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.500 reasons why Eli isn't a Hall of Famer. Who SHOULD be in Canton Class of 2025 from modern era?
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- .500 reasons why Eli isn't a Hall of Famer. Who SHOULD be in Canton Class of 2025 from modern era?
Who will pop up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2025 when it is announced Thursday ?
Who would be on my ballot if I had one?
Let's start with the second question.
I grew up on the Browns in their often glorious 1960s, covered the team on a beat basis for 20-plus inglorious years, spent a week at 19 Super Bowls, and, partly because working in the town where the Hall of Fame is opens doors, am armed with a gazillion conversations with people who know more about football than me.
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For the two cents my opinion is worth, Antonio Gates is an easy yes. He was better than Ozzie Newsome, a Browns icon who was a similar style of tight end. In regular seasons, Gates caught 116 touchdown passes. Newsome caught 47. Travis Kelce has 77.
Forgetting the numbers, Gates passed the athletic-force eyeball test from the time I watched him scare the tar out of people trying for rebounds when he hooped at Kent State.
San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates (85) celebrates his first quarter touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals during their NFL football game in San Diego, California October 3, 2010. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)
I'm a "no" on Eli Manning .
His regular-season record was 117-117. His two Super Bowl wins were offset by four other postseasons of one-and-done. Give me Bernie Kosar in his prime over Eli, all day.
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning announces his retirement with the two Vince Lombardi trophies he won for the Giants on display during a press conference at Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, in East Rutherford. Eli Manning Retirement
The maximum number of the 15 modern-era finalists who can get in is five. My other four?
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They'd throw me off the committee but I'm voting to end the "glut of wide receivers."
Torry Holt and Steve Smith looked like Hall of Fame wideouts to me, and Reggie Wayne produced like one. I hesitate slightly on Wayne because Eli's brother was his quarterback — Chansi Stuckey might have looked like a Pro Bowler with Peyton.
MINNEAPOLIS - DECEMBER 11: Wide receiver Torry Holt #81 of the St. Louis Rams carries the ball against the Minnesota Vikings on December 11, 2005 at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings defeated the Rams 27-13. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Stats-wise (career yards, yards per catch, TDs), they're clone guys: Smith (14,731, 14.3, 81); Holt (13,382, 14.5, 74); Wayne (14,345, 13.4, 82).
I'm tired of looking at their names every election cycle. Triple congrats.
That leaves room for one more, and it's between two pass rushers, Jared Allen and Terrell Suggs .
Dec 18, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs (55) gets introduced prior to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Allen had 126 sacks in his first 10 seasons with the Chiefs and Vikings. That's about where Myles Garrett figures to be at his 10-year mark, wherever he might be. Garrett has 102.5 sacks in his eight years with the Browns.
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As for Suggs, it took 17 seasons to get to 139 sacks. Joe Thomas always thought he was legit. Good enough for me, but Allen gets my last vote.
I don't know as many actual voters as I used to; the group is getting harder to read.
Dec 4, 2011; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen (69) celebrates his sack and fumble recovery against the Denver Broncos in the second quarter at the Metrodome. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Predicting who voters select for Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2025 class
If I had to bet on how the body of 49 goes with this year's election …
Gates is in. So is one of the receivers, Smith, and one of the rush guys, Allen.
Baltimore Ravens guard Marshall Yanda (73) blocks for quarterback Joe Flacco (5) against the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 20, 2016, in Arlington, Texas.
Guard Marshal Yanda and cornerback Eric Allen are my other guesses, for assorted, tedious reasons attendant to group mind-reading.
The finalists not mentioned above, in no particular order and with no particular confidence it won't be one or two of them:
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Tackle Willie Anderson, linebacker Luke Kuechly , guard Jahri Evans , running back Fred Taylor, kicker Adam Vinatieri and safety Darren Woodson.
Sep 18, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Former Carolina Panthers great Luke Kuechly waves to the crowd before the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Apologies to my son-in-law who was a classmate of Kuechly at Cincinnati St. Xavier High School. "First-ballot Hall of Famer," he says, but we all have our opinions and reasons.
Reach Steve at steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.com
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Who will be the NFL stars in Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025
