In an NFL.com column, NFL Media Analyst Elliot Harrison picked the top Hall of Fame candidate for each team. Yesterday, I looked at his NFC picks. Today, it's the AFC's turn.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Harrison: Alan Faneca, G
Harrison mentions Donnie Shell and L.C. Greenwood as contenders for this spot. I tend to favor players that have waited decades longer than they should have waited. Faneca deserves induction and will make it soon.
Flea Flicker: L.C. Greenwood, DE
Cleveland Browns
Harrison: Mac Speedie, WR
Absolutely agree. Speedie's Hall of Fame absence is one of the most ridiculous. Besides, how can you not love a receiver named Speedie.
Flea Flicker: Mac Speedie, WR
Cincinnati Bengals
Harrison: Ken Riley, CB
It's a tossup between Riley and Ken Anderson. Both deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. Harrison went with Riley. I'll go with Anderson.
Flea Flicker: Ken Anderson, QB
One of the great NFL "what if's" of the 1970s is "what if Paul Brown had tapped Bill Walsh to replace him as Bengals head coach instead of Bill Johnson following the 1975 season." We might speak and think of Ken Anderson like we do of Joe Montana.
Baltimore Ravens
Harrison: Chris McAlister, CB
Agreed. McAlister was a terrific corner on a dominating defense.
Flea Flicker: Chris McAlister, CB
New England Patriots
Harrison: Ty Law, CB
Absolutely. I have a feeling that Law's Hall of Fame candidacy is going to start gaining momentum. He was a defensive difference-maker on three Super Bowl-winning teams.
Flea Flicker: Ty Law, CB
New York Jets
Harrison: Joe Klecko, DL
An excellent choice. I always liked Klecko. I'll pick a player from the Jets only title team. It's a tossup between Winston Hill and Larry Grantham. I'll go with Grantham. That Jets defense deserves some respect.
Flea Flicker: Larry Grantham, LB
Miami Dolphins
Harrison: Jason Taylor, DE
Taylor will get in soon. Perhaps when he's eligible next year. I'll go with a deserving player from the Dolphins Super Bowl days.
Flea Flicker: Bob Kuechenberg, G
Buffalo Bills
Harrison: Kent Hull, C
Hull was an excellent center and leader of an explosive offense that reached four Super Bowls. The Bills had some great teams with dominant defenses in the 1960s. I'll go there.
Flea Flicker: Tom Sestak, DT
Indianapolis Colts
Harrison: Edgerrin James, RB
James is a fine choice. Again, I'll pick a player that's waited a while.
Flea Flicker: George Kunz, T
Kunz was a very good player for the Atlanta Falcons. He was one of the best tackles in the game after being traded to the Colts in 1975.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Harrison: Tony Boselli, T
An easy choice. He should be in the Hall of Fame.
Flea Flicker: Tony Boselli, T
Tennessee Titans
Harrison: Robert Brazile, LB
Brazile's absence from the Hall of Fame is puzzling. He was doing some of the things that Lawrence Taylor did before Taylor did them. Brazile was a complete, dominant linebacker.
Flea Flicker: Robert Brazile, LB
Houston Texans
Harrison: Andre Johnson, WR
I'll go along with Johnson. He's still active bu the Texans are too young to have a pool of deserving Hall of Fame candidates.
Flea Flicker: Andre Johnson, WR
Denver Broncos
Terrell Davis, RB
Davis should be in the Hall of Fame. So should a couple of Broncos defenders that have been waiting for a while. Defensive end Rich Jackson and linebacker Randy Gradishar.
Flea Flicker: Randy Gradishar, LB
Listening to players speak of having to deal with "Tombstone" Jackson is illuminating. He was a pass rushing nightmare. I went with Gradishar simply because he had more great years than Jackson.
Oakland Raiders
Harrison: Cliff Branch, WR
Branch's career is very underrated.
Flea Flicker: Lester Hayes, CB
Maybe Hayes was overshadowed by Hall of Famer Mike Haynes. Hayes was a fantastic player in his own right. The Haynes-Hayes corner combo was one of the best I've ever seen.
San Diego Chargers
Harrison: LaDanian Tomlinson, RB
Tomlinson is in the Hall of Fame as soon as he's eligible. Don Coryell has been deserving for too long.
Flea Flicker: Don Coryell, coach
Kansas City Chiefs
Harrison: Deron Cherry, S
The 1960s Chiefs have a couple of players that deserve Hall of Fame attention. Safety Johnny Robinson and receiver Otis Taylor. There have been times in which I was so sure that Taylor was in Canton that I had to check. He'd be a superstar in today's pass-happy NFL. The Chiefs late-1960s offense was very good. The defense was even better. Robinson was a big reason for that.
Flea Flicker: Johnny Robinson, S
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