Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

The discussion under the Slater and Speedie thread about whether there are too many players from certain teams in the Hall of Fame prompts this. Most people, whether they admit it are not, are partial to players from their team getting in the HOF. The flip side is that people generally think there are too many Hall of Famers from teams they dislike or hate. So the question here is, Which Hall of Famer(s) – and kudos to you if you list more than one – from THE TEAM YOU ROOT FOR does not belong?

My pick from my team, the 1940-60s Browns, is Mike McCormack. I think he was very good but not great or Hall worthy. Bob Carroll got it about right years ago when he wrote about McCormack’s long tenure in various front office jobs and his apparently being well-liked by media and influential front office types as being instrumental in his getting elected.

I generally like Leroy Kelly and Gene Hickerson as Hall of Famers but understand arguments I’ve heard against them. But McCormack’s the weakest Brown in my opinion and weak enough for me to say I don’t think he belongs.

I am definitely not on board with Cleveland fans who believe Gary Collins and Clay Matthews belong in the Hall of Fame. It's unfortunate that Browns fans generally overlook Jim Ray Smith and Michael Dean Perry, who I consider better candidates than Collins and Matthews, though I'm not necessarily saying either should be elected.

Andre Reed. He had two 2nd Team All Pro seasons, and 2 additional 1st Team All Conference selections. Very good for a long time, but almost never great.
The Art Monk-type intangibles don't necessarily work for him either. He wasn't a Terrell Owens, but he could mouth off on occasion. He had a temper, as he at least twice took foolish penalties in the postseason.

I agree about Mike McCormack. As for my hometown team, the choice is easy: Wayne Millner. Fine player, , but out of place in the Hall, for sure.

As a Jets fan, I have heard Joe Namath, Curtis Martin, and Winston Hill do not belong. The only one who I never hear any big knocks on is Don Maynard.

Andy Piascik wrote: from THE TEAM YOU ROOT FOR does not belong?

I am going to use this on Twitter if you don't mind

I don't mind. Can you leave out names to protect the innocent?

Easy answer for a Redskin fan if you have a good way-back machine. Wayne Milner is hands-down among the least deserving players in the Hall of Fame.

JWL wrote:As a Jets fan, I have heard Joe Namath, Curtis Martin, and Winston Hill do not belong. The only one who I never hear any big knocks on is Don Maynard.

I think Namath is a legitimate Hall of Famer. He was rookie of the year in 1965, got a couple of second-team all-AFL honors in 1966, got two first-team all-AFL selections in 1967, was everybody's all-AFL quarterback in 1968 (and made the only major all-pro team that included players from both leagues), and got a couple more first-team all-AFL selections in 1969. He missed most of the next TWO seasons, then in 1972 he was almost a unanimous choice as the all-pro quarterback. After missing most of yet another season in 1973, he never really bounced back to peak form. But in his six healthy seasons, he was a first-team all-AFL (or all-NFL) choice in four of them. There are quite a few quarterbacks in the Hall of Fame who can't match that.

Then there's his historical significance, given his landmark contract and the fact that he led his team to victory in one of the most important championship games ever. You can't write a history of pro football without mentioning him prominently.

Combining all this, I think it would be hard to imagine the Hall of Fame without him.

Bob and Don, is there somebody else from the Skins besides Millner?

Ed DeBartolo.
I'm not too crazy about Fred Dean being in either.