Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

The NFLPA has announced it will vote for and award All Pro recognition of its own.
Only current players will be allowed to vote.

If it lasts awhile how would you compare/rank this All Pro list with the usual ones?
AP, UPI, etc. etc.
Will it carry the same gravity? How might it influence eventual inductions into the Hall of Fame?

https://www.nfl.com/news/nflpa-to-creat ... fl-players

JuggernautJ wrote:The NFLPA has announced it will vote for and award All Pro recognition of its own.
Only current players will be allowed to vote.

If it lasts awhile how would you compare/rank this All Pro list with the usual ones?
AP, UPI, etc. etc.
Will it carry the same gravity? How might it influence eventual inductions into the Hall of Fame?

https://www.nfl.com/news/nflpa-to-creat ... fl-players

Players did this in 1963. Maybe it will last longer than one year this time.

Back then they picked essentially the same people the media did, no
real sleepers, guys, who with the players inside knowledge ,were introduced to the
world

I've never understood why people think an All-Pro team chosen by players should have special validity.

A center's opinion of interior defensive linemen should be respected, but what does he know about edge rushers or defensive backs? And, since he spends much of his time on the bench looking at a Microsoft Surface with his fellow offensive linemen, I doubt that he has much knowledge about opposing teams' offenses.

I'll take the opinion of a seasoned sportswriter who watches every play.

rhickok1109 wrote:I've never understood why people think an All-Pro team chosen by players should have special validity.

I think it is same for HOF. I have talked to plenty of players going back to the 1990s and sometimes, not always,
they are just not prepared to answer about who they think should be HOFers. They know their friends and
teammates but often get a lot of details wrong.

I think gathering their comments is a good part of the process - writers getting an idea for who was good and
so on. Just one of the boxes with not more or less weight than other so-called boxes.

As far as All-pros - I think it is good to have an All-pro team with a players skew. Like the old NEA, like the Sporting
News used to, now it is more executives. But it's an "insider" type deal.

But--I 100% agree with you, the old NEA and Sporting News should not have special validity. My opinion is they
should be part of the mosaic, just one of several to be considered.

Back when only players and coaches voted there were mistakes on Pro Bowl teams. AJ Duhe made it in 1984
when he was benched . . . Howie Long made in in 1987 when he was hurt and didn't have a great year,
more or less a 'reputation' Pro Bowl . . . and so on ...

Writers do the same - lots of good picks, a few questionable ones.