CLASS OF 2025

Begun in 2002, the Hall of Very Good seeks to honor outstanding players and coaches who are not in the Hall of Fame.

Jim Bakken
Statistics
Position: Kicker/Punter/Flanker
Teams: St. Louis Cardinals (1962-1978)
Bio: Selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the seventh round of the 1962 NFL Draft, Jim Bakken was placed on waivers during training camp and claimed by the St. Louis Cardinals, with whom he became one of the great placekickers in pro football history.
The Cardinals franchise all-time leading scorer, Bakken also held the team record for career games played until 2019. At the time of his retirement, his 234 (236 including playoffs) consecutive games played streak was the third-most in NFL history. Bakken was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time, first-team All-Pro. He was twice named the Football Digest NFL Kicker of the Year. In 1976, he was voted by his Cardinals teammates as team MVP, the Newspaper Enterprise Association’s (NEA) Third Down Trophy, and also was chosen to the 1960s NFL All-Decade Team and the 1970s NFL All-Decade team.
Bakken led the NFL in field goals made in 1964 and in 1965 he led the NFL in field goal percentage. He shared the Cardinals punting duties in 1965 and 1966 as well. In 1967 Bakken led the NFL in field goals made, field goal percentage and points scored. Most memorable, in a 28–14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bakken set the NFL record for field goals made with seven. The record was tied 22 years later in 1989 and in total stood for an incredible 40 years until it was broken in 2007.
Inducted into the University of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001, Bakken is also a member of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame. The annual trophy for the best kicker in the Big Ten Conference, the “Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year” was co-named in his honor.

Charley Brock
Statistics
Position: Center-Linebacker
Teams: Green Bay Packers (1939-1947)
Bio: Charley Brock (born March 15, 1916) was a standout two-way player for the Green Bay Packers during the late 1930s and 1940s and was voted to the NFL 1940s All-Decade team.
A multi-sport star at Kramer High School, where he earned 16 varsity letters, Brock excelled at the University of Nebraska, earning three All-Big Six Conference honors and first-team All-America recognition in 1937 as a center. Drafted by the Packers in the third round (24th overall) of the 1939 NFL Draft, Brock quickly became a key contributor. In his rookie season, he helped Green Bay win the NFL championship, intercepting eight passes—including three against Sammy Baugh—and recording two more in the title game against the New York Giants. He played center on offense, anchoring the line in Curly Lambeau's Notre Dame Box system, while excelling at linebacker on defense, where he was known as a "ball thief" for his interception prowess.
Over nine seasons (1939–47), Brock appeared in 92 games, recording 20 official interceptions (plus eight more unofficial in 1939 before the statistics were tracked), with 230 return yards and four defensive scores. He earned three Pro Bowl selections (1939, 1940, 1942), first-team All-Pro honors in 1940 (Collyers), 1945 (consensus), 1946 (Pro Football Illustrated) and was second team All-Pro in 1943 (consensus) and 1944 (UPI). Brock served as team captain in 1944, when the Packers won a second NFL title while he was with the club. Coach Curly Lambeau praised him as the best center in football, even over Hall of Famer Bulldog Turner, calling him aggressive, untiring, and unmatched at intercepting passes.
Brock retired in 1948 due to wear and tear and coached briefly with the Packers in 1949 before moving to college roles. Inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1973, he remained involved in the community until his death on May 25, 1987, in Green Bay.

George Christensen
Statistics
Position: Offensive Tackle-Defensive Tackle, Assistant Coach
Teams: Portsmouth Spartans/Detroit Lions (1931-38), 1935 Detroit Lions (Coach), 1939 Brooklyn Dodgers (Coach)
Bio: George Christensen was an elite tackle in the 1930s, excelling on offense, defense and special teams in the era of the two-way player. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Christensen attended the University of Oregon, where he was named second-team All-Pacific Coast Conference in 1930.
In 1931, Christensen joined Potsy Clark's Portsmouth Spartans and for the next eight seasons, he earned all-pro honors six times (four times as first-team and twice as second-team). Christensen was large and fast, measuring 6'2" and 238 pounds, garnering him nicknames such as "Big Chris" and “Tarzan.”
Linemen are often judged by team accomplishments and in that regard Christensen's teams excelled. In 1934, the Lions set a record by opening the season with an incredible seven straight shut-out victories, a record that still stands today. During that stretch no opponent penetrated Detroit's 20-yard line. Throughout the entire 1934 season, the Lions allowed only 59 points. Christensen's role in the Lions' running game was paramount as well. In 1936, Detroit set the single season team offensive rushing record with 2,885 yards in 12 games; a record that stood for 36 years (broken by the 1972 Miami Dolphins in a 14-game season).
Christensen was also considered one of the best punt blockers of his era. He recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown in the 1935 Championship game versus the New York Giants, which the Lions won 26-7. Christensen was named to the NFL's 1930s All-Decade Team. He was also the Lions' Team Captain and the team's unofficial line coach. Former teammate and Hall of Famer Dutch Clark said about Christensen, "he was as good a tackle as I ever saw on a pro team."

Clem Daniels
Statistics
Position: Halfback/Cornerback
Teams: Dallas Texans (1960), Oakland Raiders (1961-67), San Francisco (1968)
Bio: Clemon Daniels is fully credentialed for Hall of Very Good honors. He was named to the AFL's All-Time team, won the AFL MVP award in 1963 and was the recipient of a glowing review by Pro Football Hall of Fame contributor Ron Wolf. Wolf, a well-respected “personnel director,” said of Daniels, “He was, without a doubt, the best halfback in the AFL during his time.” Wolf also cited Daniel's all-around athletic ability: “He ran a 4.6 40-yard dash in full football gear! Amazing for a guy his size (6'2”, 210 pounds) and he was a threat as a receiver, also.”
Daniels, born July 9, 1937, grew up in McKinney, Texas, and matriculated at Prairie View A&M University on a football scholarship. He was an All-Southwest Conference selection as a sophomore and junior and led the team to an NAIA National Championship as a senior. Clem went undrafted by the AFL and the NFL, but was signed as a free agent by the Dallas Texans of the AFL. He played defense as a rookie, since star Abner Haynes was the main cog to the Texans' offense.
He was then traded to the Oakland Raiders for the 1961 season and blossomed into a true star for the next six seasons, winning the 1963 AFL MVP award that highlighted his stay in the East Bay. He was the AFL rushing leader that year with 1,099 yards.
aniels finished his Raiders career as their all-time leading rusher at 5,138 yards. His mark stood for a decade, eclipsed by Mark van Eeghen, Marcus Allen and Josh Jacobs, since. He also added 3,314 receiving yards, Daniels's pro total-yardage was 9,052.
A true leader, Daniels helped lead an effort to move the 1964 AFL All-Star Game out of segregated New Orleans to Houston, where it was eventually played. Daniels suffered a broken leg mid-season 1967, and finished his career in 1968 with the 49ers.

Chris Hinton
Statistics
Position: Guard/Tackle
Teams: Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts (1983-89), Atlanta Falcons (1990-93), Minnesota Vikings (1994-95)
Bio: Chris Hinton may always be known as the guy traded for John Elway. He said, “I used to always be kidded by guys on the Colts, 'We could've had Elway instead of you.' And I'd say, 'Yeah, but you wouldn't have had anybody to block for him.'” Hinton used the motivation to become arguably the most versatile and talented offensive lineman in NFL history, earning Pro Bowl honors at three different positions: left guard (1983), left tackle (1985-89) and right tackle (1991). Drafted fourth overall in the 1983 NFL Draft out of Northwestern, where he was a first-team All-Big Ten Conference selection and first-team All-American choice in 1982, Hinton was traded from Denver to Baltimore.
In seven seasons with the Colts, the team endured just two winning seasons. Hinton may have been the team's best player, earning six trips to the Pro Bowl (1983, 1985-89). He was also a two-time second-team All-Pro choice by the Associated Press and the Newspaper Ent. Association (1985, 1989). In 1990, he was traded to the Falcons for the first overall pick in the 1990 NFL Draft. Hinton continued to provide stability along the offensive line, with the Falcons ranking as a Top 10 passing offense each season from 1990-93. Hinton returned to the Pro Bowl for a seventh time in 1991 and earned a first-team all-pro selection by the Associated Press in 1993. He played his final two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings in 1994 and 1995, finishing his career with 177 games played.
Hinton was voted to the NFL All-Rookie Team by the Pro Football Writers of America in 1983 and was inducted into the Indianapolis Colts Ring of Honor in 2001.

Kent Hull
Statistics
Position: Center
Teams: Buffalo Bills (1988-96)
Bio: Much like a ship's hull, center Kent Hull was the foundation for the offense, no matter where he played. For three seasons (1983-85) with the New Jersey Generals of the USFL, Hull anchored the run blocking for running back Herschel Walker, who ran for 5,562 yards during that span, including the single-season USFL record 2,411 rushing yards in 1985. In 1986, Hull joined the Buffalo Bills, where he teamed with guard Jim Richter and tackle Will Wolford to form a formidable, yet stable offensive line. Under new head coach Marv Levy, in just three seasons, the Bills were an annual Top-5 scoring offense, led by future Hall of Famers Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed. Buffalo went on to earn six consecutive playoff appearances, four straight AFC East Division titles and a record four consecutive trips to the Super Bowl.
Hull played in 121 consecutive games from 1986-93 and earned three straight trips to the Pro Bowl (1988-90). He was also twice named a second-team all-pro by the Associated Press and a consensus first-team all-pro selection in 1990. Hull's most memorable game may have been the 1995 wild card game against the Miami Dolphins. The Bills ran for 341 yards, with Hull dominating the Miami defensive front, including tackles Tim Bowens and Chuck Klingbeil. Buffalo raced out to a 27-0 lead, never looking back as they defeated Don Shula in his final playoff game.
Hull was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. He earned the Ralph C. Wilson Distinguished Service Award in 2001, was enshrined on the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame in 2002and was named to the Buffalo Bills 50th Anniversary Team in 2009.

Greg Lloyd
Statistics
Position: Linebacker
Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers (1988-97), Carolina Panthers (1998)
Bio: One of the most feared and versatile linebackers of the 1990s, Greg Lloyd earned five Pro Bowl selections (1991–95) and was named a consensus first-team All-Pro three straight years (1993–95). Over 11 seasons with the Steelers (1987–97) and one with the Panthers, he recorded 64.5 sacks, 35 forced fumbles, 16 fumble recoveries, 11 interceptions and just under 750 tackles (per NFL gamebooks), while playing in the postseason five times, including two AFC Championship game appearances and one Super Bowl.
Lloyd excelled at Fort Valley State University, where he earned NAIA All-American honors. The Steelers selected him in the sixth round (150th overall) of the 1987 NFL Draft.
Lloyd quickly became an elite pass rusher and run stopper and fine pass-defending linebacker -- the complete package. He was known for his explosive speed, bone-crushing tackles, and relentless motor. He anchored the “Blitzburgh” defense and served as a prototypical rush linebacker in the 3-4 base defense. In 1991 and 1992, he often lined up as a defensive end in passing situations. Starting in 1993, his role grew even more versatile: in dime packages, he frequently played the lone linebacker position, and in nickel sets, he was one of the two linebackers.
In 1994, he posted a career-high 10 sacks, forced five fumbles, and finished third in AP Defensive Player of the Year voting. The following season, he placed second in the voting for the award. A fierce competitor and vocal leader, he was also tough. Lloyd played through major injuries, including a torn ACL that sidelined him for nearly the entire 1996 season, yet returned to play two more seasons in the NFL before an arthritic knee ended his career,
Inducted into the Steelers Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2015, Greg Lloyd remains a beloved symbol of the 1990s chapter of Pittsburgh Steelers history.

Wilber Marshall
Statistics
Position: Linebacker
Teams: Chicago Bears (1984-88), Washington Redskins (1989-92), Houston Oilers (1993), Arizona Cardinals (1994), New York Jets (1995)
Bio: Wilber Marshall first attracted national attention with three first-team All-Southeastern Conference (1981-83) and two consensus All-American seasons (1982-83) at the University of Florida. Selected 11th overall in the 1984 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, Marshall became one of the best defensive players on two Super Bowl championship teams: first with Chicago in 1985 and then with Washington in 1991. Those teams ranked first and second in total defense, respectively. In the 1985 NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams, Marshall made the play of the game when Bears defensive end Richard Dent sacked Rams quarterback Dieter Brock by picking up the ensuing fumble and returning it 52-yards for a touchdown. Over the next two seasons, he followed up with two Pro Bowl selections (1986-87) and his first, first-team all-pro selection in 1986. As a result, Marshall set a new contract record after the 1987 season, going from Chicago to Washington on a guaranteed, no-trade deal that made him the highest paid defender in NFL history ($6 million for five years).
During his five seasons in Washington, Marshall experienced further success. In addition to winning Super Bowl XXVI, he was selected a first-team all-pro for the 1992 season and returned to the Pro Bowl that year.
Marshall is a member of the University of Florida Ring of Honor, the College Football Hall of Fame and was named the Gators' Defensive Player of the Century by the Gainesville Sun in 1999. He has been voted one of the "100 Greatest Bears of All Time" and one of the "80 Greatest Redskins." Marshall's NFL career totals include: 45 sacks, 23 interceptions, 22 forced fumbles, 16 fumbles recovered and four defensive touchdowns.
He is one of only three linebackers in NFL history to record 45 sacks and 20 interceptions.

Nate Newton
Statistics
Position: Guard
Teams: Tampa Bay Bandits (USFL) 1984-85, Dallas Cowboys (1986-98), Carolina Panthers (1999)
Bio: Standing 6'3” and roughly 318 pounds, Nate Newton earned the nickname “the Kitchen” because he was larger than William Perry, who was dubbed “the Refrigerator.” Newton's massive size allowed him to routinely bulldoze the game's best defenders into the defensive backfield. As a member of the Dallas Cowboys, Newton joined Erik Williams, Mark Tuinei, Mark Stepnoski, John Gesek and Kevin Gogan to form “The Great Wall of Dallas,” arguably one of the greatest offensive lines in history. From 1992-95, anchored by Newton's play, the Cowboys ranked in the Top-5 in rushing offense each season.
Running back Emmitt Smith led the NFL in rushing three times (1992, 1993, 1995), and his 5.3 yards per rush (1993) led the NFL. Newton's play was also paramount in pass protection for quarterback Troy Aikman. He was a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback each season from 1991-96 and won double-digit games five times (1992-96). Dallas also fielded three Super Bowl-winning teams, including back-to-back championships in 1992 and 1993. Newton earned six trips (1992-96, 1998) to the Pro Bowl, which is third in team history and was named a consensus first-team All-Pro choice in 1994 and 1995.
He finished his career with the Carolina Panthers in 1999, playing in 198 career games. Prior to playing with Dallas, Newton spent two seasons (1983-84) in the USFL with the Tampa Bay Bandits. He was named to the All-Time USFL Team. In 1994, Newton was inducted to the Florida A&M University Sports Hall of Fame and in 2022, selected for induction to the Black College Football Hall of Fame.

Mike Stratton
Statistics
Position: Linebacker
Teams: Buffalo Bills (1962-72), San Diego Chargers (1973)
Bio: The Bills selected Mike Stratton in the 13th round of the 1962 AFL Draft. Stratton possessed great speed and instincts and quickly developed into one of the premier outside linebackers in the game.
As a rookie, he found his niche after a series of injuries befell the Bills’ linebacking corps during training camp. In 1963, he helped lead Buffalo to its first playoff appearance and was selected to play in his first AFL All-Star Game. He intercepted six passes despite missing the first two games with an ankle injury. Stratton's defining moment came the following season, when his tackle of Keith Lincoln, forever after known as "The Hit Heard 'Round the World," propelled the Bills to victory in the 1964 AFL Championship Game. With Stratton leading the way, the Bills' formidable defense set a pro football record (that still stands) by not allowing a rushing touchdown for 17 consecutive games between 1964 and 1965 (16 regular season and one playoff) and carried the team to a second straight AFL title in '65.
In 11 seasons with the Bills, Stratton was selected First Team All-AFL three times, played in six AFL All-Star games (1963-68) and three championship games, winning two. He recorded 18 interceptions and was part of a linebacking corps (along with left linebacker John Tracey and middle linebacker Harry Jacobs) that started 62 consecutive games — a professional football record. He was the last remaining link to the Bills’ AFL glory years when he was traded to the Chargers after the 1972 season.
Stratton was named to the All-Time AFL Team as an outside linebacker (second squad) by the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee in 1970. He has since been enshrined on the Bills’ Wall of Fame (1994), the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame (2005), and was named to the Bills' 50th Anniversary Team (2009).