My All-HOF Snub Team

I’m back again with some more HOF content for you, are you getting a sense for my favorite topic yet? This is my All-Time team made up of players who’ve been snubbed for the Hall. The list of course won’t include any Hall of Famers, current players, recent retirees who aren’t up yet, or players who are up but will definitely be in eventually (Ex: DeMarcus Ware or Torry Holt). It will however, include players who are still on the main ballot but clearly being looked over and I expect to hit the senior ballot (Ex: Shaun Alexander, We’ll get to him). There’s so many players to go through with this list but I’ll be narrowing it to 13 starters on offense and defense, and of course K, P, ST, Returner.

Let’s get rippin’:

Offense

QB Randall Cunningham Eagles:

We’re starting out controversial here but stick with me, Cunningham is only the father of all running QBs! He’s the trailblazer that enabled Vick and Lamar to do what they do/did. Sure, QBs have been able to run since the league’s inception but He was the first QB that was such a big rushing threat that he became the most dominant offensive chess piece in the league. Isn’t the Hall supposed to reward trailblazers who clearly changed the game? There’s more than a few of those unique guys on this list and it’s almost as though AP Hall voters don’t know how to rank them because they’re such complex players. Not only that, but Cunningham’s the best to ever own that NFL ATH type of Quarterback spot. Sorry Vick and Lamar but it’s 1000% true. He’s probably even the best passer of the bunch. He was also MVP runner up 3 times, that should be taken into account.

HB Shaun Alexander Seahawks:

I teased him earlier, let’s dive into it. When I was a kid it was LT and Alexander, they were the two defacto top tier half backs in the NFL. Alexander was the powerful early down star in the league, which is his spot here. He could play every down but wasn’t a huge receiving threat. This man is a former MVP and 3 time pro bowler who rushed for just under 10k yards and 100 TDs (Tied for 8th All-Time) in 6 seasons worth of games. Thats an average of 1,575.5 yards and 16.7 TDs per season. Those numbers are astronomical, not to mention that he took a team starved of talent all the way to the big game. Who are the other stars from that team? Hasselbeck, Lofa Tatupu, and Grant Wistrom…

3DB Roger Craig 49ers:

In today’s NFL we’re gonna need a Third Down Back, a back who can specialize in catching passes out of the backfield. Who could be better than the true trailblazer of this position: Roger Craig. Craig was the first truly great receiving back in the west coast offense and the first player in NFL history to rush and receive for 1,000 yards in the same season, a feat thats only been repeated twice in the 35+ years since. He’s the most underrated player from that great 49ers dynasty and one of the most important pieces in making that west coast system work.

FB Mike Alstott Buccaneers:

The A-Train! The biggest crime in the history of sports is how the fullback position has been wiped from the history of football. There’s a 0% chance we’ll see a new fullback hit the HOF books any time soon and it’s a shame. Alstott owned the position for the majority of the late 90s/early 2000s making 3 straight All-Pros and 6 straight Pro Bowls. He was exactly what you’d want in this spot, a powerful runner and aggressive blocker. I’m sure 10,000 yard rusher Warrick Dunn was pretty thankful to start his career with him.

TE Todd Christensen Raiders:

If you go down the list of great tight ends, Christensen is the clear guy who’s been left out. He’s right there with many Hall of Famers and he was an absolutely crucial piece in that 80s Raider offense. He was named to 5 consecutive pro bowls and was a two time All-Pro. To top it all off he was a two time super bowl champion and the team’s leading receiver for their 1984 championship.

WR1 Sterling Sharpe Packers:

Another short career guy who I believe unquestionably deserves canton status in comparison to other short career stars who are in. Sharpe is perhaps the worst emission of that category for the pure fact that he still played 7 years and started every single game. He retired as a 5 time pro bowler and 3 time All-Pro with an average of over 1,000 yards per season! Sharpe also led the league in receptions 3 times in this span leading in yards and TDs once as well. He was a truly dominant player in his era and if he stuck around another 5 years or so, I’m guessing Farve gets another Super Bowl or two.

WR2 Jimmy Smith Jaguars:

I was so tempted to put Herman Moore in here, but he’s another case of a few years of dominance. Smith on the other hand, has longevity and really feels like a HOFer when you check the stats. I think Smith is a case of a great player on forgettable teams, the Jags were good for a while but not good enough to elevate him in this receiver packed era. Let’s face it, he’s still up but he’ll never pass Wayne, Holt, Andre Johnson, Steve Smith, Hines, Boldin, or Fitz. That means senior committee for Jimmy. Receiver has been so stacked for so long, it’s hard for a player like this but you have to check the stats. Smith was an absolute superstar for a new franchise in Jacksonville. He brought in the late 90s-early 2000s with 7 straight 1,000 yard seasons (9 total) and 5 straight pro bowls. Not to mention, Smith did get a ring as a rookie in Dallas. 

Slot WR Pete Retzlaff Eagles:

Most of the my readers probably remember watching the players above, or at least the majority of them. Offense is flooded with recent stars being pushed aside but this list will still have plenty of old timers, Pete’s our first. While he’s not your typical speedy slot guy, Retzlaff was a sure handed, physical player who starred at Receiver, Tight End, and spent some time in the backfield. He retired as a 1x NFL Champ with 5 pro bowls and an All-Pro to his name. He was a versatile talent who’s career was very similar to many HOFers from the same passing era. Ex: Tom Fears & Dante Lavelli

LT Richmond Webb Dolphins:

Richmond Webb is one of those names that doesn’t jump out to you as a Hall of Famer but if you just look at the accolades you’d assume he is one. Webb was an absolute unit with the Dolphins, opening his career with 7 straight pro bowls and 2 All-Pros. He’s a member of the HOF All-1990s Team after owning the first half of the decade. Unfortunately for Webb, as age and injuries mounted, his production took a serious hit in the back nine of his career.  A very pedestrian final 6 seasons has seemed to wipe the fantastic first 7 from the minds of voters and sent Webb to HOF purgatory.

RT George Kunz Falcons:

This was a tough choice between Kunz and fellow Colts/Falcons Tackle Chris Hinton, but man was Kunz consistent. He was a 7 time pro bowler and 1975 All-Pro, and he was simply getting better with age. He left Atlanta at age 27 and headed to the Colts where in 3 healthy seasons he achieved 3 pro bowls, his only All-Pro, and his two second team All-Pro nominations. He was in the midst of his prime when an injured back derailed his Colts glory. It’s crazy to say a guy with 7 pro bowls was just getting started but I believe if the three years he spent dealing with the back injury, were spent healthy, he’d be in the Hall already. Kunz made the pro bowl every season where he played at least 10 games except for one. That’s consistency.

LG Steve Wisniewski Raiders:

OL is packed with snubs, I was considering Budde and Kuechenberg at Guard too. Wisniewski is a case of an absolute all timer being penalized for his loyalty to a team that couldn’t get him the big one. If I put in the two names mentioned above over him, who have less accolades but multiple championships, how am I any better? I’m sure voters would argue that’s not the case but what in the world is he missing? He’s a member of the HOF All-1990s team with 8 pro bowls and 2 first team All-Pros. Wisniewski also holds a whopping 6 second team All-Pros, If any one of those convert to first team he would’ve been in within the first 5 years.

RG Dick Barwegen Bears:

This is a guy that shocks me, based on the roots of the hall and many of the early admits you would think Barwegen would’ve been a Hall member near it’s inception. Barwegen is a member of the HOF All-1950s team, a four time pro bowler, and four time All-Pro winning one of those two accolades in 6 of his 8 seasons. He was one of the league’s early star Lineman, they need love too.

C Jay Hilgenberg Bears:

Don’t get me wrong, I loved seeing Pitt Alum Jimbo Covert get inducted to the hall but there’s no way he was the most deserving OL piece from the 85’ Bears. Covert’s career was truncated by injuries but Hilgenberg became a superstar for Walter Payton and that 85’ team and road that wave for 7 straight pro bowl seasons. He also retires with that 85’ championship, 2 first team All-Pros, 2 second team All-Pros, and as the leader of that fantastic late 80s-early 90s Bears OLine.

Defense

NT Joe Klecko Jets:

The New York Sack Exchange! While Klecko’s counterpart Mark Gastineau became the face of this defense, Klecko was the true lifeblood. Not only was he extremely versatile starting at Edge, DT, and NT, but he was a true team player. This defense re-wrote the measures of defensive success, highlighting one key stat: Sacks. Klecko was actually the group member who started this fad with 20.5 sacks and a first team All-Pro appearance (Also DPOY Runner Up) at the defense’s start in 1981. The following year, his season was lost due to injury and Gastineau took over the leading role while The Sack Exchange’s numbers plummeted. Upon returning from injury, Klecko was bumped to the interior as new stars emerged on the Jets’ line. This move hurt Klecko’s sack numbers but fueled the defense to reach its prime. Over the next 3 years, the group flourished terrorizing passers and Klecko reached 3 straight Pro Bowls while still posting 17 sacks from the inside. His interior pressure is possibly the biggest factor in the team’s sack numbers. Klecko’s best year came with the groups final year of dominance in 85’ when he moved to Nose producing 7.5 sacks and his second first team All-Pro. Kelcko is the unsung hero of one of the greatest defenses of all time, which happens to have 0 Canton representation.  

DL Harvey Martin Cowboys:

Yeah, Martin had a short prime but man was it a prime and his career still had plenty longevity! During that “Prime” part of his career, Martin was a 1977 DPOY, 4 time pro bowler, first team All-Pro, and 2 time second team All-Pro. During this fantastic 4 year stretch he also got himself a Super Bowl and The Co-Super Bowl XII MVP. This super bowl came at the end of his 1977 DPOY and first team All-Pro season which, as far as accolades are concerned, is the greatest defensive season in NFL history. Four good years isn’t usually enough, So why Martin? When he hit 30 his production began to slow but he still had 3 really solid seasons producing a second team All-Pro in 1982 and 28.5 sacks from 80’-82’. He also retired with 114 sacks! Pretty good for a guy who, on the surface, seems like a 4 year wonder.

DL Roger Brown Lions:

Brown was a true all-star at DT and one of the first really great interior pass rushers. He opened his career as a Detroit Lion earning 5 straight pro bowls and 2 straight All-Pros before heading to the LA Rams to join one of the greatest DLines in NFL history: The Fearsome Foursome. Brown was a part of two fantastic DLines riddled with HOFs and this has caused him to be pused aside by the Hall. When it’s all said and done he has fantastic accolades, retired with 79 sacks in 10 seasons at DT, and was even 4th in MVP voting in 1962. I really believe playing with Alex Karras and later on Deacon Jones/Merlin Olsen is what’s held him out thus far.

Edge Mark Gastineau Jets:

Whether it’s Gastineau or Klecko, the New York Sack Exchange NEEDS to be represented. This defensive changed the game and paved the way for how we view defensive success today. The quality of a defense is really measured on two things now, turnovers and sacks, and it can be argued that the later stat belonged to this defense and more specifically Gastineau for the first four years since its inception (Gastineau leading the NFL twice in that span). Gastineau retired with 107.5 sacks despite being hampered by injuries from the time he hit 30, he also made 5 consecutive pro bowls and 3 consecutive All-Pros for his efforts on the edge. The man averaged 1 sack per start in the NFL, that’s higher than every member of my edge rusher Mount Rushmore (Deacon Jones, Derrick Thomas, Bruce Smith, Reggie White) except for Deacon Jones.

Edge L.C. Greenwood Steelers:

Yes, it can be argued that Greenwood greatly benefited from the physicality of Joe Greene and Jack Lambert in the middle of Pittsburgh’s defense. It can also be argued that Greenwood was possibly the key to the greatest defense in NFL History: The Steel Curtain. I believe the second point, hear me out. The physicality of this defensive scheme could only fully be capitalized on if it had a world class rusher on the edge forcing offensives to have urgency while facing this daunting front. The urgency caused by Greenwood’s rush allowed the aggressive stars of The Steel Curtain to do their thing and make the splash plays that would welcome them to the hall (Blount, Shell, Lambert, and Ham). L.C. was recognized for this during his playing career earning with 6 Pro Bowls, 2 All-Pro selections and a bid to the HOF All-1970s Team in addition to his four Super Bowls. How has he been forgotten in HOF voting???

LB Randy Gradishar Broncos:

Gradishar was an absolutely dominant inside linebacker for the entirety of his 10 year career, beginning as the 14th overall pick in 1974 and ending on top with his third straight pro bowl in 1983. The only problem: He played his whole career overlapping with Jack Lambert and not so coincidentally his only two All-Pro nominations happen to be the only two years Lambert didn’t get the honor during his ridiculous 8 year run of domination in the middle (76’-83’). Gradishar, unfortunately, has always been Lambert’s runner up and it’s kept him out of the hall. Despite playing in that era, he still amassed quite the trophy case with 7 pro bowls, 2 first team All-Pros, 3 second team All-Pros, and the 1978 DPOY to his name. He 100% deserves HOF status and the timing of his career shouldn’t effect that.

LB Maxie Baughan Eagles:

Let’s talk about another guy who was absolutely dominant his whole career but struggled to jump to that first team All-Pro level. Baughan was as good as anyone for a 10 year stretch from 1960-1969. During this span he accumulated a whopping 9 pro bowl honors, a first team All-Pro selection, and an NFL Championship. The hidden stat is that he was second team All-Pro 5 straight years from 1965-69. That’s quite a lot of accolades for a guy whose been hall eligible for over 40 years.

Front7-Flex Karl Mecklenburg Broncos:

While he’s remembered by most as an Inside Linebacker, I think Mecklenburg is best described as a Front 7 Flex player. The man truly played 8 positions along the front seven and was great at all of them! In his career he lined up as a NT, 4-3 DT, 3-4 DE, 4-3 Edge DE, 3-4 Edge OLB, 4-3 OLB, 3-4 ILB, and MLB. Mecklenburg was the ultimate defensive chess piece and a player you had to search the field for every play, one we probably won’t see the likes of ever again. In addition to being one of the most unique defensive players of all time, he also racked 6 Pro Bowls and 3 First Team All-Pros over the course of 9 years. I’m sure he’d have a few more honors if voters knew what position to mark him as.

CB Lester Hayes Raiders:

Hayes is one of the league’s first true lockdown corners and another guy forgotten by the Hall due to being on great teams. Hall of Fame voters seem to have a habit of wanting to limit the amount of entries from a dynasty, do you notice a theme on this list? We have members of the greatest teams to ever lace them up including the 70s Steelers, 70s Cowboys, 80s Raiders, and even the 80s/90s Niners. Hell we’d have the 60s Packers if they didn’t finally give Jerry Kramer his due in ‘18. That’s the only excuse I can make for Hayes not being in the hall. I feel like they put in Mike Haynes and said: “Well, can’t do two corners from the same team”. The truth is, the two didn’t play together that long and Hayes was just as good. He had a ridiculous 1980 season where he posted 13 INTs, got 1st team All-Pro, a pro bowl, and DPOY. After that, QBs were scared to throw at him leading to a total of 8 picks over his next 4 seasons but he was still honored with the Pro Bowl each year. Why? He was a LOCKDOWN corner, and during his career he was honored as such. What changed?

CB Lemar Parrish Bengals:

There’s a lot of players who are in the hall, or on this list, that may have never been top at their position but had longevity and were top tier for all that time. This is the category Parrish falls into. He burst on the scene in 1970 making back to back pro bowls out the gate. He had his ups and downs as far as the pro bowl is concerned but over an 11 year period he racked the honor 8 times. Perhaps, his full potential was unlocked when he arrived in Washington in 1978. Despite missing the pro bowl his first year with the Redskins, he obtained his only first team All-Pro selection in the following ‘79 campaign. He even notched a second team All-Pro with the Skins in ‘80. Now that’s longevity, 11 years at the top of the league with 8 pro bowls and an All-Pro to show for it.

NB Eddie Meador Rams:

Hybrid style safeties are all the rage in today’s NFL, and make a killing playing in the slot. Meador was ahead of his time, playing this role in LA as the star of the Rams secondary for 12 years. While Meador was best utilized in this Hybrid safety role, he still excelled playing over the top or on an island outside. Meador was a versatile DB and superior athlete, who could do everything you needed in the defensive backfield: He was a ballhawk, top tier cover man, great tackler and he had hit power. To top it off, Eddie was a great special teamer who excelled returning punts, being used on fake kicks/punts, and even blocked 10 kicks in his career! He dominated the 60s and was honored with 6 Pro Bowls, 2 All-Pros, and bid on the HOF All-1960s Team.

FS Deron Cherry Chiefs:

Safety may be the most back logged position when it comes to the hall, with greats like Joey Browner, Dick Anderson, and Darren Woodson waiting to hear their names but I chose a pair of more forgotten stars for my Safety spots. Cherry was a star on some really great and HOF under-represented defenses in KC. From 1983-1988 he was a mainstay in Pro Bowl and All-Pro voting bringing in 6 straight Pro Bowls, three first team All-Pros, and a pair of second team All-Pros in that span. Cherry was quite the ball hawk during this run as well, intercepting 7 or more passes 5 times in his career and doing so in 4 straight seasons. This dominant streak led to him being nominated to the HOF All-1980s Team, yet he’s still the forgotten star of the decade.

SS Jimmy Patton Giants:

My other Safety is even more forgotten than Cherry, Jimmy Patton was one of the League’s very best on some great late 50s/early 60s Giants teams. Patton had a fantastic 5 year stretch from 1958-62 bringing in a Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro in all 5 of those seasons in addition to 37 INTs. That makes him a 5 time First Team All-Pro, that’s an insane number to not be in the hall. The issues for Patton are simple, that 5 year stretch was buoyed by 3 pedestrian seasons at the beginning and another 4 just okay seasons at the end. Ending on a not so great note in addition to his untimely death at age 39 in 1972, have made him completely forgotten by HOF voters. He was a marquee player in his prime and has the accolades to warrant induction.

Special Teams

K Gary Anderson Steelers:

Here’s a Kicker who 100% should’ve been in, but at least they started breaking down the wait list with Morten Andersen in 2017. Gary was a phenomenal Kicker, and one of only 3 Kickers in NFL History to make multiple HOF All Decade teams (80s-90s) along with the aforementioned Andersen and Jim Bakken. He played for over 20 seasons and retired with a better FG and XP % than both HOF kickers Andersen and Jan Stenerud, and is right in the same ballpark as upcoming stars Vinatieri and Gostkowski. He also has potentially the best kicking season ever to his name in 1998, posting an 100% overall kick percentage with 35 FGs and 59 XPs that’s almost 100 kicks in a season without a miss. Unfortunately, Anderson ended ‘98 on a game losing miss in the NFC Championship (So, voters will be quick to forget that season) and he doesn’t have quite as many accolades as the other kickers mentioned with only 4 Pro Bowls and 1 All-Pro. Those numbers will probably keep him out.

P Sean Landeta Giants:

Landeta is very similar to Anderson, playing for just over 20 seasons and hauling in 2 HOF All Decade Teams (80s-90s). In this span, he also achieved 2 Pro Bowl Honors, 3 All-Pros, and a pair of Super Bowl rings. He had a long consistent career but wasn’t nearly as flashy as HOFer Ray Guy or soon to be HOFer (fingers crossed) Shane Lechler. Landeta was a solid steady punter but his lack of either an extremely powerful leg or eye popping punt placement will likely keep him in HOF purgatory with Anderson.

ST Steve Tasker Bills:

The King of Special Teams has potentially the most unique case for the HOF. Tasker was a technically a receiver,  but he only had 51 career catches. He was a special teams ace, but he was just an okay returner. Think Patriots Matthew Slater, but even better. Tasker was the first true ST ace and the best to ever do it, being compensated with 7 career Pro Bowls for his efforts. He’s considered to be the best Gunner of all time and known for his great combination of speed for getting to the play and hit power for finishing it. Tasker retired with over 200 special teams tackles and 7 blocked punts which led to him being voted as the best ST player in football history by the HOF in 2000. If that’s the case then he needs a bust, and the voters know that.

RS Rick Upchurch Broncos:

Upchurch is no Devin Hester, but I’d say he takes 2nd on the all time great return specialist list. Upchurch was a super star in the late 70s/early 80s when it came to returning and he supplied Denver with a pretty solid deep threat option on offense as well. Punt returns were his forte, leading the NFL in yards per return and touchdowns 3 times as well as yardage in 1977. Upchurch also had an 1,000 kick return yardage season his rookie year in 1975. He put together some really brilliant numbers and accolades for his career despite being a guy who didn’t get a lot of volume in the return game. He retired with 8 punt return TDs, a fantastic average of 12.1 yards on punts, and 24.8 yards on kicks. His averages compare pretty favorably to the undisputed best returner of all time, Devin Hester, with Upchurch averaging 0.4 more yards on punts and only 0.1 yards less on kicks. He also retired with  the exact same number of Pro Bowls (4), All-Pros (3), and All Decade Teams (2) as Hester, who’s expected to walk into the Hall in the next few years.

If you got the whole way through this, thanks for the read! Lists like these take a lot of time, research, and effort. I’d love to hear your thoughts!