Why did they change their minds? Harold Carmichael In his 11-year career, Pearson led the Cowboys in receiving TDs only twice (1975-76). Troy Aikman, and Emmitt Smith. But for a few seasons, Morgan was one of the most dynamic players in the NFL. 3. A much different narrative builds around a player who always leads the league in an important stat like that. Charley Taylor<br>1964-1975, 1977. . Those assessments proved to be true. Johnson should eventually be enshrined, but his case exemplifies the folly of any Julian Edelman argument. He probably shouldn't be in. 10 Hall of Fame-Worthy NFL Wide Receivers (not named Julian Edelman) The most by any current Hall of Fame receiver is five (Tommy McDonald). Rod Smith, WR, Missouri Southern State (1994) Denver Broncos Smith was signed by the Broncos and went on to be a starting. That's obviously good, but it doesn't blow you away. To keep the statistics from skewing, I used top-five rankings (instead of top-10) for seasons before 1970, when the leagues were 8-16 teams rather than 26-32. Im human. He is ranked 15th in NFL history with 13,777 yards, but he is not in the Hall of Fame, though he was nominated in . Julio Jones: Hes a Hall of Fame lock. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); After looking over all the stats for these great receivers, Ive come to the conclusion that Lynn Swan should not be in the HOF before quite a few of these other receivers. He fell just short of 600 receptions, 9,000 yards, and 80 touchdowns. Smith, like Andre Johnson, becomes Hall of Fame eligible next season. It's natural, I think, to compare him to Ellard. 670 receptions, 9,174 yards, 62 TD. Can a guy be a Hall of Famer even if he was never the best at his own position? Draymond Green, Sports Central / Original Sports Fan Commentary Since 1998, Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1990s, Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1980s, Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1960s, Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1950s, Risers, Fallers of the 2022-23 NFL Season. My frenemies in analytics circles may have missed the fact that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers acquired Tom Brady in exchange for money and won a Super Bowl as a result. Their quarterbacks are protected in ways Y.A. Just play along. The same thing happened to Brown with receiving yardage. Today's wide receivers play 16-game schedules. July 16, 2020 8:00 am ET. 862 receptions, 12,287 yards, 67 TD. The off-field stuff isn't supposed to factor into HOF voting, but Rison's uneven career and locker room impact are fair game. The only stain on Jones' resume has been the lack of touchdown. If you're here for another era, check out our other articles in this series: Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1980s 1975-84: Charlie Joiner, Steve Largent, John Stallworth, Lynn Swann Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1950s (Hill, Howton, Speedie, Hugh Taylor, Wilson) Charley Hennigan 1960-66, Houston Oilers 410 receptions, 6,823 yards, 51 TD Probably no one's HOF case is more hindered by disrespect for the early AFL than Charley Hennigan. Hill is an instant-impact player, and voters typically prefer that sort of player to someone who just accumulates lots of stats by being a cog in a machine. When Philadelphia traded Jackson to Los Angeles in 1973, the 6-7-1 Rams improved to 12-2. Three: Chandler, Hill, Morgan, Reed, Rison, Hugh Taylor I suspect it is here that Jackson's consistency has worked against him. The premier deep threat and speed burner in the league in his prime. In most eras, there are 2-4 wide receivers honored with Hall of Fame recognition. Smiths post-NFL life has been peppered with issues, but that has little to do with his Hall of Fame candidacy. We continue this week with WRs of the 1970s. Harold Carmichael set the all-time, repeat, all-time consecutive game catch streak! 25. He didn't play at all the next two years. [Related: The Football Hall Of Fame Has A Receiver Problem]. Let's break this down a little more, looking at both the Hall of Famers and the contenders we've examined. Just play along. Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1960s He signed for 1995 and spent the season working his way up the new teams depth chart. He had nine consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons and ranks 4th all-time in receiving yards. The top 18 players in all-time sacks are either in the Hall of Fame or will be soon except for O'Neal, who ranks No. 600-700 receptions At least 5 Pro Bowls At least 2 all pros Or 1 all pro and a Superbowl MVP All this just to be considered. Edelmans strongest Hall of Fame argument his only Hall of Fame argument, really is that he ranks second to Jerry Rice on the all-time lists of both playoff receptions (118) and yards (1,442). Andre Rison Touchdown machine in the early '90s who revived his career with a 54-yard TD in the Super Bowl and a Pro Bowl with the Chiefs. Irving Fryar Five-time Pro Bowler and standout punt returner who played 17 seasons and scored 88 total TDs. Maybe. (In fact, Smith remains the Jags all-time franchise leader in AV to this day.). In 1974, Pearson set career-highs in a 14-game season, no less for receptions and receiving yards. That shifted with the end of the decade. He helped redefine both offensive expectations and the wide receiver position during that span. If there's another receiver of this era who's worthy of HOF consideration, I suppose it might be John Gilliam, or Gene Washington of the 49ers, maybe Ken Burrough or Carmichael, if you count him here instead of 1975-84. Carter had eight 1,000-yard seasons, six years with double-digit receiving TDs, led the NFL in a major receiving category four times and at one point set the single-season record for receptions. If I look down the line at some of the best wide receivers to play in Green Bay, guys like . But he was an effective player for something like 15 years, and he was an impact performer on special teams. Moore had four 1,000-yard receiving seasons in the '90s. My silly side is insisting that Jimmy Smith should obviously make the Hall of Fame, because he's incomparable! Branch played very well in Super Bowls XV and XVIII and won three rings. Hall of Fame Wide Receivers. He was reliable more than explosive, and he was tough like Monk, not graceful like Lance Alworth or Lynn Swann. Picked out of Division I-AA Jackson State by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 1992 draft, Smith struggled with medical setbacks a broken leg, an appendectomy even as the Cowboys dynasty was flourishing. These NFL wide receivers do not count toward our list of 10 worthy Hall of Famers. Cause is stats cant be the reason. But he was a heck of a player. Top undrafted rookie free agents following the 2023 NFL Draft All rights reserved. When you talk about a player like Irving Fryar, I think there's some truth to the idea that he had a lot of pretty good seasons without necessarily establishing true greatness. By and large, Smith who retired as the seventh-most-prolific pass-catcher ever was at the vanguard of the productive receivers who would follow, not the other way around. Pearson caught the pass that gave the play now known as a "Hail Mary" its name. Yeah, he had a bunch of good seasons, a nice prime, but so did all the others. But he was a heck of a player. Of course, Brown is most remembered as a receiver who was among the best at his position for a decade. Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1950s, Tim Brown He also would have led the NFL in receptions in 1990. When you think about someone who was maybe the 2nd-best receiver of the decade, certainly no lower than 4th it's a different perception than right now. NFL Draft Day 2: Best defensive players available. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and made three All-Pro teams as a starter (more than Cris Carter and Tim Brown combined). Best Wide Receivers Not in The Hall of Fame - YouTube He joins his father, Oscar, and his younger brothers, Jeff and Brian, as members of the KHSAA Hall of Fame. Great receivers of the mid-late '70s, played on terrific teams, had a few brilliant seasons but didn't keep it up, mentioned often as Hall of Fame snubs but never enshrined. When the 1970s All-Decade Team was chosen, however, Pearson was a first-team selection and Branch was left off entirely. The positions importance and its statistical benchmarks have evolved significantly over time, particularly as the passing game grew to take over the modern sport since the 1990s, but the Halls selection committee has struggled to apply an evolving standard to candidates resumes. So in Smith you have one of the best old receivers ever, a guy who had a lot of good seasons, including five years over 1,200 yards and two seasons catching more than 110 passes. Finally, the Seniors Committee and the Centennial Committee appear determined to enshrine just about every 1970s receiver except Branch. Anyway, three All-Pro berths and four 100-yard seasons form the backbone of what is becoming an impressive Hall of Fame rsum for Hopkins. This is a Game 7 I will forever remember as the Steph Curry game." In 2007, though, they elected Irvin to Canton, and in each of the next five seasons, they've passed on Carter. at The 1970s Raiders have eight players in the Hall of Fame. 590 receptions, 8,985 yards, 79 TD. Irvin had seven 1,000-yard seasons, two 1,500-yard seasons, five straight over 1,200. Below, I've organized HOF receivers by the decade in which they most established their greatness. Rison played for seven NFL teams. Hall spent seven seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs (2000-06), appearing in 97 games (10 starts) which is tied for the seventh most by a wide receiver in franchise history. I view Fryar much the same way I viewed Rafael Palmeiro (before the positive test for PEDs). Statistically, hes far behind his contemporaries, and thats probably why hes never been taken seriously as a Hall of Fame candidate. Well, Branch is 11th on the all-time playoff receptions list (73), fourth in receiving yards (1,289), and he did his damage in an era when the playoffs were shorter and passing was far less prevalent! He also had several very good seasons in the '80s, making the Pro Bowl in 1980 and going over 1,000 yards in '81. The best time of the year to . If you really want to include '83, the Cliff Branch-Era Raiders, who won three Super Bowls, have twice as many HOFers as the 1980s 49ers, who won four. 743 receptions, 10,205 yards, 84 TD. He was 31 when he made his first Pro Bowl as a receiver, a 10-year veteran. Most importantly, he has accumulated a sizzle reel full of memorable moments, and signature plays can be as important to a Hall of Fame case as stats or rings. They all had about three really good years, plus some others when they were above average. Projecting his '82 season to 16 games, Carmichael reaches 618 catches, 9,405 yards, and 81 TDs. Fryar's career numbers are great for when he played, and he obviously was a good player for a long time. KEYSHAWN JOHNSON entered the Top 20 during Week 17. Ten Worthy Hall of Fame Receivers (Not Named Julian Edelman) Becoming a wide receiver is almost just an inevitable part of life at that point lmao" It's difficult to compare players across eras at any position, and this is particularly true in the passing game, because the rules and statistics have changed so much. I was surprised when Carter didn't get elected to Canton in either of his first two years of eligibility. Mel Gray was certainly a fine player. PRO COMPARISON: Amon-Ra St. Brown. Moore is remembered largely as a good player who was very productive in his system for about three years, and I believe that is a fairly accurate representation of his career. Sports Central is the longest-running independent sports fan publication online, established in 1998 and featured by the BBC, NY Times, Chicago Tribune, and more. Swann: 336 rec, 5,462 yds, 51 TD. Three: Chandler, Hill, Morgan, Reed, Rison, Hugh Taylor When he's in the zone like that, you try to just get him in his spots, get him the ball and get out of the way. NFL players with four consecutive seasons of double-digit receiving TDs: Tommy McDonald, Jerry Rice, Rison, Cris Carter, Randy Moss, and Marvin Harrison. Four: Branch, Ellard, Fryar, Hennigan, Howton, Moore, Sharpe, Otis Taylor Maybe it's a by-product of Irvin's fame and flamboyance, but Carter isn't exactly low-profile, either. Irvin gained almost 1,400 yards and led all receivers in first downs. A seventh-round draft pick remarkable for his height (6'8"), Carmichael led the Eagles in receiving yardage seven times and played in four Pro Bowls. 1950-59: n/a Keep in mind, this was during the career of Jerry Rice as well. Pro Football Network, LLC. Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1950s Tim Brown 1988-2004, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1,094 receptions, 14,934 yards, 100 TD The Hall of Fame voters, in recent years, have almost entirely ignored special teams contributions. Tyreek's 2K Target; He's Not Playing Around Or Is He? Now, it's guys like Andre Reed and Cliff Branch. Fryar eventually recorded five 1,000-yard seasons, and his accomplishments as a returner are significant, something that should factor into any consideration of his Hall of Fame case. These NFL wide receivers do not count toward our list of 10 worthy Hall of Famers. He may be over-qualified, but Sharpe is not the most overqualified receiver on our list. 1960-69: Lance Alworth, Don Maynard Chiefs announce Dante Hall to be 2023 inductee into team Hall of Fame. Live From New York: Will AI Replace This Podcast. He shared receiving chores with Keenan McCardell for a team just good enough to reach AFC Championship games, which means his stats were a little low and he never enjoyed any Super Bowl glory. This affected Hennigan, Howton, Speedie, Hugh Taylor, and Wilson, once each. 10 Biggest Pro Football Hall of Fame snubs in NHL history. Part of the reason Rison moved around so much is that he was viewed as a bit of a headcase. Those of us who care about the Hall of Fame sometimes write derisively about "compilers" that is, a compiler of stats, who has impressive career numbers without ever really being a great player. Tony Boselli, one of the best left tackles of a generation full of great ones, has been a finalist for five years. 1989-2000, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders Carter just doesn't have the highlight reel those guys do, and he never won a championship. I would point out, though, that if we're trying to decide which potential HOF snub is most worthy of induction, we're arguing about who is the 5th-best receiver of the late '70s and early '80s. Anything that causes a player's career to be broken up usually dampens the perception of his greatness. All members of our Hall of Pretty Damn Good Players brought value to their teams in an underappreciated way its sort of a requirement for enshrinement, after all. Sharpe, unfortunately, suffered a neck injury at the end of the 1994 season, and that was that. Of his 750 career regular season catches, 95 went for 20-29 yards, 38 for 30-39, 18 for 40-49, 10 for 50-59 and nine for 60 yards-or-more . 1980-89: James Lofton, Art Monk That means consistency and durability. But again, heck of a player. In 2000, they chose Carter, not Michael Irvin, to join Rice on the All-90s Team. Dont scoff because it is so early in his career. Choosing between the two, I'd go with Ellard. Instead of ripping Edelman, however, lets celebrate ten NFL wide receivers of the last 50 years or so who really do deserve Hall of Fame consideration. Hall of Fame QB's son will get NFL chance after signing rookie free agent deal. The committees of the late 1980s and 1990s got a little carried away with making sure every Lombardi Packer and Steel Curtain Steeler who ever buckled a chinstrap got enshrined. They play in high-efficiency pass-oriented offenses, as opposed to the exciting but reckless bomb-it-down-the-field passing games of the past, when running was a way of life and throwing a sneaky change of pace or a mark of desperation. http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-TPSWill he or won't he get into. Moore didn't. Harold Carmichael finished his career with 590 receptions and 79 touchdowns. In his final season, Rison became just the seventh player in history with 700 receptions, 10,000 yards, and 80 touchdowns. Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1950s (Hill, Howton, Speedie, Hugh Taylor, Wilson) Cliff Branch 1972-85, Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders 501 receptions, 8,685 yards, 67 TD. . Sharpe simply got lost in the shuffle. Ranking Tom Brady's 41 best receivers during his 18-year, 9-Super Bowl Theres no reason to belabor the arguments for them. Copyright 2019-2023. He had three tremendous seasons, yes, but so did all the others, and they were effective players for much longer. The wide receiver won three Super Bowls and was selected to five Pro Bowls. Think again. NFL Career: Clayton played from 1983 to 1993. The Hall of Fame wideout finished his career as the NFL's all-time leading receiver and was a staple of the Redskins offense for 14 years. Harold Jackson Five-time Pro Bowler, first player to amass 10,000 receiving yards in the NFL. Cris Carter | Pro Football Hall of Fame - pfhof The 10 Best Wide Receivers Not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Dean Hybl June 21, 2009 Best of the Rest 1 of 11 10. Vincent Frank. Hall Of Good (13). Let's break this down a little more, looking at both the Hall of Famers and the contenders we've examined. A statistical oddity about Drew Pearson: in his two best seasons, he scored a combined total of four touchdowns. Some of those assignments are close calls. But let's review each player's rsum, in alphabetical order. To me, no one from that group left a Hall of Fame legacy. Pearson made three Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams, and from 1974-79, he was consistently among the top receivers in the NFL. Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1980s (Chandler, Clark, Ellard, Morgan, Reed, Sharpe) Average rank in five best seasons: This is a quick-and-dirty rating method, underemphasizing the most important stat (yards) and unduly skewed by a couple of bad TD years, so I wouldn't want to draw any specific conclusions from it. Visual Edge IT Logo. 1975-84: Charlie Joiner, Steve Largent, John Stallworth, Lynn Swann Jackson led the league in receiving touchdowns and was a consensus All-Pro. But you can't really compare Jimmy Smith to Rison, because Rison was basically finished by the time Smith became a starter. That set off a stretch of peak seasons for Smith that few other wideouts can top. Well this days i think so. Reaching those round numbers makes his stats look a lot different. Smith didn't become a full-time starter until 1996, when he was 27, an age when many players begin to decline. But the truth, I think, is that he falls a bit short, maybe as much by bad luck as anything. So its telling that Smith never finished behind McCardell in TRY (whether total or per game) during any of their six seasons together. Rice had a three-time Super Bowl Champion. That said, Boldin played second fiddle to Larry Fitzgerald in his signature seasons and was perceived as more of a gritty veteran than a playmaker in his final seasons. The guys who peaked a little later have a stronger case. Standing at 5-8, Hall's size scared off a number of NFL teams during the 2000 NFL draft, though his incredible versatility as a converted wide receiver caught the eye of the Kansas City Chiefs, who went on to draft him in the fifth round with the 153rd pick.