy weren't exactly All-Pros

CSKreager wrote:

JohnH19 wrote:Certainly not HoF and a stretch of HoVG. He had some all-pro players on those Vikings defenses. Who made who?

Counterpoint- those '76 49ers that were sacking QB's like crazy weren't exactly All-Pros

61 SACKS! In a 14-game season, mind you. Look at the '85 Giants. As stellar as that Bears D was that very year, Giants actually led them in sacks with 56.5. Without an LT or Leonard Marshall at his disposal, Floyd's D with the Cards under Hanifan had 59 & 55 sacks in '83 & '84 respectively. He averaged more than 45 per season while with Detroit. If other DCs are put ahead of him, then who would you place ahead of him strictly sack-wise?