That was a great Hall of Fame weekend. It always is. It’s hard to believe that the last gathering was in 2019. I was there then. I wish that I was there this weekend. I’m guessing that most people are celebrating the streamlined speeches. I’m not one of them. Many of the speeches were getting out of hand. Cutting the speeches to 6-8 minutes was too severe. The new Hall of Famers only had time for the “thank yous.” There’s really no reason for a 40 minute monologue but something in the 10-15 minute would be nice. I’d love to have heard what Peyton Manning had to say with more time. His Hall speech was an all-timer. Right there with Cris Carter, Brian Dawkins, and Curtis Martin as recent favorites. Edgerrin James, Jimmy Johnson, Drew Pearson, Jimbo Covert, and Troy Palomalu were also great. I’d gladly listen to more from each.
Last weekend’s Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions has me thinking about future inductions. Here’s a look at a top Hall of Fame Candidate for each of the NFC teams. I tried to pick candidates that have been waiting for a while. Some have been waiting since 1963.
Minnesota Vikings
Chuck Foreman, RB
A lot of Vikings fans probably have Jim Marshall at the top of the list. For me, Chuck Foreman is the most deserving and has been waiting the longest. If his career hadn’t been cut short by injuries, he would’ve made it to Canton long ago. His first five seasons were spectacular. I felt that he was the best back in the league for most of those five seasons. He was certainly the most versatile back. Foreman was the Lenny Moore and Marshall Faulk of his day.
Green Bay Packers
Lavvie Dilweg, End
Lavvie Dilweg isn’t just the Packers biggest Hall snub. He’s the league’s biggest Hall snub. He should’ve made it to Canton in one of the first dozen Classes. I was stunned when he wasn’t a part of the Centennial Class. A reason for that giant Hall Class was to correct voter oversights like those that buried Dilweg for decades. He was one of the best football players of his era. His era being 1926-34 shouldn’t matter. The Packers won three titles during Dilweg’s run with the team. He was a big reason for that success. Imagine overlooking a star player from a three-time Super Bowl champion. Voters don’t know how to handle players with no highlights or stats. It’s called research.
Detroit Lions
Buddy Parker, Coach
Most football talking heads consider Paul Brown one of football’s best coaches. Buddy Parker had Brown’s number. Parker routinely topped Brown in exhibition games, regular season games, and most importantly in the 1952 and 1953 title games. Legions of fans and talking heads bellyached for decades about Tom Flores not making Canton despite winning two titles. Parker has waited longer. Flores inherited a contender. Parker built one. I’m not saying that Flores doesn’t deserve to be in Canton. I’m saying that Parker deserves to join him there.
Chicago Bears
Ken Kavanaugh, End
A long history and a lot of success give the Bears a few candidates. Rick Casares, Joe Fortunato, and Steve McMichael among them. I’m picking Ken Kavanaugh due to his being among the best at his position during the era he played. He was a three-time champion (1940, 1941, 1946) and was named to the 1940s All-Decade Team. For his career, he averaged a ridiculous 22.4 yards per catch.
New York Giants
Charlie Conerly, QB
Quarterbacks with an NFL title and a league MVP aren’t usually waiting for that Hall of Fame call. Charlie Conerly was one of the league’s elite players during the 1950s. Plus, he was the Marlboro Man!
Philadelphia Eagles
Al Wistert, T
Al Wistert’s Hall of Fame absence is nearly as mind-numbing as Lavvie Dilweg’s absence. There were five players that I was certain would be part of the Centennial Class. Dilweg, Duke Slater, Wistert, Mac Speedie, and Alex Karras. Dilweg and Wistert are still waiting. They shouldn’t be waiting.
Washington Football Team
Gene Brito, End
Gene Brito was one of the NFL’s first great pass rushers. He was overshadowed by the ends of his era that played on better teams, such as Gino Marchetti, Andy Robustelli, and Len Ford.
Dallas Cowboys
Chuck Howley, LB
Chuck Howley was one of the league’s best linebackers during a decade loaded with great linebackers. Dick Butkus, Ray Nitschke, Bobby Bell, Dave Robinson, and Willie Lanier are all in the Hall. Howley should join them.
New Orleans Saints
Sam Mills, LB
The Carolina Panthers claim Sam Mills despite playing only three seasons for them. It’s due to the impact that he had on that franchise. He had that sort of impact everywhere he played. If he was judged more by his play than his size, Mills would probably have about 10 Pro Bowls and five All-Pros on his resume. That would put him in the Hall of Fame. He was an outstanding football player.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ronde Barber, CB
Ronde Barber hasn’t been waiting as long as the rest on this list. He gets knocked by some due to the Cover-2 scheme in which he played. Perhaps he didn’t have to shadow each team’s top receiver wherever he went. He made big plays and impacted damn near every one of those Buccaneers game that I watched.
Atlanta Falcons
Mike Kenn, OT
The Falcons candidate comes down to Tommy Nobis, George Kunz, Bill Fralic, and Mike Kenn. It was tough. I’m going with Kenn simply because I felt that he was among the league’s best at his position for a longer period than the other three players.
Carolina Panthers
Steve Smith, WR
This is cheating as Steve Smith isn’t eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame until the next voting cycle. Not only that, I don’t think that Smith makes it, or should make it, in his first year of eligibility. I just can’t think of another Panthers player that’s ready for Canton. There’s Sam Mills but he’s with the Saints.
San Francisco 49ers
Frankie Albert, QB
Frankie Albert is another player that’s a little more of a personal pick than an accurate one. Albert was one of my father’s favorites. I grew up to stories of Albert, the early 49ers, and the All America Football Conference. He was a magician with the football.
Cleveland/Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams
Riley Matheson, OG/LB
Riley Matheson was named All-Pro on both sides of the ball. His blocking was integral to the Cleveland Rams 1945 NFL Championship.
Chicago/St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals
Marshall Goldberg, Back
Marshall Goldberg was a big part of the Cardinals’ great backfield of the late-1940s. A backfield that brought home the 1947 NFL title. He’s been on the doorstep of Canton as a finalist. Of any deserving Cardinals candidate, he’s been waiting the longest.
Seattle Seahawks
Shaun Alexander, RB
Shaun Alexander’s five-year run from 2001-05 was Hall of Fame-caliber. It’ll probably be enough to eventually get him there.
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