LaDanian Tomlinson, RB
Jason Taylor, DE
Brian Dawkins, S
Morten Andersen, K
Kurt Warner, QB
Don Coryell, Coach
Tony Boselli, T
Isaac Bruce, WR
Terrell Davis, RB
Alan Faneca, G
Joe Jacoby, T
Ty Law, CB
John Lynch, S
Kevin Mawae, C
Terrell Owens, WR
LaDanian Tomlinson, Jason Taylor and Brian Dawkins are in their first year of eligibility. I think that all three eventually make it but Tomlinson is the only one that makes it this year. Unless the voters are out of their collective minds.
If it were up to me, the five-member modern era Hall of Fame Class of 2017 would look like this.
LaDanian Tomlinson
Don Coryell
Terrell Davis
Alan Faneca
Joe Jacoby
I think that the actual class will look more like this.
LaDanian Tomlinson
Kurt Warner
Terrell Davis
Alan Faneca
Terrell Owens
The only problem that I really have with this group is Terrell Owens. I waffle a bit on Kurt Warner simply because of the mediocre, at best, hole in the middle of his career. The start to his career and the end of his career were phenomenal. First ballot Hall of Fame phenomenal. The middle of his career simply wasn't that of a Hall of Fame player but he did do enough at the beginning and end. For the majority of his career I knew that I was watching one of the best when I saw Warner fling the football and lead his team. So, I really have no problem with Warner being a member of this class. I just hate to see it at the possible expense of Joe Jacoby. He's been waiting a long time. Now, Owens is a whole other issue. There's no denying his Hall of Fame numbers. I just have a hard time tapping a player as a Hall of Famer that was so bad at simply catching a football. Every reception was a challenge for him. It was often painful to watch. Or hilarious. His struggles with doing the one thing that he simply has to do as a pass catcher should keep him in the line in which every receiver not named Jerry Rice has had to wait. I'd put Isaac Bruce in the Hall before Owens simply because he's waited a little longer and he could catch the football.
The debate on the Senior and Contributor nominees should be an easy one.
Senior finalist
Kenny Easley, S
Contributor finalists
Paul Tagliabue, commissioner
Jerry Jones, Cowboys owner
Kenny Easley should've made it long ago. His debate should be brief. Paul Tagliabue should make it simply for the labor peace during his time as Commissioner. The tension and distrust that mars the current NFL-NFLPA relationship is proof of how hard that sort of peace is to attain and maintain. Jones should walk into the Hall pretty easily. He might be a little annoying to fans of teams other than the Cowboys. He might even annoy more than a few Cowboys as well but he's done more for the league than any owner since the founding fathers.
We'll find out the members of the 2017 Hall of Fame Class of 2017 tonight at the NFL Honors.
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