Official Football HOF Rookies Thread**********************************************

The request for Gronk was the only 1 I submitted and the only 1 I voted yes on because it is the only one I have seen discussed here. I can see the argument for Smith, the last one I cant recall.

JUst curious

I am not on instagram

Who were they?

Don Coryell – 1973-77 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San Diego Chargers

Bill Cowher – 1992-2006 Pittsburgh Steelers

Tom Flores – 1979-1987 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-94 Seattle Seahawks

Mike Holmgren – 1992-98 Green Bay Packers, 1999-2008 Seattle Seahawks

Jimmy Johnson – 1989-1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1996-99 Miami Dolphins

Buddy Parker – 1949 Chicago Cardinals, 1951-56 Detroit Lions, 1957-1964 Pittsburgh Steelers

Dan Reeves – 1981-1992 Denver Broncos, 1993-96 New York Giants, 1997-2003 Atlanta Falcons

Dick Vermeil – 1976-1982 Philadelphia Eagles, 1997-99 St. Louis Rams, 2001-05 Kansas City Chiefs

CONTRIBUTORS (10 finalists) — An individual other than a player or coach

Bud Adams, Owner – 1960-2013 Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers/Titans

Ralph Hay, Owner – 1918-1922 Canton Bulldogs

Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, Scout/General Manager/Executive – 1960-61 Philadelphia Eagles, 1962-64 Washington Redskins, 1965-1970 Dallas Cowboys, 1971-2006 New England Patriots

Art McNally, Official/Administrator – 1959-2015 National Football League

Art Modell, Owner – 1961-1995 Cleveland Browns, 1996-2011 Baltimore Ravens

Clint Murchison, Founder/Owner – 1960-1983 Dallas Cowboys

Steve Sabol, Administrator/President – 1964-2012 NFL Films

Seymour Siwoff, Owner/President – 1952-2019 Elias Sports Bureau

Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner – 1989-2006 National Football League

George Young, Contributor/General Manager – 1968-1974 Baltimore Colts, 1975-78 Miami Dolphins, 1979-1997 New York Giants, 1998-2001 National Football League

SENIORS (20 finalists) — A player who last played more than 25 seasons ago

Cliff Branch, WR – 1972-1985 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders

Harold Carmichael, WR – 1971-1983 Philadelphia Eagles, 1984 Dallas Cowboys

Jim Covert, T – 1983-1990 Chicago Bears

Roger Craig, RB – 1983-1990 San Francisco 49ers, 1991 Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-93 Minnesota Vikings

Bobby Dillon, S – 1952-59 Green Bay Packers

LaVern Dilweg, E – 1926 Milwaukee Badgers, 1927-1934 Green Bay Packers

Ox Emerson, G/LB/C – 1931-37 Portsmouth Spartans/Detroit Lions, 1938 Brooklyn Dodgers

Randy Gradishar, LB – 1974-1983 Denver Broncos

Cliff Harris, S – 1970-79 Dallas Cowboys

Winston Hill, T – 1963-1976 New York Jets, 1977 Los Angeles Rams

Cecil Isbell, TB/DB/HB – 1938-1942 Green Bay Packers

Alex Karras, DT – 1958-1962, 1964-1970 Detroit Lions

Verne Lewellen, HB – 1924-27, 1928-1932 Green Bay Packers, 1927 New York Yankees

Tommy Nobis, LB – 1966-1976 Atlanta Falcons

Drew Pearson, WR – 1973-1983 Dallas Cowboys

Donnie Shell, S – 1974-1987 Pittsburgh Steelers

Duke Slater, T – 1922 Milwaukee Badgers, 1922-25 Rock Island Independents, 1926-1931 Chicago Cardinals

Mac Speedie, E – 1946-1952 Cleveland Browns [AAFC/NFL]

Ed Sprinkle, DE/LB/E – 1944-1955 Chicago Bears

Al Wistert, OT/DT/G – 1943 Phil-Pitt, 1944-1951 Philadelphia Eagles

I would like to see Roger Craig get in.

Looks pretty balanced - offense to defense and by position. Surprised Ken Anderson didn't make it - no QBs.

@BillsGridironGreats said:
Looks pretty balanced - offense to defense and by position. Surprised Ken Anderson didn't make it - no QBs.

I hadn’t even noticed Anderson didn’t make the cut. I agree that he should have easily made the final 20.

Sorry, Marvin Harrison is not one of the 10 best receivers of all time.

So many questions......Jimbo Covert and Winston Hill but no Joe Jacoby. Bobby Dillon but no Ed Meador or Jim Patton. Drew Pearson and Harold Carmichael but no Harold Jackson, Billy Wilson, or Billy Howton. Ed Sprinkle? Chuck Howley and Lee Roy Jordan passed over again----is there really that much difference between them and Nobis? We all know about Dilweg, Slater, and Wistert, but how many of us projected "Ox" Emerson and Verne Lewellen? What happened to Big Daddy, Tom Sestak and Ken Anderson? Seymour Siwoff----so when do trainers, water boys and cheerleaders become eligible. Ok, let the comments fly!

Pleasantly surprised to see Winston Hill's name. I mentioned him in this very thread some time ago.

@shagrotn77 said:

@JasP24 said:
My guesses for 3 coaches and 2 contributors will remain the same as before. For my 10 players-

Craig
Dilweg
Branch
Pearson
Slater
Wistert
Karras
Gradishar
Nobis
Shell

Which players do you think have the longest odds of making it? I’m thinking Carmichael, for one. It’s very surprising to see three 1970s WRs on the list. Branch and Pearson would both seem to be ahead of Carmichael, and there’s no way all 3 get in.

i am wondering if they will focus more on the old timers for this class, probably for the last time. the guys from the 70's and 80's still have voters from the main committee that know how they played in person. the old guys not so much. you really need people that truly know the history of the NFL and appreciate what those players did back in the day of two way play.

@Doc1962 said:
Question for you gentlemen: I’m assuming that if Bobby Dillon were to be selected, his card would be the 1952 Bowman, correct?

Correct.

Is it correct that there are no rookie cards for these players:
Dilweg
Emerson
Lewellen
Slater
Isbell

Thx

@Doc1962 said:
Is it correct that there are no rookie cards for these players:
Dilweg
Emerson
Lewellen
Slater
Isbell

Thx

Correct.

@jmdvm7 said:
So many questions......Jimbo Covert and Winston Hill but no Joe Jacoby. Bobby Dillon but no Ed Meador or Jim Patton. Drew Pearson and Harold Carmichael but no Harold Jackson, Billy Wilson, or Billy Howton. Ed Sprinkle? Chuck Howley and Lee Roy Jordan passed over again----is there really that much difference between them and Nobis? We all know about Dilweg, Slater, and Wistert, but how many of us projected "Ox" Emerson and Verne Lewellen? What happened to Big Daddy, Tom Sestak and Ken Anderson? Seymour Siwoff----so when do trainers, water boys and cheerleaders become eligible. Ok, let the comments fly!

I am afraid Howley will never get in after missing the cut.

@dfr52 said:

@jmdvm7 said:
So many questions......Jimbo Covert and Winston Hill but no Joe Jacoby. Bobby Dillon but no Ed Meador or Jim Patton. Drew Pearson and Harold Carmichael but no Harold Jackson, Billy Wilson, or Billy Howton. Ed Sprinkle? Chuck Howley and Lee Roy Jordan passed over again----is there really that much difference between them and Nobis? We all know about Dilweg, Slater, and Wistert, but how many of us projected "Ox" Emerson and Verne Lewellen? What happened to Big Daddy, Tom Sestak and Ken Anderson? Seymour Siwoff----so when do trainers, water boys and cheerleaders become eligible. Ok, let the comments fly!

I am afraid Howley will never get in after missing the cut.

This worries me, too. It's shame, because I think he's truly deserving. It will be interesting to see if the 10 senior players who don't make the cut this year leapfrog the others given that the voting panel will return to normal next year.

Finalists named:
The other HOF finalists are:

Steve Atwater, safety – 1989-1998 Denver Broncos, 1999 New York Jets.

Tony Boselli, offensive tackle – 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars.

Isaac Bruce, wide receiver – 1994-2007 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 2008-09 San Francisco 49ers.

LeRoy Butler, safety – 1990-2001 Green Bay Packers.

Alan Faneca, offensive guard – 1998-2007 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2008-09 New York Jets.

Torry Holt, wide receiver – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars.

Steve Hutchinson, offensive guard – 2001-05 Seattle Seahawks, 2006-2011 Minnesota Vikings.

Edgerrin James, running back – 1999-2005 Indianapolis Colts, 2006-08 Arizona Cardinals, 2009 Seattle Seahawks.

John Lynch, free safety – 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos.

Sam Mills, linebacker – 1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers.

Richard Seymour, defensive end/defensive tackle – 2001-08 New England Patriots, 2009-2012 Oakland Raiders.

Zach Thomas, inside linebacker – 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys.

Bryant Young, defensive tackle – 1994-2007 San Francisco 49ers.

How many of the modern finalists will be selected?

B Young
How does a guy with just 4 pro bowls in a almost everyone makes the pro bowl time and just one All pro and 2nd team of decade make the HOF?

IMO there is only a few no brainers here.

My guesses for this class:

Troy Polamalu
Steve Hutchinson
Tony Boselli
Edgerrin James
Steve At-water

Thanks for the Bryant Young RC info.
Faneca vs. Hutchinson? Is Hutchinson really a better choice?

@shagrotn77 said:
Bryant is ‘94 SP. I think he’s the least likely to get in.

Up to 5 modern finalists will get in.

Hopefully they’ll elect one of the safeties other than Polamalu (At-water, Lynch, Butler). It’s probably unlikely, but it would be nice to see one of those deserving players finally get in.

@jmdvm7 said:
If Sam Mills and Zach Thomas get in over Baughan, Howley, Jordan,and Nobis then the whole selection process is a joke!
And which card serves as Bryant Young's rookie?

I don’t have any problem with Zach Thomas getting in now. Very deserving player and there is no point in creating an even bigger logjam at the LB position. Everyone you mentioned is deserving and cases could be made for a few others.

Faneca, Hutchinson and Boselli, certainly could be any 2 of those 3...All 3 have made the cutdown to the final 10 the past 2 years...Boselli made the cut to 10 three classes ago while Faneca did not and Hutchinson was not yet eligible..

For this class, Im choosing Boselli and Hutchinson and Boselli seems to have been a bit closer than the others to making the cut to 5 (rumor was he had the 6th most votes in the cutdown from 10 to 5...And Hutchinson as the Steelers will already have Troy P. going in this class...

For the odds makers out there----
Of Players in the past 10 classes to make the cut from 10 to 5...
All are now in the HOF with the exception of the following-
Joe Jacoby-Has now moved to the Senior Pool
John Lynch-Made the cut to 10 twice, but the past 2 classes, he's been stuck back in the top 15
Tony Boselli-Has made the cut to 10 the last 3 years in a row
Steve Hutchinson- Has made the cut to 10 the past 2 classes (Every year he's been eligible for induction)
Alan Faneca-Has made cut to 10 the past 2 classes
Edgerrin James-Made the cut to 10 for the first time last year
Steve Atwater-Made the cut to 10 for the first time last year

Path to election for the past 10 classes-
1st Ballot- 19
Made cut to 10 previous year- 25
Only made cut to 15 the previous year- 4
Was not in the top 25 Semifinalists the prior year- 2 (Ed Sabol and Rickey Jackson)

I’m guessing Mills would be 1985 Topps USFL card and Young would be 1994 SP.

So will there be big news this week? Rick Gosselin included the following yesterday in a story about Pearson:

“Only 10 of the players will gain admission to the Hall when the committee meets Wednesday.”

So will there be a public announcement on Wednesday of the 10 seniors selected for the centennial class?!?!

Hope so!

Anyone have a guess to which Bobby Wagner card would be part of the registry?