Just read this story again, and can see why some of the voters think the effort on Kraft's part come off as just too needy.
Not that he doesn't deserve to go in, but if I were a voters I'd be sick of the push
Pro Football Hall of Fame 2025
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Not that he doesn't deserve to go in, but if I were a voters I'd be sick of the push
Sure I guess? I don't think anybody on the committee really puts much weight on number of SBs, or moving teams. I think you are underselling the TV deal... that was the deal that changed the future of the NFL (and amusingly of on-air TV), sure Kraft was a public figure in the labor negotiations, and that's part of his case. He has a good one. I will say that the labor deal was nowhere near the importance of the TV realignment. FOX obliterated previous numbers, and CBS got shut out, that meant the next bidding CBS came in huge, the TV deal doubled and shut out NBC, who then came back in the next one with huge money which caused another almost 50% increase. There is a good case that TV deal is what made the NFL what it is today (for better or worse)... it also changed the TV landscape from a big 3 to a big 4.
Sure, Kraft has been a significant contributor in some ways, but at the same time most of his impact on the league overall is just winning and it's pretty clear that winning isn't that high on how they rate "contributors". So a lot of his case comes down to how much you attribute labor deals to him... and how important you think they are.
Kraft is a guy who if he got in.... good pick, if he doesn't get in... sure, he's just an owner, not like he was a founder of the league, and he didn't become a major player in leaguewide things until after the period where the NFL developed. It's not some indefensible snub to not put him in... he's more Phil Simms than Joe Montana or Johnny Unitas. A guy who should be on the shortlist, but isn't a shoe in pick for a limited space.
This is where I'm at as well - Kraft is an okay pick, but not some egregious oversight. Jones completely changed the business of the NFL. Not just the TV deal, but also allowing teams to have marketing deals separate from the NFL as a whole, starting the explosion of teams marketing themselves. Heck, the Collective Bargaining Agreement has a specific Dallas Cowboys carve-out because of Jones (it says that "Revenues derived from wholesale merchandising opportunities (i.e., the manufacture and distribution of merchandise to third-party retailers) conducted by Dallas Cowboys Merchandising (“DCM”) other than any related royalty payments to any League entity, Club or Club Affiliate" do not count towards revenue calculations for salary cap purposes).
Also to me being the owner of a winning team should count for almost nothing in terms of contributions to the game - I already think it's stupid that the first person to pick up the Lombardi is the team owner.
That was all a giant misunderstanding, the Falcons HOF voters were asked to fill in the blanks.
It’s weird how the NFL HOF leaves out really, really good players, every year. While the MLB HOF seems to add a good, but not great players almost every year.
I think you could pick 5 names out of a hat from that list and not be embarrassed about any one. Except for Eli.
How about only OLine: Anderson, Evans, Webb, Wizniewski, Randa. That’s a lot of high quality there.
How about only DBs: Woodson, Thomas, Rodney H, E Allen. No complaints there.
Defensive front 7? J Allen, J Harrison, Keuchley, Suggs, Wilfork
I think you could pick 5 names out of a hat from that list and not be embarrassed about any one. Except for Eli.
How about only OLine: Anderson, Evans, Webb, Wizniewski, Randa. That’s a lot of high quality there.
How about only DBs: Woodson, Thomas, Rodney H, E Allen. No complaints there.
Defensive front 7? J Allen, J Harrison, Keuchley, Suggs, Wilfork
Better just wait for him to die and then put him in. Ralph Hay was so HoF worthy it only took him a 100 years to get in. I’m more of a Small Hall person but the NFL HoF is so fucked up.
Five individuals have reached the Finalist stage across three categories for possible election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2025 presented by Visual Edge IT.
Moving within one step of inclusion in the next class of enshrinees are Ralph Hay (Contributor), Mike Holmgren (Coach), and Maxie Baughan, Sterling Sharpe and Jim Tyrer (Seniors). The remaining bar to clear: approval from at least 80% of the members of the full Selection Committee at their annual meeting next year in advance of the class unveiling during Super Bowl LIX week in New Orleans, La.
https://www.nfl.com/news/contributor-coach-senior-finalists-revealed-for-pro-football-hall-of-fame-class-of-2025
Moving within one step of inclusion in the next class of enshrinees are Ralph Hay (Contributor), Mike Holmgren (Coach), and Maxie Baughan, Sterling Sharpe and Jim Tyrer (Seniors). The remaining bar to clear: approval from at least 80% of the members of the full Selection Committee at their annual meeting next year in advance of the class unveiling during Super Bowl LIX week in New Orleans, La.
https://www.nfl.com/news/contributor-coach-senior-finalists-revealed-for-pro-football-hall-of-fame-class-of-2025
Ken Anderson has an MVP, led the league in passer rating four times (in a cold-weather city with 2/3 others in the division) and the most AV of anyone not in the HOF who's eligible besides Jim Marshall. How does he not even make the finalist round?
Maybe because he overlapped with so many HOF QBs (Montana, Marino, Elway, Fouts, Kelly and Young), although Young didn’t start for the 49ers until 1991. Anderson didn’t have the notoriety the others did. Playing for Cincinnati probably didn’t hep his cause either.
The only one in that list who was largely his contemporary is Fouts, who put up bigger raw numbers in a much easier environment (both weather-wise and not having to play the Steel Curtain twice a year - not to mention Anderson greatly outplayed him in their most famous meeting). His best season was also a strike year. Anderson is obviously hurt by not playing for a marquee franchise or winning a Super Bowl, but he absolutely deserves to be in.
By the time Anderson became eligible (1992) that “golden age of quarterbacks” was mostly established and Anderson probably paled in the eyes of the HOF voters compared with them. I don’t know, there are always guys that don’t make sense getting in or not. It could still be made right, but I guess it’s not happening.
Even though he died, I would still love to see Gino get voted in someday. The AFL's leading scorer and one of its best wide receivers and place kickers.
Finalists
- Eric Allen, Cornerback – 1988-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders
- Jared Allen, Defensive End – 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers
- Willie Anderson, Tackle – 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens
- Jahri Evans, Guard – 2006-2016 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay Packers
- Antonio Gates, Tight End – 2003-2018 San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers
- Torry Holt, Wide Receiver – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars
- Luke Kuechly, Linebacker – 2012-19 Carolina Panthers
- Eli Manning, Quarterback – 2004-2019 New York Giants
- Steve Smith Sr., Wide Receiver – 2001-2013 Carolina Panthers, 2014-16 Baltimore Ravens
- Terrell Suggs, Outside Linebacker/Defensive End – 2003-2018 Baltimore Ravens, 2019 Arizona Cardinals, 2019 Kansas City Chiefs
- Fred Taylor, Running Back – 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2009-2010 New England Patriots
- Adam Vinatieri, Kicker – 1996-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-2019 Indianapolis Colts
- Reggie Wayne, Wide Receiver – 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts
- Darren Woodson, Safety – 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys
- Marshal Yanda, Guard/Tackle – 2007-2019 Baltimore Ravens
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Missing out:
Eric Allen, CB- Anquan Boldin, WR
- James Harrison, LB
- Rodney Harrison, S
- Robert Mathis, DE/LB
- Earl Thomas, DB*
- Hines Ward, WR
- Ricky Watters, RB
- Richmond Webb, T
- Vince Wilfork, DT
- Steve Wisniewski, G
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Im really surprised to see Fred Taylor make it to the finalists list as well. I loved him back in my Fantasy Football college years, but he never even finished Top 5 in rushing yards once and only even made 1 Pro Bowl.
That one is shocking. In no way should he ever be a finalist at any point. Never thought highly of him.