Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Safe as hell enough to say Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, and Randy Moss get in.

Who else with them?

TO?

This will likely be one of the toughest group of regular five to predict in some time because of logjam issues. The only one that I think it's safe to predict is Ray Lewis. After that it could be anyone.

My guess is Lewis, John Lynch, Brian Dawkins, Kevin Mawae, and Joe Jacoby. But I could be wrong.

From the newly eligible, I think Lewis, Randy Moss, Brian Urlacher, Steve Hutchinson, Ronde Barber, and Richard Seymour get in eventually. But I think only Lewis will be first ballot. Moss had first ballot talent, but I think the voters will make him wait a year because of "dogging it" and various character infractions. Urlacher meanwhile was the focus of a prominent "most overrated player" article by SI several years ago and his career pales next to fellow MLB Lewis.

Re TO, am thinking his whining and complaining (not to mention his drops and clubhouse cancer problems) will continue to keep him out. In fact, Moss may be elected before TO.

Urlacher won't be first-ballot, nor will Moss. Moss's "O play when I wanna play may cause him to wait, like TO. I think TO, after two years of waiting, will get in this year. I dont see them putting in 2 MLBers and 2 WRs and then having one slot for Dawkins and the linemen...

Lewis
T.O.
Dawkins
A lineman (Hutch though I doubt he'll be 1st ballot, so I think Faneca might get 4th slot)
Jacoby

74_75_78_79_ wrote:Safe as hell enough to say Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, and Randy Moss get in.

Who else with them?

TO?

I don't know if Lewis, Urlacher, or Moss gets in next year. Lewis has the obstruction guilty plea in a murder case, Urlacher wasn't that dominant to me, and Moss didn't always compete. I have no problem with TO waiting a few more years. The HOF can surprise us from time to time, and with numerous strong candidates already on the ballot, anything can happen. I disagree with the si.com writer who suggested former players with a short peak are somehow helped by the selection of Terrell Davis. Davis doesn't get in without the postseason excellence, which amounted to half a regular season's worth of games.

NFL's Elliot Harrison has compiled his list of who he thinks should be enshrined over the next five years.
Interesting read FWIW.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000 ... ss-of-2018

His Seniors over the next 5 years are:
Chuck Howley, Johnny Robinson
Drew Pearson
Todd Christensen, Jerry Kramer
Ken Anderson
Cliff Harris, Randy Gradishar

Re Seniors: have heard rumbling over at the Talk of Fame site about the possibility of an expanded Senior circumstance for the 100th anniversary of the NFL's founding in 2020. It's likely to take the form of a Senior being nominated from each decade. If so, that's great news, since that would result in about seven people getting in from that pool.

Depending on who gets in over the next two years, maybe these would be good first and alternate choices:

20s. Lavvie Dilweg (Verne Lewellen)
30s. Duke Slater (Ox Emerson)
40s. Al Wistert (Mac Speedie)
50s. Billy Howton (Jerry Kramer)
60s. Johnny Robinson (Chuck Howley)
70s. Ken Anderson (Harold Jackson)
80s. Deron Cherry (Joe Klecko)

So many good choices, though.

bachslunch wrote:Re Seniors: have heard rumbling over at the Talk of Fame site about the possibility of an expanded Senior circumstance for the 100th anniversary of the NFL's founding in 2020. It's likely to take the form of a Senior being nominated from each decade. If so, that's great news, since that would result in about seven people getting in from that pool.

What the Hey??
I posted an idea like that about two years ago!

Well, however it gets accomplished I think it would be a great way to recognize players who have been bypassed.
And the best shot we'll have this generation to see multiple forgotten worthies enshrined at the same time.
I really, really hope something like this happens!!

Sterling Sharpe becomes eligible as a senior in a couple of years.

It astonishes me that it has come to that.

Jeremy Crowhurst wrote:Sterling Sharpe becomes eligible as a senior in a couple of years.

It astonishes me that it has come to that.

Sharpe had terrible luck, being forced to retire early before the Pack won it all in New Orleans. His absence may have changed history in the NFC over the next several years.

NFL's Elliot Harrison has compiled his list of who he thinks should be enshrined over the next five years.
Interesting read FWIW.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000 ... ss-of-2018

He's got Steve Sabol as his contributor nominee for 2022. Do we have to wait that long?