Hall of Fame class of 2017

[AB in DC]

Semifinalists announced,

Ty Law is on the list again -- I wonder if he'll make the cut this time.

1. Morten Anderson, kicker (New Orleans Saints, 1982-1994; Atlanta Falcons, 1995-2000; 2006-07;New York Giants, 2001; Kansas City Chiefs, 2002-03; Minnesota Vikings, 2004)
2. Steve Atwater, safety (Denver Broncos, 1989-1998; New York Jets, 1999)
3. Tony Boselli, offensive tackle (Jacksonville Jaguars, 1995-2001; Houston Texans, 2002)
4. Isaac Bruce, wide receiver (Los Angeles Rams, 1994; St. Louis Rams, 1995-2007; San Francisco 49ers, 2008-09)
5. Don Coryell, coach (St. Louis Cardinals, 1973-77; San Diego Chargers, 1978-1986)
6. Roger Craig, running back (San Francisco 49ers, 1983-1990; Los Angeles Raiders, 1991;Minnesota Vikings, 1992-93)
7. Terrell Davis, running back (Denver Broncos, 1995-2001)
8. Brian Dawkins, safety (Philadelphia Eagles, 1996-2008; Denver Broncos, 2009-2011)
9. Alan Faneca, guard (Pittsburgh Steelers, 1998-2007; New York Jets, 2008-09; Arizona Cardinals, 2010)
10. Chris Hinton, offensive tackle/guard (Baltimore Colts, 1983; Indianapolis Colts, 1984-89; Atlanta Falcons, 1990-93; Minnesota Vikings, 1994-95)
11. Torry Holt, wide receiver (St. Louis Rams, 1999-2008; Jacksonville Jaguars, 2009)
12. Joe Jacoby, offensive tackle (Washington Redskins, 1981-1993)
13. Edgerrin James, running back (Indianapolis Colts, 1999-2005; Arizona Cardinals, 2006-08;Seattle Seahawks, 2009)
14. Jimmy Johnson, coach (Dallas Cowboys, 1989-1993; Miami Dolphins, 1996-99)
15. Mike Kenn, offensive tackle (Atlanta Falcons, 1978-1994)
16. Ty Law, cornerback (New England Patriots, 1995-2004; New York Jets, 2005, '08; Kansas City Chiefs, 2006-07; Denver Broncos, 2009)
17. John Lynch, safety (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1993-2003; Denver Broncos, 2004-07)
18. Clay Matthews, linebacker Cleveland Browns, 1978-1993; Atlanta Falcons, 1994-96)
19. Kevin Mawae, center (Seattle Seahawks, 1994-97; New York Jets, 1998-2005; Tennessee Titans, 2006-09)
20. Karl Mecklenburg, linebacker (Denver Broncos, 1983-1994)
21. Terrell Owens, wide receiver (San Francisco 49ers, 1996-2003; Philadelphia Eagles, 2004-05;Dallas Cowboys, 2006-08; Buffalo Bills, 2009; Cincinnati Bengals, 2010)
22. Jason Taylor, defensive end (Miami Dolphins, 1997-2007, '09, 2011; Washington Redskins, 2008;New York Jets, 2010)
23. LaDainian, Tomlinson, running back (San Diego Chargers, 2001-09; New York Jets, 2010-11)
24. Hines Ward, wide receiver (Pittsburgh Steelers, 1998-2011)
25. Kurt Warner, quarterback (St. Louis Rams, 1998-2003; New York Giants, 2004; Arizona Cardinals, 2005-09)
26. Darren Woodson, safety (Dallas Cowboys, 1992-2003)

I'd say Terrell Owens and Jason Taylor are definites. At least one of the safeties, not sure which. Mawae or Faneca or Boselli on OL?

 

[kenneycb]

I'd say Tomlinson has a pretty strong case. Taylor should be a lock. TO might get hurt by the nature of him being TO but he should be in IMO. I feel like Boselli's career was too short to be HoF eligible. Rest is kind of a crapshoot.

 

[johnmd20]

Tomlinson is a lock, in my opinion. TO should be in, too, but you're right, the TO factor might delay him. And I think Kurt Warner should be in but understand why he's on the bubble.

This class has a lot of guys who could make it. Dawkins, Lynch, Mawae, Law, Taylor, Anderson, Craig. Solid year.

 

[nolasoxfan]

No love for Don Coryell?

 

[coremiller]

Taylor and Tomlinson are easy choices. Owens should be too but there are enough people that hate his guts that it might stop him from getting in.

As always with the PFHOF, there are more deserving guys than there are spots. That makes it hard to vote for borderline guys at over-represented positions (Warner, James, Craig, Bruce, Holt, Ward, Davis all fall into this group for me) when the Hall so desperately needs more linemen.

I've head enough football people rave bout Tony Boselli that I've been convinced he should be in -- quite a few people consider him the best LT of his generation, just as good or even better than Pace, Ogden, Jones, and Roaf. He doesn't have the longevity because he got hurt, but he had a super-high peak. The best comp for him is Dwight Stephenson, another dominant offensive lineman who got in despite having his career cut short by injury.

Faneca seems like he should be an easy choice as well. He was a 6-time 1st-team all-pro, and was the best player in the league at his position for an extended time.

So that would be my five: Taylor, Tomlinson, Owens, Boselli, Faneca. Next man up would probably be Dawkins, whom among the safeties I much prefer to Lynch or Atwater.

Law is pretty borderline. He wasn't as good as contemporaries Charles Woodson, Champ Bailey, or Aeneas Williams (Williams is already in, and the other two are locks), and he doesn't really stand out from the second tier of top CBs from that era like Sam Madison, Ronde Barber, and Troy Vincent. I'd be surprised if he gets in. There are more deserving candidates.

 

[Rick Burlesons Yam Bag]

Taylor and Tomlinson are easy choices. Owens should be too but there are enough people that hate his guts that it might stop him from getting in.

As always with the PFHOF, there are more deserving guys than there are spots. That makes it hard to vote for borderline guys at over-represented positions (Warner, James, Craig, Bruce, Holt, Ward, Davis all fall into this group for me) when the Hall so desperately needs more linemen.

I've head enough football people rave bout Tony Boselli that I've been convinced he should be in -- quite a few people consider him the best LT of his generation, just as good or even better than Pace, Ogden, Jones, and Roaf. He doesn't have the longevity because he got hurt, but he had a super-high peak. The best comp for him is Dwight Stephenson, another dominant offensive lineman who got in despite having his career cut short by injury.

Faneca seems like he should be an easy choice as well. He was a 6-time 1st-team all-pro, and was the best player in the league at his position for an extended time.

So that would be my five: Taylor, Tomlinson, Owens, Boselli, Faneca. Next man up would probably be Dawkins, whom among the safeties I much prefer to Lynch or Atwater.

Law is pretty borderline. He wasn't as good as contemporaries Charles Woodson, Champ Bailey, or Aeneas Williams (Williams is already in, and the other two are locks), and he doesn't really stand out from the second tier of top CBs from that era like Sam Madison, Ronde Barber, and Troy Vincent. I'd be surprised if he gets in. There are more deserving candidates.

I can't add anything of value to this. Great analysis. I would be horrified if Owens didn't make it because, to me, there were less than a handful of receivers who were better than him all-time......maybe only one.