NFL: Hall of Fame reveals 25 semifinalists for Class of 2019

[Say Hey Kid]

Steve Atwater, S -- 1989-1998 Denver Broncos, 1999 New York Jets; (Times as a Semifinalist: 8 -- 2012-19)
Champ Bailey, CB -- 1999-2003 Washington Redskins, 2004-2013 Denver Broncos; (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 -- 2019)
Ronde Barber, CB/S -- 1997-2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers; (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 -- 2018-19)
Tony Boselli, T -- 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002 Houston Texans (injured reserve); (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 -- 2016-19)
Isaac Bruce, WR -- 1994-2007 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 2008-09 San Francisco 49ers; (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 -- 2015-19)
LeRoy Butler, S -- 1990-2001 Green Bay Packers; (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 -- 2018-19)
Don Coryell, Coach -- 1973-77 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San Diego Chargers; (Times as a Semifinalist: 11 -- 2005, 2010-19)
Alan Faneca, G -- 1998-2007 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2008-09 New York Jets, 2010 Arizona Cardinals; (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 -- 2016-19)
Tom Flores, Coach -- 1979-1987 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-94 Seattle Seahawks; (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 -- 2019)
Tony Gonzalez, TE -- 1997-2008 Kansas City Chiefs, 2009-2013 Atlanta Falcons; (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 -- 2019)
Torry Holt, WR -- 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars; (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 -- 2015-19)
Steve Hutchinson, G --2001-05 Seattle Seahawks, 2006-2011 Minnesota Vikings, 2012 Tennessee Titans; (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 -- 2018-19)
Edgerrin James, RB -- 1999-2005 Indianapolis Colts, 2006-08 Arizona Cardinals, 2009 Seattle Seahawks; (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 -- 2015-19)
Jimmy Johnson, Coach -- 1989-1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1996-99 Miami Dolphins; (Times as a Semifinalist: 6 -- 2014-19)
Ty Law, CB --1995-2004 New England Patriots, 2005, 2008 New York Jets, 2006-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2009 Denver Broncos; (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 -- 2015-19)
John Lynch, FS -- 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos; (Times as a Semifinalist: 7 -- 2013-19)
Clay Matthews, LB -- 1978-1993 Cleveland Browns, 1994-96 Atlanta Falcons; (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 -- 2012, 2017, 2019)
Kevin Mawae, C/G -- 1994-97 Seattle Seahawks, 1998-2005 New York Jets, 2006-09 Tennessee Titans; (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 -- 2015-19)
Karl Mecklenburg, LB -- 1983-1994 Denver Broncos; (Times as a Semifinalist: 8 -- 2012-19)
Sam Mills, LB -- 1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers; (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 -- 2016, 2019)
Leslie O'Neal - 132 1/2 Sacks
Ed Reed, FS -- 2002-2012 Baltimore Ravens, 2013 New York Jets, 2013 Houston Texans; (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 -- 2019)
Richard Seymour, DE/DT -- 2001-08 New England Patriots, 2009-2012 Oakland Raiders; (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 -- 2018-2019)
Zach Thomas, LB -- 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys; (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 -- 2019)
Hines Ward, WR -- 1998-2011 Pittsburgh Steelers; (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 -- 2017-19)
Darren Woodson, S -- 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys; (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 -- 2015, 2017, 2019)

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[Evincar]

Why isnt Tony Gonzalez bolded?

 

[EpochLink]

Ken Anderson will go the way of Ken Stabler I feel.
Tony Gonzalez is a slam dunk no brainer.
Edgerrin James made all decade, he's going in.
Cliff Branch is long overdue for an induction.
Zach Thomas I feel is coming soon.
Sterling Sharpe....I hope he does because he deserves it, damn neck injury.

 

[Blitzkrug]

I assume guys like Gonzalez aren't bolded because they fall into the "well no ****ing duh" level of being in the hall of fame.

Champ is a no brainer. Guy played a stupidly high level right up until the very tail end of his career (him getting absolutely torched by the Ravens in the 2012 playoffs was basically his unofficial retirement)

Ty Law, while slowed down faster towards the end still had a good enough peak to warrant getting in. 5x pro bowler, 2 time all pro, all decade team.

Ed Reed is another "no ****ing duh" in terms of questioning his validity for the hall.

John Lynch probably will have to wait, but i think he's worth an induction at some point. 9 time pro bowler, 3 time all pro. Another guy that aged pretty well and played at a good level until retirement.

Zach Thomas is more of an "i hope" than "i think" for me. Guy laid his body on the line for some really crappy Dolphins teams and has nothing to show for it. He certainly has the resume for consideration; 7 time all-pro (5 1st team/2 2nd team), 7 pro bowls, defensive ROTY, another all decader.

 

[EpochLink]

Zach Thomas is more of an "i hope" than "i think" for me. Guy laid his body on the line for some really crappy Dolphins teams and has nothing to show for it. He certainly has the resume for consideration; 7 time all-pro (5 1st team/2 2nd team), 7 pro bowls, defensive ROTY, another all decader.

If Jason Taylor made it, Zach Thomas for sure will make it.

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

I’d love to see Isaac Bruce get in one day.

 

[MaxV]

Edgerrin James is one of the ultimate “what could have been” stories.

Before that knee injury it looked like he was pretty much a lock for HOF. He was winning rushing titles and all-purpose yards titles damn near every year.

Even after the injury, he was still a good RB who consistently gained 4-6 yards, but no longer had that breakaway speed.

 

[Voight]

TBH I thought Faneca and Hutchinson were already in... two of the best OL of their time.

 

[MaxV]

Wait, Wrigley, why wouldn’t you put Tony Gonzalez in?

The guy is the best TE of his time.

 

[MaxV]

I wonder how Adrian Wilson would be viewed had he played for a more successful team like the Pats.

The guy was an awesome player.

 

[Say Hey Kid]

These are players not in the Hall of Fame:

QB Ken Anderson
CB Champ Bailey - All Decade Team
OT Tony Boselli - All Decade Team
WR Cliff Branch
WR Isaac Bruce
WR Harold Carmichael
RB Roger Craig
OL Alan Faneca - All Decade Team
S Gary Fencik
TE Tony Gonzalez
DE L.C. Greenwood - 73 1/2 Sacks
G Steve Hutchinson - All Decade Team
OT Joe Jacoby - All Decade Team
RB Edgerrin James - All Decade Team
WR Andre Johnson
DT Alex Karras - All Decade Team
OT Mike Kenn
DL Joe Klecko
CB Ty Law - All Decade Team
S John Lynch - Broncos and Bucs Ring of Honor/HoF
C Kevin Mawae - All Decade Team
DE Jim Marshall
DE Leonard Marshall
LB Sam Mills
CB Frank Minnifield - All Decade Team
DE Leslie O'Neal - 132 1/2 Sacks
S Ed Reed - All Decade Team
WR Sterling Sharpe
LB Pat Swilling
WR Steve Tasker
QB Joe Theisman
LB Zach Thomas - All Decade Team
CB Everson Walls
S Adrian Wilson

 

[missingmika]

These are players not in the Hall of Fame:

QB Ken Anderson
CB Champ Bailey - All Decade Team
OT Tony Boselli - All Decade Team
WR Cliff Branch
WR Isaac Bruce
WR Harold Carmichael
RB Roger Craig
OL Alan Faneca - All Decade Team
S Gary Fencik
TE Tony Gonzalez
DE L.C. Greenwood - 73 1/2 Sacks
G Steve Hutchinson - All Decade Team
OT Joe Jacoby - All Decade Team
RB Edgerrin James - All Decade Team
WR Andre Johnson
DT Alex Karras - All Decade Team
OT Mike Kenn
DL Joe Klecko
CB Ty Law - All Decade Team
S John Lynch - Broncos and Bucs Ring of Honor/HoF
C Kevin Mawae - All Decade Team
DE Jim Marshall
DE Leonard Marshall
LB Sam Mills
CB Frank Minnifield - All Decade Team
DE Leslie O'Neal
S Ed Reed - All Decade Team
WR Sterling Sharpe
LB Pat Swilling
WR Steve Tasker
QB Joe Theisman
LB Zach Thomas - All Decade Team
CB Everson Walls
S Adrian Wilson

I like a lot of that list. Swilling shouldn't make it until Mills, but both deserve it.

Tasker should be in. (As a Bills fan, no reason Hull isn't in).

 

[Hasbro]

For my team, these are the retired Broncos who deserve induction:

Steve Atwater
Champ Bailey
Randy Gradishar
Tom Nalen

I could go either way on Karl Mecklenberg and Louis Wright.

And if you want to count Peyton Manning, Demarcus Ware and John Lynch.

 

[EpochLink]

Edgerrin James is one of the ultimate “what could have been” stories.

Before that knee injury it looked like he was pretty much a lock for HOF. He was winning rushing titles and all-purpose yards titles damn near every year.

Even after the injury, he was still a good RB who consistently gained 4-6 yards, but no longer had that breakaway speed.

There's a video you Youtube featuring Edgerrin James before the knee injury.
He had some much elusiveness and cut up the field, his speed was second to none.
I still think he's a hall of famer, he did not make all decade of the 2000's for nothing.

 

[Roboturner913]

Gonzo, Champ and Reed are no-brainers

I'm thinking this needs to be Coryell's year, when you look at the proliferation of his offensive style. His fingerprints are all over pretty much every single offense in the league in one way or another.

Mawae was the best center in football for a good long stretch and it's hard to ignore him, I think his stint as NFLPA president hurts his cause. He was Goodell's public enemy #1 during the lockout and I've always suspected Goodell had him blackballed from the league because of it. I interviewed him that year and he said some things off the record that were pretty enlightening.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Always have said it is travesty Jay Hilgenberg isn't in HOF

Was best C of his era IMO

 

[tony d]

Gonzalez, Bailey, Reed, Hutchinson and Atwater would be by my choices.

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

Gonzalez, Bailey, Reed, Hutchinson and Atwater would be by my choices.

Same.

Maybe Bruce over Atwater.

 

[Blitzkrug]

I always find it a bit disrespectful that Dawkins (don't get me wrong, hell of a player as well) got in over Atwater first when Atwater was basically his generation's Dawkins.

 

[Memento]

Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt deserve to be in.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Agree both should be in

 

[Hasbro]

Gonzalez, Bailey, Reed, Hutchinson and Atwater would be by my choices.

3 DBs in one class would be unusual.

I think Gonzo, Reed, Champ, Bruce and Edgerin make it in.

 

[MaxV]

Honestly, among all the NA popular sports, this is probably the most exclusive Hall of Fame.

They are really selective.

 

[Dominator13]

These are players not in the Hall of Fame:

QB Ken Anderson
CB Champ Bailey - All Decade Team
OT Tony Boselli - All Decade Team
WR Cliff Branch
WR Isaac Bruce
WR Harold Carmichael
RB Roger Craig
OL Alan Faneca - All Decade Team
S Gary Fencik
TE Tony Gonzalez
DE L.C. Greenwood - 73 1/2 Sacks
G Steve Hutchinson - All Decade Team
OT Joe Jacoby - All Decade Team
RB Edgerrin James - All Decade Team
WR Andre Johnson
DT Alex Karras - All Decade Team
OT Mike Kenn
DL Joe Klecko
CB Ty Law - All Decade Team
S John Lynch - Broncos and Bucs Ring of Honor/HoF
C Kevin Mawae - All Decade Team
DE Jim Marshall
DE Leonard Marshall
LB Sam Mills
CB Frank Minnifield - All Decade Team
DE Leslie O'Neal
S Ed Reed - All Decade Team
WR Sterling Sharpe
LB Pat Swilling
WR Steve Tasker
QB Joe Theisman
LB Zach Thomas - All Decade Team
CB Everson Walls
S Adrian Wilson

Not the discussion here, but how badass is it going to be for Tom Brady to be the starting QB for a second straight all-decade team?

Out of the list of eligible, I would love to see Atwater get there. As a kid this guy would make me cringe everytime he hit someone. It was like getting run over by a Dodge Ram.

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

Honestly, among all the NA popular sports, this is probably the most exclusive Hall of Fame.

They are really selective.

Not really they elect 7 people every year. Have to elect 5 and then there's 2 legends committee or whatever it's called selections.

There's problems with baseball process for sure, but as it stands that's probably the most exclusive.