Minnesota Vikings
Chuck Foreman, RB
Jim Marshall is the pick of most Vikings’ fans. I’m not one of them. I’d love it if Marshall finally made it. He’s probably the most important player of the franchise’s first two decades. He was the heart and soul of the Super Bowl teams. He wasn’t the best player. He wasn’t even the best player, or second best player, among his position group. Chuck Foreman was one of the team’s best players. For a few years he was arguably the best running back in the game. He was the most versatile running back in the game.
Green Bay Packers
Lavvie Dilweg, End
Lavvie Dilweg should’ve been inducted long ago. He played in the 1920s and that’s apparently the problem. The Hall voters clearly have difficulty appreciating the careers of players from the NFL’s earliest decades. How else can you explain the ridiculous waits of Fritz Pollard, Benny Friedman, and Duke Slater? I was stunned that Dilweg wasn’t part of the Centennial Class.
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.
Detroit Lions
Buddy Parker, coach
A coach gets the nod here. Buddy Parker led the Lions to two NFL titles (1952 and 1953). The Lions team that he built and coached won again in 1957 but he bolted in a huff before the season.
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
Charlie Waters, S
This is probably more personal than accurate. Chuck Howley, Cliff Harris, or Cornell Green would probably be better choices. I’m going with Charlie Waters. First of all, as an itty bitty Vikings fan I hated the Cowboys in the 1970s. Despite that, Waters was one of my favorite football players. He was also a very good football player. It felt like he was part of every play.
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 two 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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