Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

One talking point I sometimes see is not just that Devin Hester doesn’t belong in Canton, but that him making it in basically entirely for his work as a returner waters down the Hall of Fame.

Does it for any of you?

The way I look at the Hall, I don’t think it would much for me, but that’s just me.

He has been discussed alot on this site. Some people feel he was too dominant a returner to be left out of the Hall. I felt he wasnt as deserving as more fulltime players, who excelled on either side of the ball. There is no way he was more deserving than a Lemar Parrish or Darren Sproles but many thought he should be the representative as returner.

We have to hope his election doesnt shut the door on other deserving special teams returners and players but I believe it has. With Vinatieri making it as a kicker, it might be a very long time before another special teams player is elected.

With Vinatieri making it as a kicker, it might be a very long time before another special teams player is elected.

I think there's still hope for Tasker someday.

I hope youre right CB ... its time for another punter for election as well, but it might be awhile and who would be the most deserving?
That would be a great discussion again.

I remember when Bill Bates for Dallas retired. I felt if any guy deserved to make it besides a kicker or returner, it was him, but since then, the backlog of deserving players has only grown larger. I felt it helped Vinny getting elected before other great Patriots like Brady, Gronk and Belichick, but other players like Gary Anderson, Lowery and even Tucker might wait a very long time. Will a team give Justin Tucker a chance to kick this year?

Devin Hester is the greatest returner ever. When you're the greatest ever, your inclusion doesn't water anything down — it elevates the value of the honoring body.

If Hester doesn't belong in Canton, no special teamer does.

Hester was a narrative choice and I'm aware that is a big driver at this point. See Floyd Little.

Hester was probably the best returner of all time. I don't think he would have been the best returner of all time if more talented players had made returning their primary focus. Those other players, Lemar Parrish, Greg Pruitt, etc. had additional value from scrimmage so they spent a lot of time on scrimmage and more or less dabbled in returns.

I think Hester was significantly less valuable than a lot of players outside the HOF. But it's about narrative now, and The Best Returner Of All Time was a winning narrative for Hester.

Steve Tasker would be a terrible choice from a value standpoint and again I think if being a gunner gets you to the HOF, if it's really that valuable then there are a bunch of players who could have made that their career focus and been better than Tasker. I'm not even convinced that Tasker is the best gunner of all time anyway, the evidence is dubious. But he's got the narrative and people here continue to champion him.

Jay Z wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2026 12:48 pm Steve Tasker would be a terrible choice from a value standpoint and again I think if being a gunner gets you to the HOF, if it's really that valuable then there are a bunch of players who could have made that their career focus and been better than Tasker. I'm not even convinced that Tasker is the best gunner of all time anyway, the evidence is dubious. But he's got the narrative and people here continue to champion him.

When Tasker played I thought that Elbert Shelley was quite as good as him, always near the returner and making plays.

readjack wrote: ↑Tue May 12, 2026 6:28 pm Devin Hester is the greatest returner ever. When you're the greatest ever, your inclusion doesn't water anything down — it elevates the value of the honoring body.

If Hester doesn't belong in Canton, no special teamer does.

I would probably subscribe to this mentality.

Gary Najman wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2026 1:46 pm

Jay Z wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2026 12:48 pm Steve Tasker would be a terrible choice from a value standpoint and again I think if being a gunner gets you to the HOF, if it's really that valuable then there are a bunch of players who could have made that their career focus and been better than Tasker. I'm not even convinced that Tasker is the best gunner of all time anyway, the evidence is dubious. But he's got the narrative and people here continue to champion him.

When Tasker played I thought that Elbert Shelley was quite as good as him, always near the returner and making plays.

Let's see ...
Tasker, 5 APs, 7 PBs
Shelley, 3 APs, 4 PBs