The man in first was former Olympic medal-winner Ollie Matson, who made the Hall in 1972 as a halfback. When Woodson retired in 1966, he was the NFL's career leader in combined kick and punt return yards and was second in kick return touchdowns with 5.
STEVE TASKER HALL OF FAME PRO
Abe Woodson, 49ers and Cardinals, 1958-1966 5x Pro Bowl, 2x 1st Team All Pro, retired as career leader in combined KR/PR yards Therefore, these are the five return men I want FOR SURE in an inaugural special teams induction.
I’m down for a debate about my choice of five, and the list should not stop here. We can talk about kickers, punters, and coverage guys another day. Because a de facto banishment of special teams players makes no sense. The point is, the HOF’s inaugural class was not an end-all-be-all. Other players were already worthy of the Hall in 1963, including Sid Luckman, who by 1963 had been retired 13 years yet did not make the Hall until 1965. These 17 laid the foundation for the sport’s history. In 1963, the Pro Football Hall of Fame inducted its inaugural class of 17 Hall of Famers - a group of players, coaches, and contributors. Like players at any other position, he should simply need to be considered AMONG the greatest. To make the Hall, Devin Hester should not have to be considered the greatest return man of all time. The implication is that were someone to prove that Hester, Stenerud, Guy, or Tasker were NOT the best at their respective positions, they therefore would not belong in the Hall. That was the same argument made for Stenerud and Guy, the same argument made for coverage man Steve Tasker. Invariably when people debate Hester’s HOF credentials, those who argue that he belongs do so on the notion that he is the greatest return man the game has ever seen.
STEVE TASKER HALL OF FAME PLUS
The Hall has inducted 23 coaches plus another 22 "contributors," including a man named Hugh "Shorty" Ray, the league’s longtime Technical Advisor on Rules and Supervisor of Officials.įorty-five coaches or contributors in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and two special teamers. * Punter Ray Guy, retired 1986, class of 2014 * Placekicker Jan Stenerud, retired 1985, class of 1991 Two of those four were Lou "The Toe" Groza, a kicker also listed in the Hall as an offensive lineman, and Bears legend George Blanda, a kicker also listed at quarterback. Strike that - the career that WOULD be a Hall of Fame career if the Pro Football Hall of Fame was not biased against special teams.Ĭonsider this: despite being coined as one of the game’s three phases, (allegedly equal in pedigree and importance to offense and defense), special teamers are four of the 316 men in the HOF.
Last week I wrote about Devin Hester’s magical rookie season, the one that set the foundation for Hester’s Hall of Fame career.
Anyone who is a "yes" to any of those questions sounds like a football player to me. The Pro Football Hall of Fame honors football players. Whenever people ask me if special teamers (specifically Devin Hester) belong in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I answer their question with the following scientific yes-no process.ĭoes the Pro Bowl recognize special teamers?ĭoes the All Pro team recognize special teamers?ĭoes the NFL’s all-decade team recognize special teamers?
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