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.
29. LB Bill Bergey
In the days of professional football when basically every team base defense was a 4-3-4, middle linebacker was the unit’s glamour position. That position is well-represented in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. From Sam Huff and Ray Nitschke to Joe Schmidt, Willie Lanier, and Jack Lambert. There’s the amazing quartet of Chicago Bears in Bill George, Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary, and Brian Urlacher.
Bill Bergey is one of three middle linebackers on this list of 30 players. A second-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 1969, he started all 14 games for Paul Brown’s second-year team. He earned AFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and was named to the Pro Bowl.
Bergey spent five seasons in Cincinnati and missed only two games. He was part of playoff teams in 1970 and ’73. To make a long story short, he was dealt to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1974. He spent the final seven seasons of his NFL career in the City of Brotherly Love and adjusted to life in the 3-4. The 12-year pro earned four more Pro Bowl invitations and was named All-Pro in 1974 and ’75.
As it turned out, Bergey’s last appearance came in Super Bowl XV, a 27-10 loss to the wild card Oakland Raiders. He finished his impressive career with countless tackles, 27 interceptions, 21 fumble recoveries and was credited with 18.5 sacks.
28. T Richmond Webb
He was the ninth overall pick in the 1990 NFL Draft and made an immediate impact during his rookie season. Former Texas A&M tackle Richmond Webb was a steady force on the offensive line of the Miami Dolphins for more than a decade. He certainly made life easier for Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino for 10 seasons.
He was a 16-game starter in his debut campaign, earned Pro Bowl honors and was even named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by United Press International (UPI).
Webb missed the first two games of his second season, then proceeded to make 118 consecutive starts before missing seven of Miami’s final eight regular-season contests. He would return for the wild card meeting with the Bills but sat out the divisional playoffs at Denver.
All told, the 6-foot-6, 325-pound protector was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first seven seasons. He also earned All-Pro honors in 1992 and ’94. In 11 seasons with the Dolphins, he started 163-of-164 contests and was also in the opening lineup in 13 of the team’s 14 postseason games during his stay in Miami.
Webb’s final two seasons in 2001 and ’02 with the Cincinnati Bengals. He was a 16-game starter for the team that first year but missed the final 12 games of 2002.
27. WR Wes Chandler
The only two players selected ahead of University of Florida wide receiver Wes Chandler in the 1978 NFL Draft were running back Earl Campbell (Houston Oilers) and defensive end Art Still (Kansas City Chiefs). The latter played 12 NFL seasons and was a four-time Pro Bowler. The former ran over everything in his path and has a bust in Canton, Ohio.
Chandler was picked by the New Orleans Saints, a franchise in search of its first winning season. That never happened while the talented wideout was with the team. However, in three-plus seasons with the club, he totaled 182 receptions for 2,801 yards (15.4 average) and a modest 15 scores in 52 games.
He would be dealt to the then-San Diego Chargers during the 1981 season and really flourished under Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Don Coryell and an attack that featured fellow Hall of Famers in quarterback Dan Fouts, wide receiver Charlie Joiner and tight end Kellen Winslow.
His 1982 All-Pro showing with the Chargers remains one of the great performances at his position. Due to a players’ strike, it proved to be only a nine-game season. Chandler played in only eight contests and caught just 49 passes but for an astounding 1,032 yards (21.1 average) and nine touchdowns. The four-time Pro Bowler bears a closer look.
26. G George Kunz
The Atlanta Falcons were coming off a 2-12 showing in 1968 and had the second overall pick in the 1969 NFL Draft. The club opted Notre Dame tackle George Kunz.
The former Golden Domer was a 14-game starter as a rookie and earned Pro Bowl honors for Norm Van Brocklin’s team. Atlanta won as many games in 1969 as they did in their first three seasons combined (6-35-1 record).
Kunz was dealt to the then-Baltimore Colts in 1975. The club would win three straight AFC East titles during his first three seasons with the club.
“He was special,” once said by then-Colts’ head coach Ted Marchibroda (via Pro Football Hall of Fame voter Rick Gosselin). “You didn’t have to worry about him. He did the job in pass protection. He made your running game better. He was big and strong.
“He was a right tackle in an era when the Deacons Joneses were at that (left) defensive end. I don’t know how many offensive tackles there are in the Hall of Fame. It’s hard to rate those guys 1-2-3-4-5-6-7. But I’ll tell you what. George Kunz is among the top seven. He was that good. But somehow, he’s fallen through the cracks.”
Injuries caught up with the 11-year pro late in his career. Kunz was named to a total of seven Pro Bowls in his first nine seasons and earned All-Pro honors in 1975 with the Colts.
25. WR Torry Holt
With the passing game becoming more and more prevalent in the National Football League, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer numbers. There are now 24 players in league annals who amassed at least 900 career catches. Wide receiver Torry Holt ranks 22nd on that list, totaling 920 receptions in 11 seasons with the Rams (869) and Jaguars (51). It adds up to an impressive 13,382 yards (17th in NFL history) and 74 trips to the end zone, all of the latter with the Rams.
The sixth overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft, the former North Carolina State standout totaled 52 catches for 788 yards and three scores. He added 20 receptions for 242 yards and one touchdown, the latter coming in the team’s 23-16 win over the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV. His final season with the Rams came in 2008, when he totaled 64 grabs for 796 yards and three TDs.
In between there were eight seasons in which totaled at least 80 catches and at least 1,000 receiving yards. Holt was named to seven Pro Bowls over that span. He earned All-Pro honors in 2003 when he led the NFL in receptions (117) and receiving yards (1,696). He also managed that latter feat during his second season in 2000 (1,635).
24. CB Eric Allen
Some defensive players just have a knack for knowing where the football is. Others know what to do when they have the ball and will find their way to the end zone.
Cornerback Eric Allen was a second-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1988. He was a 16-game starter as a rookie and finished the season with five interceptions. In his second year, he earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors, picking off eight passes in 15 contests.
During his seven seasons with the Birds, Allen totaled 34 interceptions, returning five for scores, and also recovered five fumbles. There were also three postseason interceptions, including a pick-six in the team’s 1992 playoff win at New Orleans. He wound up being named to a total of five Pro Bowls with the Eagles.
Speaking of the Saints, Allen signed with the club in 1995. He was a Pro Bowler his first season with the club despite totaling just a pair of picks. He started every game for the club for three seasons and finished with five interceptions.
Allen was dealt to the Raiders in 1998, a move he reportedly resisted at first. However, he spent four seasons with the Silver and Black. His big year with the team came in 2000, when he picked off six passes and returned three for scores. He finished his NFL career with 54 interceptions, eight taken back for touchdowns.
23. End Lavvie Dilweg
In 1920 came the formation of the American Professional Football Association (APFA). Two years later, it was renamed the National Football League. There has been a total of 103 champions, 46 titles from 1920-65 and the last 57 during the Super Bowl Era.
No franchise has won more league titles than the Green Bay Packers. Their 13 championships include four Super Bowl titles, as well as nine titles prior to that. The franchise became part of the NFL in 1921 and the franchise is well-represented in Canton, Ohio.
One of the team’s early stars was end Lavvie Dilweg, who was a member of the Milwaukee Badgers in 1926 (playing and starting nine games) but joined the Packers a year later after the Badgers dropped out of the league. He would spend the next eight seasons in Green Bay and played for the legendary “Curly” Lambeau. Dilweg played in a total of 107 games, 98 with the Packers.
There are plenty of unofficial statistics in terms of Dilweg’s career receptions and interceptions. What is certain is that he was an All-Pro in his first three seasons with Green Bay and was a three-time NFL champion from 1929-31. Of course, there are also these words from Lambeau himself.
“Dilweg faded out of the picture just about the time the seven-man line went out of fashion, but without question was the greatest end the seven-man line type of defense ever developed.”
22. LB Mike Curtis
A tale of a professional football player tackling a fan who wandered onto the field seems more like something for a motion picture comedy. Of course, it has happened on more than one occasion. Arguably, the most infamous of these incidents came in 1971 at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium, when Colts’ middle linebacker Mike Curtis simply tackled the man with the football.
Another player who was selected in both the NFL (Colts) and AFL (Chiefs) draft, the former Duke University product began his NFL career at fullback but made the move to linebacker. He came into his own in his fourth season in 1968, when he started all 14 games and the team wound up in Super Bowl III.
Curtis was named All-Pro that year and earned the first of what would be four Pro Bowl invitations. Two years later, the Colts would upend the Cowboys in Super Bowl V. He finished with six tackles and his interception late in the fourth quarter set up teammate Jim O’Brien’s game-winning 32-yard field goal.
The relentless performer spent 11 seasons with the Colts. In 1976, “Mad Dog” was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the expansion draft. He played one season in the Pacific Northwest and spent his final two NFL campaigns in Washington.
The intense defender racked up 25 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries, and was credited with 22.5 sacks. Curtis returned three of those 34 takeaways for scores.
21. WR/ST Steve Tasker
When will special teams get their due their proper due in the Pro Football Hall of Fame? Sure, there are players such as quarterback Sammy Baugh, who also excelled as a punter. There’s also Lou “The Toe” Groza, who was not only a battler in the trenches but could get the ball through the uprights.
Currently, there are only two pure placekickers, Jan Stenerud and Morten Andersen, who have a bust in Canton, Ohio. Raiders’ legend Ray Guy is the only pure punter. There’s a lot more to special teams than just kicking. So, what about Steve Tasker, who did a little bit of everything and all of it well during his days with the Buffalo Bills?
A ninth-round pick in 1985 by the Houston Oilers, he was waived in his second year and wound up in Orchard Park during the 1986 season. In 11-plus campaigns in Buffalo, he was named to the Pro Bowl seven times as the AFC’s special teams’ representative.
Tasker was a member of eight Bills’ playoff teams, including those clubs that went to a record four consecutive Super Bowls. It is somewhat hard to statistically quantify what he meant to those squads as a reliable player who was an invaluable part of those kick return and coverage units.
20. G Ed Budde
From 1960-66, the National Football League and American Football League conducted several drafts. That changed in 1967 with the start of the Common Draft, although the merger between the two would not take place on the playing field until 1970.
Like many star prospects, Michigan State guard Ed Budde was coveted by both leagues. On December 1, 1962, the AFL’s Dallas Texans made him the eighth overall pick in their 1963 draft. Two days later, the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles chose him fourth. Budde had a decision to make and he eventually turned to former Spartan teammate and Texans’ tight end Fred Arbanas.
“He said it was a new league, a more exciting league, more wide-open, more passing,” explained Budde (via Rick Gosselin back in 2015). “He talked about ‘Bambi’ (wide receiver Lance Alworth) and all these great receivers. I was impressed with what I saw when I went down there.”
The former Spartan decided to join the soon-to-be Kansas City Chiefs. He spent 14 seasons with the team, which reached Super Bowl I and won Super Bowl IV. Budde would be named to a total of seven AFL All-Star Games/Pro Bowls (6 straight from 1966-71) and earned All-Pro honors during the team’s Super Bowl years in 1966 and ’69. Will he ever receive any Hall of Fame consideration?
19. LB Andy Russell
He was a standout player on those Pittsburgh Steelers teams before head coach Chuck Noll was hired in 1969. Linebacker Andy Russell was a 16th-round pick by the franchise in 1963. The former University of Missouri defender played in every game as a rookie (making 13 starts), totaled a pair of sacks and picked off three passes.
There would be no NFL for the 6-foot-2, 225-pounder defender for the next two years. “In 1964 and 1965,” explained Russell (via Ken Crippen of the National Football Post). “I was in Germany as an Army Lieutenant. I got back in 1966.”
Just as was the case during his debut campaign, Russell did not miss a game in what would be 11 straight seasons. Over that span, he was named to the Pro Bowl seven times. The first invitation came in 1968 and the next six invites were from 1970-75. During his 12 NFL seasons, he amassed 18 interceptions, returning one for a score, and 10 fumble recoveries. He was also credited with 38.0 sacks. The Steelers were a playoff team in each of his final five seasons in the league and were Super Bowl champions in 1974 (IX) and 1975 (X).
In the fourth quarter of Pittsburgh’s 28-10 win over the then-Baltimore Colts in the 1975 AFC Divisional Playoffs, Russell scooped up a fumble by Colts’ quarterback Bert Jones and “raced” 93 yards for a touchdown. It now ranks as the second-longest fumble return in NFL postseason history.
18. WR Reggie Wayne
Longtime Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison ranks fifth in NFL history in career receptions (1,102), ninth in receiving yards (14,580), and only four players in league annals grabbed more touchdown passes (128). He was an eight-time Pro Bowler, a three-time All-Pro and a Super Bowl Champion (XLI) in 13 seasons. Still, the prolific pass-catcher wasn’t elected to the Pro Football on the first ballot and finally got the call from Canton on his third year of eligibility.
Reggie Wayne was Harrison’s teammate for eight seasons. They were one of the great wide receiving tandems in football history and both got plenty of attention from quarterback Peyton Manning. Wayne spent 14 seasons with the Colts and has some pretty serious numbers himself. The 2001 first-round pick from the University of Miami ranks 10th in league history in both catches (1,070) and receiving yards (14,345) while his TD reception total (82) makes him one of “only” 32 players to catch at least 80 passes for scores.
It's also worth noting that Wayne, a six-time Pro Bowler and 2010 All-Pro, was also part of that Super Bowl title team. Speaking of the playoffs, he played in a total of 21 postseason contests and totaled 93 catches for 1,254 yards and nine scores. That included a 53-yard TD pass in the 29-17 win over the Bears in Super Bowl XLI.
17. DB Eddie Meador
Defensive back Eddie Meador was one of the 12 Semifinalists by the Seniors Committee for the Class of 2024. However, he was not named as one of the three Finalists for the Class of 2024.
A seventh-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 1959, the Arkansas Tech product missed only one game in 12 seasons. The six-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro returned five of his 46 interceptions for scores and also recovered 22 fumbles.
Meador, who passed away on September 4, has received ringing endorsements from three men already enshrined in Canton, Ohio, all who were with the 12-year pro at one time with the Rams.
“I always saw Eddie as a tough guy who probably knew more football than most people ever dream about,” said Tom Mack (via Hall of Fame voter Rick Gosselin). “His knowledge of what people were going to do before the ball was snapped as his greatest strength. Smart, instinctive and aggressive are the three words that come to mind when I think of Eddie Meador.”
Defensive tackle Merlin Olsen (via NFL historian John Turney) once stated that his former teammate and noted that he was “outstanding in coverage and a fierce tackler. He had a remarkable nose for the football that allowed him to come up with big plays again and again.”
Head coach George Allen once said of Meador (via Turney) that he was “resourceful and inventive. He made plays you didn't think he could make. He had real leadership qualities and captained the Rams for me.”
16. G Bob Kuechenberg
He was part of a Miami Dolphins franchise that went to three consecutive Super Bowls in the early 1970s. Those last two clubs hoisted Lombardi Trophies in 1972 and ’73. Don Shula’s offenses were led by relentless ground attacks and keyed by superior offensive line play.
The well-schooled blockers for Shula’s team opened holes against some of the better defensive fronts in league annals. No better example was Miami’s domination of Minnesota’s fabled “Purple People Eaters” in Super Bowl VIII. Running back Larry Csonka (the game’s MVP) totaled 145 of the Dolphins’ 196 yards on the ground that afternoon at Rice Stadium.
Shula’s unit was led by a pair of future Pro Football Hall of Famers in center Jim Langer and right guard Larry Little. So, will versatile offensive lineman Bob Kuechenberg have his own bust in Canton, Ohio, one day? He was actually a fourth-round draft choice by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1969. He passed on the NFL to play semi-pro football but signed with the Dolphins a year later. He wound up starting five games during his rookie campaign.
He would proceed to be the team’s primary left guard for most of his final 13 seasons for the franchise, with a stint at left tackle in the late 1970s. He earned Pro Bowl honors six times, including his final two seasons in 1982 and ’83, the latter quarterback Dan Marino’s rookie year, and was an All-Pro performer in 1978.
15. CB Lemar Parrish
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 included three Seniors Committee nominees in Joe Klecko, Chuck Howley and Ken Riley. There were some who certainly considered the latter an interesting decision. Yes, the ball-hawking cornerback racked up 65 interceptions (tied for fifth in NFL history) during his 15 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. Yet, Riley was never named to the Pro Bowl and finally earned All-Pro honors in his final season in 1983.
Some insist that cornerback Lemar Parrish was the better defender. The resume is certainly impressive and bears a closer look. A seventh-round pick from Lincoln University in 1970, he earned Pro Bowl invitations in his first two NFL seasons. In eight seasons with the Bengals, he picked off 25 passes and returned four of those thefts for scores. He also returned three of his 10 fumble recoveries for touchdowns.
When he wasn’t playing defense, he excelled as a return artist. Parrish took back a combined five punts (4) and kickoffs (1) for scores during his days in Cincinnati, where he was a six-time Pro Bowler. In 1978, he was part of a trade that sent him and defensive end Coy Bacon to Washington. In four seasons with his new team, there were a combined 24 takeaways, including 21 interceptions. Parrish twice earned Pro Bowl honors and was an All-Pro selection in 1979. In 1982, he played in seven games for the Bills during that strike-shortened season.
14. QB Roman Gabriel
Both the National Football League and young American Football League coveted this prospect from North Carolina State. The Los Angeles Rams made quarterback Roman Gabriel the second overall pick in the 1962 NFL Draft. The AFL did him one better, selected first overall by the Oakland Raiders.
Gabriel opted to join the more established league and spent 11 seasons in the City of Angels. He did not become the team’s full-time signal-caller until his fifth season but did make a combined 19 starts in his first four years. He threw for a combined 31 scores opposed to 23 interceptions.
Over the next seven seasons, Gabriel put up impressive numbers. He would not miss a game and made 96-of-98 starts. He hit on 52.4 percent of his throws for 17,049 yards and 123 scores and just 89 interceptions. He was named to the Pro Bowl three straight years (1967-69) and in that final season he earned All-Pro honors and was named the league’s MVP.
Gabriel was dealt to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1973 and was named to the Pro Bowl that first year. He tied for the NFL lead with 23 TD passes. In 16 NFL seasons, he threw for a combined 29,444 yards and 52 more touchdown passes (201) than interceptions (149).
13. WR Sterling Sharpe
Wide receiver Sterling Sharpe was part of a first-round wide receiver class in 1988 that included Pro Football Hall of Famers Tim Brown and Michael Irvin.
In seven seasons, he played and started all 112 regular-season games and totaled 595 catches for 8,134 yards and 65 scores. He was named to the Pro Bowl five times and earned All-Pro honors on three occasions. In 1992, he broke the NFL single-season reception total (held by Art Monk) with 108 catches and also led the league in receiving yards (1,461) and TD grabs (13). A year later, he became the first player to total 100-plus receptions (112) in consecutive seasons.
“He was the star,” explained former Packers’ head coach and 49ers’ assistant Mike Holmgren (via Hall of Fame voter Clark Judge of Talk of Fame Two), “one of the few bright spots in Green Bay when I went in there. I had the privilege of being around and coaching Jerry Rice, who is acknowledged to be the best receiver ever…and Sterling would be No. 2. I mean, he’s right up there had a neck injury not ended his career early.
“We went in there, and we were still finding our way, and he caught 100 balls with a young quarterback. He could do anything he wanted, and I’m surprised he hasn’t gone in sooner.”
Tight end Shannon Sharpe, Sterling’s younger brother, gave us one of the most stirring enshrinement speeches in Pro Football Hall of Fame annals in 2011. Could he one day return to Canton for another ceremony?
12. CB Albert Lewis
Talented defensive back Albert Lewis was a finalist in his final year of eligibility as a Modern-Era Player in 2023. He was also one of the 12 Semifinalists this summer when it came to the Seniors Committee’s nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
He will have to wait at least another year. He was a third-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in 1983. The former Grambling product would spend 16 years in the NFL and all of those in the AFC West. After 11 seasons with the Chiefs, he joined the Raiders in 1994 and spent five years with the Silver and Black.
Lewis’ resume in terms of a defensive player and special teams threat is indeed impressive. The four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro (all during his days with Kansas City) totaled 42 interceptions, 13 fumble recoveries, 12.5 sacks and 13 forced fumbles. All but four of those 42 picks came with the Chiefs. As NFL historian John Turney points out, Lewis also excelled when it came to blocking punts.
The 16-year performer could be a candidate to keep an eye on a year from now when the Seniors Committee reconvenes. There seems to be a little bit of momentum on his side, which wasn’t the case for a very long time.
11. LB Maxie Baughan
A look at his career resumé and it’s somewhat mind-boggling he hasn’t earned for consideration. Georgia Tech defender Maxie Baughan was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round (20th overall) of the 1960 NFL Draft. He was also chosen by the AFL’s Oakland Raiders that year.
He made an immediate splash. Baughan started all 12 games for head coach “Buck” Shaw, one that won an NFL championship that year. He also earned Pro Bowl honors as a rookie and in six seasons with the franchise, he was accorded those accolades five times. Baughan was also an All-Pro selection in 1964.
The standout performer was dealt to the Los Angeles Rams and spent five seasons playing for Hall of Fame coach George Allen. He was a Pro Bowler his first four seasons with the club. Baughan retired following the 1970 seasons but came back in 1974 to play in two games for Allen in Washington.
“One of things so admirable about Johnny Unitas was his on the field leadership and play calling,” explained then-Washington Redskins’ president Bruce Allen (George Allen’s son). “Maxie had the identical profile on the other side of the ball.” (via Rick Gosselin in 2015).
Baughan’s career numbers include 18 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries. He’s also credited with 24.5 sacks via Pro Football Reference. Sadly, Baughan passed away on Saturday, August 19, at the age of 85.
10. DE Jim Marshall
There are some who feel that this 20-year veteran is somehow be punished for the failures of his team to perform well in Super Bowls. Of course, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is supposed to be about individual performance, not team accomplishments.
Then again, there are those who feel that one of the most heralded “bloopers” in football history is being held against a player who is the co-owner of the NFL record (with Hall of Famer Jason Taylor) for opponents’ fumble recoveries (29).
In 1964 vs. San Francisco, Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall picked up a fumble by the 49ers' Billy Kilmer and raced 66 yards to the wrong end zone. He scored a safety for the Niners. However, it ended well for the Vikings because they wound up winning the game.
Of course, Marshall did a lot more than that during a career that lasted two decades. Originally a fourth-round pick by the Browns in 1960, he was sent to the expansion Vikings a year later. In 19 years with the Purple Gang, he played and started an amazing 270 games. In fact, he never missed a contest during his NFL career (282). He’s credited with 130.5 sacks, one interception and those aforementioned 29 opponent fumble recoveries.
This member of the “Purple People Eaters” was named to only two Pro Bowls. A product of playing with Pro Football Hall of Famers Alan Page and Carl Eller?
9. DB/KR/WR Devin Hester
When you do something better than anyone else in the history of professional football, there’s probably no real good explanation as to why a player wasn’t a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer.
In the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears opted for University of Miami “defensive back” Devin Hester. His real forte was on special teams and he wasted little time showing everyone who watched just how special he was. In each of his first two seasons, he earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors.
As a rookie, he set a new NFL mark with five combined kick returns for scores. That doesn’t include his 92-yard return for a TD on the opening kickoff of Super Bowl XLI. It also doesn’t include (because it’s not a kick return) a 108-yard touchdown return of a missed field goal by the Giants’ Jay Feely that season.
A year later, he rewrote the NFL record book again with six combined kick returns for touchdowns. All told, Hester owns league career records for most punt returns for scores (14) and combined kick returns (19). He was a Pro Bowler and All-Pro three times in his first five NFL seasons with Chicago and also earned a Pro Bowl invite with the Falcons in 2014. For good measure, he also racked up 3,427 yards rushing and receiving and scored 17 touchdowns.
Just for kicks, here’s one other note. Hester was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Teams of both the 2000s and 2010s (via the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee).
8. RB Roger Craig
A second-round draft choice in 1983 from the University of Nebraska, Roger Craig enjoyed a solid rookie season. He totaled 1,152 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns. A year later, Bill Walsh’s team finished 15-1 and advanced to Super Bowl XIX. Craig became the first player to score three touchdowns on Super Sunday in a 38-16 win over the Miami Dolphins.
In his third season, he became the first player in league annals to total at least 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season. He amassed 2,066 total yards from scrimmage and 15 TDs while being named to his first Pro Bowl. All told, the versatile performer would spend eight seasons in San Francisco and all of those campaigns resulted in playoff appearances, including two more Super Bowl victories in 1988 (XXIII) and ’89 (XXIV).
“Roger was perfect for the Bill Walsh system of offense,” said former 49ers’ assistant Mike Holmgren (via Clark Judge Jr. of Talk of Fame Two), because he was a great runner, yet he was a great pass receiver. He could catch a lot of balls and do all sorts of things…As far as a combination of that back, he never really had to come out of the game. If you wanted to do something, Roger was the guy…”
Craig, a four-time Pro Bowler and 1988 All-Pro with the Niners, finished his career with stints with the Raiders and Vikings. His total body of work adds up to 13,100 yards from scrimmage and 73 TDs. There’s also 1,447 yards from scrimmage and nine scores in 18 postseason contests.
7. OLB Clay Matthews Jr.
His brother Bruce, the ninth overall pick in the fabled 1983 NFL Draft, was enshrined in Canton Ohio back in 2007. The 14-time Pro Bowler and seven-time All-Pro, who at one time started at all five positions on the offensive line, spent all of his 19 seasons in the league with the Houston Oilers/turned Tennessee Titans.
Many feel that Bruce’s older brother Clay Matthews Jr. deserves a bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as well. There are some other similarities. Both came from USC and both were first-round picks, with Clay being the 12th overall pick in 1978. Both played 19 NFL seasons, only the older Matthews spent his first 16 years with the Cleveland Browns and the last three with the Atlanta Falcons.
Clay Matthews totaled at least 100 tackles eight times. The four-time Pro Bowler finished with 82.5 sacks, 27 forced fumbles, 16 interceptions and 14 fumble recoveries. He was part of eight teams that reached the postseason, including those three Browns’ squads that fell short in the AFC Championship Game in 1986, 1987 and ’89.
The closest Clay Matthews Jr. was a Senior Committee Semifinalist for the Class of 2024 but failed to reach the next round. Who knows what the future holds for the durable defender?
6. DE Jared Allen
It didn’t take NFL offensive lines long to figure out just what defensive end Jared Allen excelled at. A fourth-round draft choice by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2004, he appeared in 15 games and made 10 starts. The Idaho State product finished with 31 tackles and led the team with nine sacks.
Allen was just getting warmed up. Over the next three seasons, the 6’6”, 270-pound specimen played in 46 regular-season contests and amassed a combined 34.0 quarterback traps. He led the NFL with 15.5 sacks in 2007. There were also 14 forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries, one interception while Allen was credited with 26 passes defensed.
The Chiefs wound up giving Allen the franchise tag in 2008 but the parties couldn’t come to terms and he was dealt to Minnesota. The Vikings gave up plenty to get the 2007 Pro Bowler and All-Pro and weren’t disappointed. In six seasons with the Purple Gang, he was named to four more Pro Bowls and earned All-Pro accolades three more times.
He never missed a game with the club, and totaled an impressive 85.5 sacks, 16 forced fumbles, 13 takeaways (two returned for scores) and 25 more passes defensed. Allen was also credited with four safeties. He finished with at least 11.0 sacks in each of his six seasons in the Twin Cities.
There would be stints with the Bears and Panthers in his final two years in the NFL. It all added up to 136.0 sacks, 32 forced fumbles, six interceptions and 19 fumble recoveries. Allen has been a Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist each of the last three years. It seems like just a matter of time before he makes the trip to Canton.
5. T Joe Jacoby
Under Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Joe Gibbs, the then-Washington Redskins amassed an impressive 124-60 regular-season record and 16-5 postseason mark from 1981-92. The club made four Super Bowl appearances over that span and won three Lombardi Trophies with three different starting quarterbacks.
Along with Gibbs, there were two other notable newcomers who joined the organization in ’81. Versatile University of Pittsburgh blocker Russ Grimm was a third-round pick that year, and he would spend 11 seasons with the club. The four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
Also in 1981, offensive lineman Joe Jacoby signed with Washington as an undrafted free agent. Along with Grimm, the 6’7”, 305-pound specimen from the University of Louisville would become pivotal parts of one of the best and arguably the most publicized offensive lines in NFL history.
Jacoby was Washington’s primary left tackle during his first eight seasons. He would also see action at right tackle as well as guard. Similar to Grimm, he would be named to four Pro Bowls. He also earned All-Pro honors in 1983 and ’84. The 13-year performer was one of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Seniors Committee’s 12 Semifinalists this year but was not one of the three finalists.
4. LB Tommy Nobis
He was not only the first player taken in the 1966 NFL Draft he was the first-ever draft choice of the Atlanta Falcons. University of Texas linebacker Tommy Nobis joined the league’s latest expansion franchise and wasted little time showing why he was so highly regarded.
He started every game for the team in each of its first three seasons, was named to the Pro Bowl each year and was also accorded All-Pro honors in his second pro campaign in 1967.
Injuries would soon become an issue. He missed nine games in 1969 but rebounded to be named to a fourth Pro Bowl the following year. In 1971, he once again went down with a knee injury but came back one season later and was a Pro Bowler for the fifth time.
Nobis played a total of 11 seasons with the Falcons and came up with 25 takeaways, including a dozen interceptions. However, the club failed to reach the playoffs during his tenure with the franchise.
Talk about a ringing endorsement? Pro Football Hall of Fame center Jim Otto once had this to say about the overlooked Falcons’ linebacker (via Hall of Fame voter Rick Gosselin). “I played against (Dick) Butkus and Nobis, and I don’t think there was 30 seconds difference between them. Butkus, Nobis and Willie Lanier were the best.”
Two of those gentlemen have busts in Canton, Ohio. However, the wait continues for one of the game’s best middle linebackers.
3. LB Randy Gradishar
He is one of the three Seniors Committee’s finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024. Denver Broncos linebacker Randy Gradishar was not only a tackling machine, he always seemed to be in the right place at the right time.
The 14th overall pick in the 1974 NFL Draft, the former Ohio State standout was part of an emerging unit. Along with talented performers such as outside linebacker Tom Jackson, defensive end Lyle Alzado, cornerback Louis Wright, and safety Billy Thompson, this would be a group that morphed into the fabled “Orange Crush” in 1977.
That season, Red Miller’s club stunned the league with a 12-2 record and an appearance in Super Bowl XII. The rangy Gradishar earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors that season. In 1978, he not only duplicated those feats but was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Gradishar never missed a game in 10 NFL seasons. He was named to a total of seven Pro Bowls and earned All-Pro honors twice. His career numbers included 20 interceptions, three returned for scores, 13 fumble recoveries (one TD) while being credited with 19.5 sacks. As of August 23, he’s one step closer to Canton, Ohio.
2. QB Ken Anderson
He played primarily in an era in which defenses were allowed to make life miserable for opposing pass catchers. Yet, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson somehow managed to be accurate and precise, even with the likes of the “Steel Curtain” defense breathing down his neck twice a year.
The team from the Queen City first took the field as an AFL expansion club in 1968. In its fourth year of existence, the franchise used a third-round pick in 1971 to select Anderson from Augustana (Illinois).
He became the club’s primary starter in his second season and held the job for more than a decade. In 16 seasons with the team, he threw for 32,838 yards, 197 scores and 160 interceptions. Anderson led the Bengals to the playoffs four times and was not only the NFL’s Most Valuable Player but the league’s Offensive Player of the Year in 1981 when the franchise reached its first Super Bowl.
The four-time Pro Bowler also led the NFL in passer rating four times and completion percentage on three occasions.
In August, cornerback Ken Riley became just the second primary Bengals player, along with tackle Anthony Munoz, to be enshrined in Canton, Ohio. Anderson was one of the 12 Senior Semifinalists for the Class of 2024. He seems to be inching closer.
1. DE L.C. Greenwood
Unlike a number of star performers on this impressive list, Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive end L.C. Greenwood didn’t even make the initial 31 Semifinalists by the Pro Football Hall of Fame Seniors Committee in mid-July. That is somewhat mystifying considering what the four-time Super Bowl champion and big-play performer accomplished during his 13-year NFL career.
In 1969, the team hired Chuck Noll to be their head coach. With the fourth overall pick in the draft that year, the Steelers opted for defensive tackle Joe Greene. In the 10th round, Pittsburgh opted for 6’6”, 245-pound defensive end L.C. Greenwood from Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The duo would play together for all 13 seasons and were the cornerstones of the fabled “Steel Curtain” defensive front.
Of course, Greene was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 1987. Meanwhile, Greenwood finished his career credited with 78.0 regular-season sacks. He earned six Pro Bowl invitations and was named All-Pro in 1974 and ’75. However, it was in the postseason that the man with the golden shoes really excelled.
In the club’s 16-6 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IX, the lanky defender spent the day harassing quarterback Fran Tarkenton and batted down many of his throws. A year later against the Dallas Cowboys, he was credited (unofficially) with four of the team’s seven sacks of quarterback Roger Staubach in a 21-17 win. All told, Greenwood played in 18 postseason games and is credited with 12.5 sacks.
The 1970s Steelers’ defense is well-represented in the Hall of Fame. There’s Greene, linebackers Jack Ham and Jack Lambert, cornerback Mel Blount and safety Donnie Shell. Will Greenwood’s day in the Canton sun ever come?