Top 30 NFL players not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
It was earlier this month that the Pro Football Hall of Fame welcomed nine new members, bringing the tenant count in Canton, OH to 371. The Class of 2023 featured tackle Joe Thomas, coach Don Coryell, defensive lineman Joe Klecko, linebackers Zach Thomas, Chuck Howley and DeMarcus Ware, and defensive backs Ken Riley, Ronde Barber and Darrelle Revis.
So, who else is worthy of a bust in Canton? The Hall of Fame’s inaugural class came in 1963, more than 40 years before even the NFL began play. It’s a constant game of catch-up.
So, what do we know when it comes to the Class of 2024? Buddy Parker is the Coach/Contributor finalist. The Hall’s three Seniors Committee’s finalists are linebacker Randy Gradishar, defensive tackle Steve McMichael and wide receiver Art Powell. Meanwhile, the 2024 Modern-Era nominees will be announced in late September.
Of course, any list of this kind is highly subjective. There are no rights or wrongs (unless the player is not yet eligible). In this version, a little aid was enlisted from a couple of Pro Football Hall of Fame voters and a few noted NFL historians. As usual, enjoy the memories.
NOTE: Individual sacks were not an official NFL statistic until 1982. However, Pro Football Reference has individual sack numbers dating back to 1960.
Top 30 NFL players not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
30. T Willie Anderson
Sometimes timing is everything when it comes to an NFL player’s career. University of Auburn tackle Willie Anderson was the 10th overall pick in the 1996 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He would spend a dozen years in the Queen City and closed out his impressive career with the Baltimore Ravens in 2008.
He played in 195 regular-season games are made an impressive 184 starts. Anderson was a four-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro, all of those honors with the Bengals.
Unfortunately, that impressive resumé didn’t mean much when it came to winning a championship. The closest he got was in his final season in ’08. The wild card Ravens reached the AFC title game that year but saw its playoff run end in Pittsburgh to the eventual Super Bowl XLII champion Steelers. Nonetheless, the 13-year veteran is worthy of Hall of Fame consideration.