Sadly, the reverence for the undefeated 72 Dolphins has waned and the surviving players from the dynasty who have not already been inducted into the Hall of Fame will probably go unrecognized for their achievement.

I’m recent years, the hall of fame has become a shell of its intent…recognizing the GREATEST players that ever played the game. It’s be one a popularity contest. When Zach Thomas, who was by far a much better linebacker than Brian Urlacher isn’t recognized and Urlacher is, you know the HoF doesn’t mean anything anymore.

Not taking anything away from Howley, Klecko nor Riley, but Kuechenburg should already be enshrined and for him to be passed over is a travesty.

 

He should have gone in years ago.

 

Richmond Webb is now being considered.

 

I don't understand why Clayton isn't in. He is the 2nd best receiver of his time with Jerry Rice being number 1. That just doesn't make sense.

 

I think you're over valuing Clayton here. Was he great? Yes. But he wasn't epic, or close to Rice.

In fact, of the top 20 receiving yardage leaders of the 1980s, the only WRs who are in the HOF are #1 James Lofton, #2, Steve Largent, #3 Art Monk, and #14 Rice.

When Clayton retired, he was the league's 22nd all time receiving yardage leader. (obviously surpassed by many since) Other guys who were more productive than him during his career also never got a sniff of the HOF, such as Stanley Morgan, Drew Hill, Henry Ellard, and Wes Chandler. All ranked ahead of Clayton when he hung it up. Heck, at that point Morgan was the league's 6th all time receiving leader, and he's mostly forgotten outside of New England.

It was a popularity contest back then, and it still is, unfortunately. Guys who are the most popular and successful teams, and others who are loved by the media for whatever reason, are the ones who get in. It sucks, but its not new.

 

There are fairly good statistical predictors of which WRs gets in the HoF. The two best predictors are total receiving yards and total receiving TDs. Of the top 10 in total receiving yards 7 are in the HoF with Fitzgerald (who is #2) I think a probable future HoF'er. Of the top 10 in receiving TDs 8 are in the HoF with Fitzgerald possibly making that 9 in the future.

So receiving yards and TDs are what you want to look at for HoF WRs.

Rice is #1 in both total receiving yards and TDs. The only others that compare to him are Moss and Owens. Moss is #2 in TDs and #4 in yards while Owens is #3 in both categories. Clayton is #70 in yards and #20 in TDs. Clayton isn't in the top 20 of WRs overall by stats that matter most for HoF inclusion.

 

If the standard to get into the HoF was to be close to Rice, there would be like 2 other wide receivers.

 

He was #2 to Rice at that time.

 

Over which period? From the start of Rice's career to the end of Clayton's? Its not easy to look that up anymore, unfortunately, but I don't believe that its true. Casually looking at other players' numbers, Henry Ellard, Art Monk, Drew Hill, and Gary Clark were all more productive, and even Andre Reed, who's best years came after Clayton retired, had more yards during that period than Mark did.

 

As he should be, it's an absolute travesty that Zach isn't in the HOF yet. It's not just Urlacher you have had Manning and Mawae (during his HOF speech as well) both campaign for him yet the media that pick the players are ignoring him yet again like they did for a lot of his career.

I just can't fathom why Urlacher went straight in in his first year and also JT if I'm being honest as Zach was the best player on that defence imho.

 

Urlacher was beloved by the media from the point he was at the combine. They decided that he was the next face of the league on defense, hyped him endlessly, put his face everywhere, and it stuck. We're still dealing with the long term consequences decades later.