Devin Hester, a Hall of Famer?

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

No question he's the best special teams player of all-time, but is he a Hall of Famer?
Not first ballot (obviously), but should Hester get in based on his special teams' performanance? Does that alone qualify a trip to Canton?

Hester already has been selected first-team All-Pro three times. He has four kickoff returns for touchdowns in his career to go with 11 punt return TDs. And then there was the 92-yard kickoff TD against the Colts to open Super Bowl XLI in Miami.

The guy has some major Via Sikahemaness going on.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Wow, that's a tough one...

My gut feeling is to say yes, which would go against everything the Hall has ever done. I don't think there is a single guy in the Hall who is there primarily as a return man. heck, there's only one kicker and no punters.

Hester is, at best, a mediocre receiver. I think at this point he can make a pretty safe claim to be the best returner ever. But what happens in the next five years? Does he lose a step? Does he become Dante Hall? Will he be hurt in the eyes of voters if he ever becomes anything less than the best returner in the game?

I would put him in.

 

[JakeandElwood]

I think so. He's the best ever at what he does. And he has a huge effect on games even when he doesn't run one all the way back.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I think so. He's the best ever at what he does. And he has a huge effect on games even when he doesn't run one all the way back.

He has a huge effect even if he doesn't touch the ball. Think of the field position Chicago gets when teams kick it away from Hester.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

I think he's a specialty guy - in the same vein as Deion Sanders as a cover corner; a game changer. You throw towards Deion you are asking for trouble, like kicking to Hester.
Deion couldn't tackle for shirt though... Hester is a mediocre pass-catcher, but you kick to him, you are begging trouble. Stil not sure it's be enough to put him the HOF ... that's pretty specialized ... almost like a HOF long snapper.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

How does what Hester has done equate to being a long-snapper?

Please explain...

 

[Dick Whitman]

Last week the Bears had Dave Toub, the special teams coach, speak on Wednesday, the same day as Mike Martz, which is never the schedule. The speculation was that it was to make sure the media wrote their next-day story on the stellar special teams instead of the putrid offense.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

How does what Hester has done equate to being a long-snapper?

Please explain...

As it relates to being specialized positions. Not a direct comparion of Hester to a long snapper.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

How does what Hester has done equate to being a long-snapper?

Please explain...

As it relates to being specialized positions. Not a direct comparion of Hester to a long snapper.

Right. Some of this goes to the argument about why only one kicker and no punter is in the HOF. How many kickers are true game-changers? In the last 30 years, there's Vinatieri and that's probably it. I don't even think he's a lock to make it anymore.

A great punter can make a difference, but I don't think there's ever been one who is a game-changer.

Hester may only touch the ball a handful of times a game on special teams, but I bet opposing teams spend more times prepping for him than they do for anyone on Chicago's offense.

 

[Dick Whitman]

I used to argue with a friend that people wouldn't remember that the Colts won the 2006 Super Bowl, but rather that Hester returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown.

I don't really think that's true. But I do think that if the Bears went on to win that game, his candidacy would probably be sealed right now.

 

[Dick Whitman]

If Brian Mitchell isn't in, Hester shouldn't be either.

Hester's better, though, no?

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

If Brian Mitchell isn't in, Hester shouldn't be either.

Hester's better, though, no?

Without question. Not even close.