Throwback Thursday: Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018

Looking at the potential 2018 Hall Class is more of a throw-forward than a throwback but the Hall of Fame is always a look at football's past. Canton has been on my mind lately. That's probably due to the continuous and intense debate over Terrell Owens' second Hall denial. He could face a third with the strong list of players that will be up for the Hall of Fame for the first time in 2018.

Ray Lewis

Brian Urlacher

Randy Moss

Steve Hutchinson

Ronde Barber

Richard Seymour

There's a decent chance that four of the five possible modern era inductees could come from the above first-timers. Ray Lewis is pretty much a lock. Brian Urlacher is a near lock. Randy Moss and Steve Hutchinson would have to leap a player or two at their respective positions to make it next year. Moss would have to leap the controversial Owens as well as Isaac Bruce and Tory Holt. Hutchinson would have to leap Alan Faneca. Personally, I would put Moss and Hutchinson in first simply because I think that they were better football players than those ahead of them. Moss was the most physically gifted receiver to ever play the game and he didn't let those gifts go to waste. He scared defenses like few, perhaps no, receiver ever has. In my book, Hutchinson was the best guard of his era and one of the best ever. So, the first part of my Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018 would like like this. 

Ray Lewis

Brian Urlacher

Randy Moss

Steve Hutchinson

Brian Dawkins

But, I could see the actual class looking more like this.

Ray Lewis

Brian Urlacher

Randy Moss

Brian Dawkins

Alan Faneca

As for the two Senior nominees and one Contributor nominee. The voters really have to clean up some old and ridiculous mistakes. It seems as if the Senior Committee have closed the door on the first 4-5 decades of the NFL's existence. They aren't done so they have to open that door. Former Green Bay Packers end Lavvie Dilweg and Philadelphia Eagles tackle Al Wistert should've been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in one of the first 10-15 classes. They weren't and they haven't received much attention in the approximately 40 classes since. Both were All-Decade players, both earned stacks of All-pro nods. and both played major roles on teams that won multiple championships. Dilweg and Wistert have long been forgotten by the Hall voters and both are among pro football's best players. People moan about Owens having to wait a few years. Dilweg and Wistert have been waiting since the Pro Football Hall of Fame opened in 1963. Neither has survived their wait. Dilweg died in 1968. Wistert died last year. Both should have seen this honor. 

The 2018 Contributor nominee is as easy a choice as the Senior nominees. Steve Sabol should've been inducted long ago. He certainly should've been inducted while he was alive. Ed and Steve Sabol have done as much as anyone in the league's history to move the game forward. They made the game more popular. They made the game more accessible. They made the game more artistic. They made the game better. Perhaps the voters feel that they honored Steve by honoring his father. That's not not near enough.

Flea Flicker Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018

Ray Lewis

Brian Urlacher

Randy Moss

Steve Hutchinson

Brian Dawkins

Lavvie Dilweg
Al Wistert
Steve Sabol

That's a fine class.