Sports Reference Blog

Pro Football Hall Of Fame Finalists Updated

Posted by Mike on January 11, 2013

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2013 Finalists have been announced & updated on our site.

6 Responses to “Pro Football Hall Of Fame Finalists Updated”

  1. Ric Says:

    What a crock! Phil Simms should be in the HOF. He was better than several QBs already in the HOF.

  2. Packerfan4ver Says:

    Out of the 15 names announced, I don't think Debartolo,Modell, Parcells, Sapp, Shields, Charles Haley. Kevin Greene, Aeneas Williams have a shot to be voted into the 2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

    The problem with Will Shields is Larry Allen also played the same position and Larry is the better player. Once Larry is in, then Will Shields will get in. The other thing is Ogden I think is good enough to be a first ballot Hall of fame player and that means there would be 2 offensive linemen players in the hall for one class and I don't see the voters putting 3 in one class.

    Sapp is not a first ballot Hall of Fame player and I don't think he's the best defensive player out that 2002 Tampa Bay team. I think Brooks is the best defensively player of Tampa Bay and should be a first ballot hall of fame player. Sapp was a great player for part of his career and I think he has a chance to be voted in for 2014 since the defensive ends on the ballot don't stick out really outside of Charles Haley after Strahan gets in.

    I don't think Charles Haley will get in this year because Strahan is the better the two players and Strahan also is the best defensive lineman out of the 3 defensive linemen on the ballot. I have Strahan going in matter of fact. I think Haley will have a good chance getting in before Jason Taylor becomes eligible because Kevin Greene has some stiff challengers from the linebacker position in Derrick Brooks and Zach Thomas. Seau shows up on the ballot in 2014 than.

    The Wide Receivers is a toss up, but I think one of them needs to get in because Marvin Harrison should be on the next ballot for the 2014 class. If the voters don't get a wide receiver in this year, there is something wrong. Carter, and Reed are players that should have went in years ago. I don't think there should be 4 wide receivers that are finalists in one year out of 15. I think Reed is going to be voted into the Hall of Fame this year.

    Jerome Bettis is a given to be in this year. His stats do the talking on why. If Jerome gets in, the 2014 class would be interesting for running backs since Edgerrin James isn't eligible before the 2015 class. I am saying that because the voters have Davis, Craig and I think possibly Corey Dillon in the top 25 players for 2014 class ballot.

    Kevin Greene doesn't have a chance this year because of who is on this ballot and the fact Strahan is one the ballot doesn't help matters. Once Strahan is voted into the Hall of Fame, the Defensive line candidates look a bit weaker before Jason Taylor is eligible. The problem is Derrick Brooks and Zach Thomas is eligible to be on the ballot this year for the 2014 Hall of Fame Class. Seau is eligible to be on the ballot in 2014

    Aeneas Williams problem is the other players on the ballot for this year. I think Williams could get in next year depending on who is the ballot and who gets in this year.

  3. Packerfan4ver Says:

    I don't buy Phil Simms should be in the Hall of Fame. Phil Simms not being goes to multiple factors. Phil had a good career. Phil only was a 2 time pro bowl player and the 2nd thing is where Phil ranks for Quarterbacks of the 1980's. Phil won a Super Bowl, but winning 1 Super Bowl shouldn't mean a Quarterback should get into the hall without looking the regular season. If Simms was the starting Quarterback for all of 1991 and 1992, I think tha

    When Simms played, Montana, Marino,Fouts, Esiason was better than Simms in the 1980's. I can say the same thing about Elway being better than Simms. The Broncos didn't have a supporting cast from an offensive standpoint back in the 1980's with Elway. Esiason was a better Quarterback in the 1980's then he was in the 1990's. If played like he did back in the 1980's in the 1990's, he would have been in Canton.

    I think John Hadl, Ken Anderson, and Ken Stabler have a better argument to go to the Hall of Fame than Simms.

  4. Packerfan4ver Says:

    There is one thing with Quarterbacks I think post 1 byforgot about in terms of why stats Phil Simms looks great compare to other Hall of Fame Quarterbacks. You really can't compare Quarterbacks from the 1930's or 1940's to Phil Simms. It was a much different game in the 1930's and 1940's. The size of the footballs were much different in that era besides the fact how primitive the passing routes were in that era also. Don Hutson came from that era and there was no one close to him before the late 1940's with players like Tom Fears came a long.

    NFL football in the 1950's and 1960's for a good amount of teams were run first and there was still no Mel Blount Rule to help out the Wide Receivers before 1978. AFL was different for passing, but didn't have the Mel Blount Rule.

    Quarterback that played the 1970's before 1978 were playing in an era that wasn't pass friendly.

    When Simms was drafted, the league already had the Mel Blount Rule.

    If Ric thinks Phil is better than Troy Aikman, there is a problem.Troy was in an offense that was more able the run than the pass and more like a 1950's or 1960's offense for the most part except the Mel Blount rule.

    The fact the best way to compare Quarterbacks in the same era. The fact Today's Quarterbacks can't be compared to the 1980's Quarterbacks because the difference today's game is. Back in the 1980's a 4,000 yard season, or 30 touchdown passes in a year was not quite as a common as it is today.

  5. Packerfan4ver Says:

    I do know that Simms was the MVP of Super Bowl 21 and I remembered him playing a great game during that Super Bowl.

    Simms did not have a lot seasons that you could say he was a top 3 Quarterback of the league. Winning a MVP doesn't change in a quarterback is a hall of fame Quarterback or not, but it will improve a player's legacy. Lets take a lot a the players that were Super MVP's in terms of what it means to their Career when it comes to Quarterbacks.

    Bart Starr- He was a 2 time MVP, but I think Bart already was Pro Football Hall of Fame bound. He was a NFL MVP in 1966, and already played in 4 Championship games before Super Bowl 1 including 3 wins.

    Joe Namath - I don't the MVP was the reason he got in. His "Guarantee win" was really one the reason he was in the Hall of Fame besides besides the Jets win bringing credibility to the Super Bowl from a competitive standpoint.

    Len Dawson - He already was a hall of fame Player. His MVP was icing on the cake. He was the best one of the Quarterback's in the 1960's.

    Roger Staubach - It was one of Roger's biggest moments ever as a player, but what he did after 1971 was season is what got him into the Hall of Fame. Roger was one of the Best quarterbacks in the 1970's.

    Terry Bradshaw- I don't think He'll be in Canton without the playoffs. Terry doesn't have a great Touchdown-interception ratio despite being a top 5 Quarterback of the 1970's. The two Super Bowl MVP's he got did play a roll, but he already was making a legacy by going to his 3rd Super Bowl.

    Jim Plunkett- His MVP didn't do a thing for canton. His Regular Season Stats is the reason he's not in.

    Joe Montana- The MVP's add to his mystique, but not as much as a person thinks. Joe was best Quarterback of the 1980's with his 2 league MVP's. What made Joe his legacy was not the MVP's, but the all the comeback's he did including the "catch" and the Super Bowl 23 drive.

    Phil Simms- His Regular season accomplishments didn't do enough for taking advantage of his Super Bowl MVP. If Phil took the Giants to Super Bowl 25, then he might he might have been looked differently for Hall of Fame since he was better than Plunkett.

    Doug Williams- Doug never was Hall of Fame Quarterback. Washington had great Wide Receivers, and a great line.

    Mark Rypien - He had 2 pro bowl seasons as a QB, but wasn't considered a Hall of Fame player for a reason. His Receivers made him.

    Troy Aikman - Troy got to the Pro Bowl 6 times and he was one the best the Quarterbacks of the 1990's despite what his stats say. He was known his accuracy. I don't think a Super Bowl MVP didn't play much as role as his Playoff Success for the Hall of Fame.

    Steve Young - He already was a 2 time league MVP before the Super Bowl. His Super Bowl MVP did nothing for why he isn't the Hall of Fame because he already did enough at the time and what his seasons from 1995 to 1998 did also. Steve's Super Bowl Performance and MVP did was add to his legacy as a player that replace Joe Montana.

    John Elway - His Super MVP didn't a role at all for him being in the Hall of Fame. John already was a Hall of Fame player by 1998. John winning the Super Bowl against the Packers changed his reputation as one of the best players ever without a Super Bowl win.

    Kurt Warner- I really don't if a Super MVP would matter. Kurt was a 2 time League MVP. Kurt's legacy is basically 5 seasons and it isn't know if that's enough for the Hall of Fame. The Ram's was struggling Organization before Kurt, and the Cardinals were a sorry Franchise before Kurt also.

    Tom Brady - I don't think his Super MVP's matter as much now for him going to the Hall of Fame. Tom got the numbers in his 2nd half of his career and the League MVP's. His game winning drives in the Super Bowl did play a part of his legacy he already has as a future Hall of Fame Player.

    Payton Manning - His MVP did nothing for why he's a future Hall of Fame player. He already had league Mvp's by the time he got his Super Bowl MVP. The only thing the MVP did was change his legacy of the best player not to win the Super Bowl. Without the Super Bowl, Payton is Dan Marino.

    El Manning - It is hard to say Hall of Fame for him and what effect the 2 Super MVP's does for him. He is not a top 3 Quarterback in the regular season. He is only going to be 32 for 2013 season and that means a lot of Football is left for him to play.

    Drew Brees- The Super Bowl and MVP changed his legacy. He would have been a future Hall of Fame player anyway with him being 34 for the 2013 season. His numbers do the speaking for him because the only players with more touchdown passes with him are in the Hall of Fame or will be in the Hall of Fame.

    Aaron Rodgers- His Super Bowl MVP means nothing for Hall of Fame for a player that there is not reading on if he is a future Hall of Fame Player or not. He is still early in his career despite he will be 30 in December 2013 because he wasn't a Starter before his 4th season as a QB.

  6. Kieser Says:

    Sapp was the fuse that lit the bomb on the best defense of the late 90s-early 2000s (look at the teams the Ravens played their Super Bowl year before you speak). Brooks was the more consistent player but Sapp was far more valuable. Id argue that Nickerson was more valuable than Brooks through '99