2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame Finalists

2014 Newly eligible: Tony Dungy, Marvin Harrison

Don't see either of them getting in on first ballot (I don't see Dungy at all unless off-field/mentoring roles are factored in), but I believe Derrick Brooks is eligible as well.

 

Oh, and isn't Favre also eligible next year?

 

Allen's career was much more distinguished than Shields. If either Allen or Ogden wasn't up this time, Shields would have been the choice, despite in this voting he didn't even get to the final 10. I think when they broke down the multiple position guys, the voters agreed that Shields was by far the third best o-lineman and to get to 10, he was going to have to be dropped. Same thing with Brown and his comments putting him a distant third.

I'm a little shocked they went Carter over Reed, deciding on stats over contributions to team success. But as long as one got in with Harrison coming on board, they only are back to status quo.

 

Brooks is eligible next year. It's for all players who last played in 2008. And from the looks of it, that would be Zach Thomas and Walter Jones as well, although I'm not sure if Jones counts for 2014 or 15 because he was on a roster but didn't play because of injury.

Favre isn't eligible until 2016.

 

Which is a joke.

 

Have to believe Brooks will get very strong consideration next year, and I'd be stunned if he doesn't get in, considering he has a much better reputation than Sapp, and he is nine-time All-Pro.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=yasinskas_pat&id=3434965

 

FWIW, from profootballreference.com:

Similar Players
Career Bill George*, Mike Singletary*, Lawrence Taylor*, Jack Ham*, Ray Lewis, Joe Schmidt*, Junior Seau, Ted Hendricks*, Zach Thomas, Isiah Robertson

 

I wouldn't say he was that far behind, but I do see your point. I didn't think they would go with three offensive linemen.

 

I get that to an extent. He hasn't been a head coach for six years. He hasn't been interviewed as a finalist or expressed an interest in any job. And he's 71.

The voters were absolutely right to push him back because of him taking the job in Dallas. But that happened a decade ago, when it was much more plausible he would want to coach again, regardless of what he was saying at the time.

The fact that last year he made the final 15 and probably had a heated discussion since it was his first time back in the room and then they had to spend another hour on him this time makes no sense. Nothing changed in the last year that should have made it more than a regular discussion.

 

Here were my relatively shitty picks this year from way back in early January:

"I think it will be bettis, carter, ogden and shields. Not sure on the fifth...though i can see haley getting it. I dont see the voters rallying behind sapp or strahan yet."

Not even Meatloaf would give me a "two out of five aint bad."

 

Just from a resume standpoint —

Allen: 7 All-Pro (consecutive), 11 Pro Bowls, 2 All-Decade teams. One Super Bowl.
Shields: 3 All-Pro, 4 second-team All-Pro, 12 Pro Bowls, All-Decade team

 

Allen also played in Dallas where he got more attention blocking for Smith as he pushed toward the all-time rushing title. That got him more attention then Shields got playing in KC. That is not a huge factor in All Pros (granted), but it is a factor at times.

Like I said I thought allen and shields were close...kind of like Moss and Owens. The debate goes either way. Larry Allen going in first ballot is well deserved.