For Jerry Kramer, the wait is over — but it never should have taken this long

On Saturday night, the members of the 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame class were revealed ahead of the annual NFL Honors ceremony. After waiting more than 40 years, former Green Bay Packers guard Jerry Kramer finally heard his name called.

For the top honor in football, the wait is always worth it — but it’s shameful that Kramer had to wait this long.

Of the 11 players from the Vince Lombardi-led Packers dynasty of the ’60s, only Kramer’s enshrinement fate has been left hanging in the balance. Emlen Tunnell, Jim Taylor, Forest Gregg, Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke, Willie Davis, Jim Ringo, Paul Hornung, Willie Wood, Henry Jordan, Dave Robinson — all recognized for their contributions to one of the league’s most dynamic teams ever. All but Kramer.

Until now.

Holding the Hall’s voters accountable for Kramer’s unacceptably long wait is difficult, because the group of voters that denied him entrance from his first year as a candidate in 1974 is different from the group that last snubbed him in 1997 which is different from the group that ultimately voted him in this year.

But we can certainly cast a long, hard look at that mostly homogenous group of voters that repeatedly denied him entrance in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978 and 1981. (Then, of course, there were Kramer’s other two almost-but-not-quite years of candidacy in 1984 and 1987.)

The ’70s voters were, in a word, obdurate. Those who supported Kramer likely did so every year his name was on the list of finalists. But those who opposed him were likely just as unbending in their opinion.

And why exactly did a group of voters repeatedly reject electing into the Hall a two-time Super Bowl champion, five-time NFL champion, five-time first-team All Pro and NFL 1960s All Decade Team member?

Fatigue, for one thing. Between 1970 and 1980 alone, the Hall of Fame welcomed Lombardi, Tony Canadeo, Len Ford, Taylor, Gregg, Starr and Nitschke into its ranks. Just how many more Packers could the Hall hold?

If that question seems absurd, it is. But voting processes are always imbued with subjectivity, even as they try to remain objective. And in Kramer’s last chance, ’97, those stubborn 70s-era voters continued to close the door on him.

But something felt different about 2018.

For one, there are only eight voters of the 48 total who are still on the committee from 1997. This new group of selectors had the opportunity to weigh Kramer’s case with an open mind.

In addition, voters have likely taken notice of the immense campaign for Kramer’s enshrinement, led by his daughter, Alicia. Changing her Twitter handle to @JerryKramer4HOF and pinning a tweet to her profile listing the Pro Football Hall of Fame address to which people could send nominations, Alicia worked tirelessly to help her father earn football’s greatest honor.

It was likely painful for the Kramer family to think about what it might have meant if Kramer was once again left out of this year’s class. Kramer, now 82, may not have gotten another opportunity.

This was Kramer’s second time as a seniors committee nominee (defined as players who have been retired for 25 or more years).

If Kramer had been voted down again this year, he would only go against more and more seniors nominees in future years, and his odds would have plummeted.

But this year he had an advocate in seniors committee member Rick Gosselin, who presented a strong case, including testimonials from some of the key players who faced Kramer during his legendary career.

Of course, Kramer approached the whole process with his trademark sense of humor and wit, per the above video shared by the Hall. Remarking that he’d say “zip-a-dee-doo-dah and yippity-yay” if he got a knock on his door telling him he was in, he added, “If the janitor knocks on my door and wants to kick my ass out of the room, I’m going to be really upset.”

Earning an honor such as a Pro Football Hall of Fame election is something someone might wait his whole life for.

For Kramer, that was very well almost the case.

Next: See the members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018

Kramer and the other members of the Hall of Fame Class of 2018 will be enshrined on Aug. 4 in Canton, Ohio.