5 NFL players who cement their Hall of Fame legacy in 2020

Just last season, Matt Ryan successfully made his way over the Ken Anderson Line. Every quarterback who is eligible who has a better Pro Football Reference Hall of Fame Monitor score than Anderson has earned Canton enshrinement. Anderson needs to be in anyway, but that’s not the point today. Ryan’s 91.12 score is better than eight hall of famers, as well as Anderson.

The Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback may not have made the All-Decade Team, but he does have an NFL MVP on his resume and nearly had a Super Bowl victory. People continue to hold that against him, but had Ryan’s Falcons won Super Bowl 51 four years ago, he’d already have his ticket punched for Canton enshrinement. He’ll have the numbers, but needs one more Pro Bowl.

Ryan hasn’t been a Pro Bowler since winning NFL MVP, but his 2018 campaign was every bit as good as his 2016 season. The only difference was the 2016 Falcons won four more regular-season games than the 2018 squad. Heck, Ryan played well enough at times to be a Pro Bowl player last season. It’s not a huge deal, but he really needs five to ensure certain induction.

Entering his age-35 season, Ryan only has a few more years left of high quality ball. He takes great care of himself physically, but he’s never been the most gifted athlete in the NFL in his career. If it’s not another Pro Bowl, perhaps another Falcons playoff berth, a division title and NFC Championship appearance or maybe even winning the Walter Payton Man of the Year gets him in.