2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame Finalists

I'd put Brees in ahead of both of those guys. He's a better quarterback than either and I don't think it's even close.

Rodgers is a year or two from being a lock. He's only been a starter for five years or so.

I understand the argument for Vinatieri, and he's made some amazing kicks, but I don't think the second half of his career has helped him. Keep in mind, Stenerud is the only kicker in the HOF. Is Vinatieri the best since Stenerud? I don't think so.

 

Witten is already third in career receptions for a tight end and is only nine behind Shannon Sharpe for second behind Gonzalez. He is the leading receiver in the history of his franchise (which has a lot of history behind it), ahead of a Hall of Fame wide receiver. He owns the season record for most receptions by a tight end. He has four 1,000-yard seasons (two more than Gates) and seven seasons of 900-plus yards (also two more than Gates). He's an eight-time Pro Bowler and a four-time AP All-Pro (five All-Pros if you count PFWA's team).

If Witten retired today, he'd be in.

 

Morten Andersen is the best kicker since Stenerud and should be in.

 

Some of the guys being mentioned have been in the league for 5-6 years... It's too soon... Patrick Willis sure seems headed there, but I'd like to know of a modern-era linebacker who made it after just six seasons...

Gates and Witten? I don't know... Gates has the stats, Witten might be the better player.

Is either on the level of Shannon Sharpe or Tony Gonzalez?

With the running backs, unless the guy has had the kind of career Peterson has had, it's pointless to even have the discussion until we know if they don't hit the wall like so many others...

 

Gates's steadily diminishing returns over the last three years have shown how vital he is and was to his team's success.
Christensen just didn't play or star long enough. Only 90 career starts.

 

Do those diminishing returns also hurt Gates' HOF case, especially since Gonzalez and Witten in the same era continued to be effective longer?

 

Most passing yards in a Super Bowl:

1. Kurt Warner 414
2. Kurt Warner 377
3. Kurt Warner 365

 

Warner will be the most interesting debate in years.

I could see him going in on the first ballot and I could see him not getting in. The arguments for both sides are really strong.

 

There's an argument for him not getting in. But it's not really strong.

 

IMO - Witten and Romo have helped one another look better than they are.

 

The arguments against:

Only 116 starts
Only four seasons where he started 12 or more games
Only six seasons with more than 20 touchdown passes
Spent four seasons in the middle of his career as a backup

For him
One of the best stories in sports history
Two of the best seasons in NFL history
Two MVPs
Took two crappy teams to three Super Bowls
Both teams sucked after he left.
Was still playing at a top level when he retired

 

I was about to post something very similar.

He has the regular season career numbers (compare with Jim Kelly, among others). He put up some of the greatest seasons in NFL history and is a two-time league MVP. He has postseason success, including a ring. He has the great storyline and was one of the most famous and celebrated players of his time (don't try to tell me that doesn't factor in).

The case against him is that he got hurt and dropped off the face of the earth for four-plus seasons. His other seven more than made up for that.