Multiple Super Bowl rings should not be a reason to put someone in the Hall of Fame, nor should it hold back a player who was unable to reach that plateau in the first place. Both players lack a ring. Plus, you can't be frail and be great. Fresh off the 2023 NFL Draft, Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach's checklist has plenty of to-dos and one high atop the agenda is working out a new deal with defensive lineman extraordinaire Chris Jones. Howley was ahead of his time as a terrific athlete for the position, which gave him a modern-like edge in covering backs and receivers. "Well, Peyton never won the big game until he won the Super Bowl. Cherry was more spectacular than solid in 11 seasons all with Kansas City. Donovan McNabb started his own campaign for the Pro Football Hall of Fame last week on the day the Eagles retired his number. Ron Jaworski and Nick Foles were 28, Randall Cunningham and Rodney Peete were 29, Tommy Thompson was 31, Norm Van Brocklin was 34 and Jeff Garcia was 36. Metcalf spoke to 547 players about social media, finances and meeting etiquette in NFL's first rookie webinar. Its as if a Super Bowl ring is the only thing holding back McNabb from being a HOF worthy player. McNair won a league MVP award, took two teams to division titles and was outstanding in the community. And he may not have had the longevity and year-to-year dominance that separates the very good from the elite in the NFL. His team lost that game 24-21, but that was hardly a disgrace:McNabb had a pretty good Super Bowl, passing for 357 yards and three touchdowns. He may never have won a Super Bowl. Many great quarterbacks, such as first-ballot Hall of Famer Troy Aikman, never threw for more than 25 touchdowns in a single season. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. However, a Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend has been snubbed. Donovan McNabb. Its easy to NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. Buccaneers fans have been screaming until theyve been blue (or pewter) in the face trying to get Barber in the Hall of Fame, and he more than deserves to be the fourth member of that legendary defense of the late 1990s-early 2000s to be enshrined. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. McNabb had to find ways to win playoff games without a true receiving threat for most of his career. Yet Aikman, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006, played for three Super Bowl champions. The decline happened fast, but he still had a 10-year prime when he played at a Pro Bowl level for one of the best teams in the league. Things have eased up a lot with the coming of Washington D.C.'s Robert GriffinIII and Seattle's Russell Wilson. Jacoby also was a playoff force, helping Washington win three Super Bowls. The runner-up for Pittsburgh is Steel Curtain defensive end L.C. He completely turned the franchise around, and it has not looked back since. Stroud and edge Will Anderson Jr., the Houston Texans get plenty of love but they're not No. Theres a case for other early Jaguars offensive stars like running back Fred Taylor and wide receiver Jimmy Smith, but its easy to go with the franchises first-ever draft pick. The Cowboys have a few options, but Howley, a six-time Pro Bowler, five-time All Pro and one-time Super Bowl MVP, has the most on his side. He also was a dominant tackler who stuffed the stat sheet all over the field. His 37,276 passing yards ranks #25 on the all time list with names like Dave Krieg and Kerry Collins ahead of him. So, to me, of this "McNair Era," I would list Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Kurt Warner, McNair, Drew Brees, Donovan McNabb and Carson Palmer as the true elites at their position. He was a primary reason why Jeff Fisher has been allowed to remain the team's head coach for so long. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & resort (KS). All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. This is another thing entirely: The NFL having Derrick Brooks introduce Cliff Branch when Ronde Barber was nominated for the Hall of Fame (and snubbed) as a red herring was just cruel, Brandon Thornton (@BThornton_33) February 11, 2022. But it's not the be-all, end-all as a representation of an NFL player's greatness. The three-time Pro Bowler rushed for 9,429 yards and 100 TDs. McNabb is arguably the top QB nominated (though Randall Cunningham and Steve McNair both inspire debate). Hall of famers Fran Tarkenton and Jim Kelly, for example, lost eight Super Bowls between the two of them. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll didn't let a day pass before responding to Jets DC Gregg Williams, who claimed Jamal Adams 'may get bored' in Seattle's defense. Aikman was able to win three Super Bowls with the Cowboys, and McNabb never was able to win one. Web1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1987 1977 Pro Football QB Hall of Fame Monitor The Pro Football Reference Hall of Fame Monitor (HOFm) is a metric designed to estimate a player's chances of making the Pro Football Hall of Fame using AV, Pro Bowls, All-Pros, championships, and various stat milestones. Come on. Thomas went to seven Pro Bowls and was named first-team All-Pro five times in his 12 years with Miami. That cant be an accidental coincidence. In terms of stats relative to other Hall of Famers, his 47 career interceptions are only one less than Herb Adderley and Willie Wood, the same as Jimmy Johnson, and one more than Jack Christiansen and Mike Haynes. You may recall when 10 years ago, Rush Limbaugh, who had been inexplicably hired by ESPN as a football commentator, stirred up a huge fuss when he remarked that he "never thought McNabb was that good a quarterback" and that McNabb had been "overrated What we have here is a little social concern in the NFL. The National Quarterback Club (NQBC) recently announced that McNabb will be inducted into the National Quarterback Club Hall of Fame at the 2021 NQBC I mean, there's nothing that I can do. 5 retired by the Eagles in 2013. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. That remains to be seen. However, it seems like he may have changed his mindset over the past couple of years. He also recorded two of the most prolific consecutive seasons in league history with 19 and 22 sacks in 1983 and 84, respectively. With that said, every NFL franchise has at least one player who should have received more consideration for a gold jacket, a bronze bust and the football immortalitythat comes with them. Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks are back together to recap all the action from the 2023 NFL Draft in a new episode of Move the Sticks. Unfortunately for McNabb, his postseason record is also one of the biggest knocks on his career and on his candidacy for the Hall of Fame. You can count Russell Wilson as a lock when that day comes. "You can play the numbers game to make a case both for and against McNabb being Hall of Fame-worthy," Domowitch wrote, before opting to make the case against. If it doesn't, it doesn't.". Since 2016, the three-time Pro Bowl selection has been eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but has never been elected. He has a good case to be in the Hall with the several stars from the 1985 Super Bowl champions. Theres A Football Life documentaries for almost each of those players. 1. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. He led the Eagles to five conference championship gamesfour consecutiveand at the end of the 2003 season put them in the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots. Scooby Axson. Despite a great playoff This doesn't mean he still doesn't believe he deserves it, per se. McNabb has never even been one of the 15 finalists for the Hall of Fame, so its safe to say the majority of Hall of Fame voters dont agree with Reid. He retired in 2011 and now works as a media spokesperson. great buying experience. Former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb says he deserves to be wearing a gold jacket and be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall Hilgenberg made seven Pro Bowls and five All-Pro teams, serving much of his career as a blocking anchor for the late, great Walter Payton. Three in complete and utter blowouts. He madeseven Pro Bowl trips and ledthe league in receiving yardage twice. The 2021 NFL Hall-of-Fame class will be inducted into Canton, Ohio in a little under a month. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. If you think McNabb wouldnt have been as successful on that roster full of HOFers, youre just not being intellectually honest. Odds and lines subject to change. Considering what they pulled with Derrick Books, they better right this wrong in 2023. Nov 29, 2009 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Eagles QB DONOVAN MCNABB talks to the media after the game during the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles game in Philadelphia. The running back of the 1999 AFC champions, Eddie George, also merits strong Hall of Fame conversation, but McNair is up first. Copyright 1995-2023 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Dan Fouts and Warren Moon both failed to reach the big game, and they both have a bust in Canton. Donovan McNabb was born on November 25, 1976, in Chicago, Illinois. And his 234 career touchdowns is #29 with Tony Romo and, again, Dave Krieg ahead of him. All year. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. "If I had a vote," he told reporters, "I would vote [for me].". Karras needs more recognition for being one of the leagues most disruptive defensive linemen in the 1960s, when he received four Pro Bowl and three first-team All-Pro nods. Its time for McNabb to get his props and be in the Hall of Fame. The late, beloved Karras may be hurt by his post-football career in acting, from Mongo in "Blazing Saddles"to George Papadapolis in "Webster.". I found myself in the improbable position of defending Limbaugh at Slate. Injuries limited Bosellis career to seven seasons in Jacksonville, but he was one of the games best edge blockers for most of it, with five Pro Bowl nods and three first-team All-Pro selections. Some might go with Joe Klecko, who was Gastineaus devastating defensive line-mate from the same era. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. McNabb, who has been eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame since 2016, had his No. View cart for details. The Hall needs to do a better job celebrating short-but-spectacular careers. Branch was one of the smoothest big-play receivers ever to play, and he deserves to be in Canton with his late quarterback, Ken Stabler. Don't miss a story! The others: That group features 17 present or surefire Hall of Famers. The Eagles Should Make Jalen Hurts Their QB of the Future -- It's Time To Pay the Man. PHILADELPHIA -- When Donovan McNabb arrived in Philadelphia in 1999, he became one of the three generational sports stars in town at the time. Then again, I may be biased. Hilgenberg gets the honor over fellow Bears center Olin Kreutz, who made six Pro Bowls in the 2000s and helped Chicago get to Super Bowl 41. The Falcons also have candidates from the 1970s (Jeff Van Note),1980s (Mike Kenn) and 1990s (Jessie Tuggle), but none were as dominant as Nobis was in relation to the rest of the league at the time. Steve McNair won an NFL MVP Award in 2003 with incredible talent on defense and at the skill positions. They would go on to lose the Super Bowl in 1981 and not make it back after. The Saints'vaunted "Dome Patrol"defense from the late 1980s and early 90s has one linebacking Hall of Famer in Rickey Jackson. May 24, 2019. McNabb said "The big game still is the NFC Championship Game, the game to lead you there, and most importantly of all, did he make the players around him better? It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. The elite defense that led to the Bucs winning Super Bowl 37 is represented in Canton by outside linebacker Derrick Brooks and tackle Warren Sapp. Former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb thinks he belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and he says his caseis solid. He won nearly 60 percent of his starts (.595 winning percentage). He was the first prized pupil of late offensive guru Bill Walsh, and he showed it with super-efficient play for his era. Donovan McNabb is a prime example of one of those players. "I'm not hesitating on that. Six Pro Bowls, four All-Pro nods and a league championship further boost his resume. When put into that perspective its pretty amazing. Donovan McNabb says he belongs in Hall of Fame: 'My numbers are better than Troy Aikman'. Gonzalez decided to forgo his senior year of school, beginning his Hall of Fame football career after getting selected 13th overall by the Chiefs in 1997. He helped inspire another generation of African-American quarterbacks, he was a mentor to many, and he showed, once more, that great quarterbacks come in all shapes and sizes, with McNair's sturdy frame a challenge for defenders to corral. From 2000-2004, Donovan McNabb was a top-five player in the National Football League. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onTampa Bay Buccaneers and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. Part of Audacy. Was he this? Hes also the only eligible QB to win nine playoff games whos not in the Hall of Fame. Center Jeff Bostic has a case, but Jacoby should be a slam-dunk for the Hall with four Pro Bowls and two first-team All Pro honors over 13 seasons. Throughout his career, he was a top 10 QB in the game. Being voted and inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a special honor. He even lost a playoff game to McNabb in 2008 as a #1 seed! A player must have been retired at least five years before he can be considered for the Hall of Fame. In the interest of further disclosure, I feel I sort of owe McNabb a little bit of a boost in his legacy campaign. If the losses hold McNabb back from being in the HOF, but not for Kelly, then it was never about the losses. MORE:Ranking eachteams potential Hall of Famers. Since I wrote that piece, Warren Moon became the first black quarterback to be inducted in Canton. But had the Titans picked up another yard in their Super Bowl XXXIV appearance, possibly giving McNair a championship ring, it might have put his candidacy over the top. 1. Seymour went to two more Pro Bowls in his 30s with the Raiders to close a mighty 12-year career. How about Eli Manning? There are stretches in the record book where Andersons stats compare to those of Dan Fouts and Joe Montana. Something went wrong. If you ask the NFL fans who dont really care about the game and only want to run with narratives, then McNabb is not a HOF QB. He took over a team that had gone 3-13 and had won 2 playoff games in 19 years, Steve McNair won an NFL MVP Award in 2003, The fact McNabb went to five Conference Championship Games in his 10 years as a starter. He was a Pro Bowl and All-Pro fixture during that span. Heres another defensive crime committed by the Hall. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Its a loaded running back class, however, and other positions like wide receiver, offensive line and defensive back seem loaded as well. His numbers (589 catches for 8,978 yards and 79 TDs) dont add up to the best of the current era, but back then, those numbers signaled an elite impact. McNabb became eligible for the NFL Hall of Fame in 2017 and has been nominated each year since then. But Donovan got better after thatmuch better. He is also the New York Rangers beat reporter for AM New York. Eligibility restrictions apply. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. Although McNabb never won the Super Bowl, he played like a champion, and he should not ever be forgotten. He won league MVP in 2005 while pounding out 1,880 yards and 27 TDs and carrying the Seahawks offense to Super Bowl 40. Patton was the games most dominant defensive back for a five-year stretch from 1958-62 after helping the Giants win an NFL championship in 1956. He's not a guy who'll likely get in right away, but he deserves serious consideration, and we'd expect to eventually see him as a Hall of Fame finalist. Dan Marino never won the big game. At corner, he was teammates with Hardy Nickerson, and by the time he moved to safety as an old man, was sharing the field with Lavonte David. Nick is a 2x Associated Press Award-Winning reporter. McNabb is far more deserving of a bust in Canton than Eli Manning. Brown was also named to the Hall of Fames all-decade team in the 60s. We don't think it's that crazy. First up in the discussion: Donovan McNabb. Its time for McNabb to get his props and be in the Hall of Fame. The 2021 NFL Hall-of-Fame class will be inducted into Canton, Ohio in a little under a month. He may never have been the best quarterback in the league. McNabb had an 85.6 QB rating, versus 81.6 for Aikman. Back in 1998, writing for ESPN Magazine, I touted McNabb, who had just played his final year at Syracuse, as the best college quarterback in the nation and hassled my editors into putting him on the cover of the first fall issue as the NFL's coming superstar. The defense carried this team [the Eagles].". (Please, I don't need to be reminded that McNabb's situation is not so difficult or important as Robinson'sI'm talking about a principle.)". I spent the weekend thinking quite a bit about Steve McNair, given the horrible events that took place in Nashville, Tenn., and talking to people who knew him well. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. During his nine prime years (McNair played 13 seasons, but in essence, his "rookie" season was his third year, when he began starting regularly, and his final season was marred by injuries), McNair threw 149 touchdown passes to 97 interceptions and scored another 27 TDs on the ground. Jim Kelly, Andre Reed, Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith and coach Marv Levy represent the Bills well for their 1990s heyday. To me, McNair was one of the best quarterbacks of his generation and one of the game's most respected performers for the bulk of his 13-year NFL career. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Cornerback Ronde Barber and end Simeon Rice also deserve to join them, but Lynch gets the first golden ticket. But Branch, with four Pro Bowls and three first-team All-Pro nods in 14 seasons, edges him out. He was among a handful of QBs in the late 1990s and early 2000s to usher in an era of increased mobility from the position. I won't go into all statistical reasons for why McNabb was a top-tier QB, but here are a few. There is no doubt McNabb has been a better overall pro than, say, Eli Manning. The just-retired Eagles quarterback's lack of a Super Bowl victory and a few mediocre years shouldn't overshadow his overall impressive record. The other two are John Elway and Fran Tarkenton, and that's pretty good company. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. The Eagles famously selected McNabb second overall instead of star running back Ricky Williams in 1999, much to the chagrin of fans in attendance that night in New York. Sharpe played only seven seasons (all in Green Bay) in his 20s, but he made five Pro Bowls with three first-team All-Pro selections. Again, those aren't gaudy stats, but they provide plenty of reasons to explain why McNair won so much in a league defined by parity. BREAKING: The Modern-Era nominees for the Class of 2022 have been unveiled. He won't be eligible for four years, but it doesn't hurt to start early. McNair and Hall of Fame rs Young and Fran Tarkenton are the only three quarterbacks in NFL history to throw for 30,000 or more yards and rush for 3,000 or more Yes, it's time to start the McNabb Hall of Fame debate. DONOVAN MCNABB 2007 BOWMAN CHROME REFRACTOR.. cleared payment - opens in a new window or tab, - for PayPal Credit, opens in a new window or tab, Report this item - opens in new window or tab. But much of the debate on Twitter about McNabb's comments noted that it was misleading to compare McNabb's and Aikman's statistics: -- "You do realize that McNabb averaged almost 100 more throws per season than Aikman. Running back Mark Ingram is excited to have rookie J.K. Dobbins joining him and believes the Ravens will have the best backfield stable around. McNabbs career passer rating is 85.6 and ranks #34 all time. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. He was retro-credited with 127 sacks, and he should have made more than two Pro Bowls. Barring injury or other unforeseen circumstances, Mahomes, Hurts and others in this generation of star Black signal-callers wont be hanging up their cleats anytime soon. Should he be in the Hall because of his rings alone? The likes of Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, Michael Vick, and Steve McNair have always gotten the higher praise. Not only was he an incredible player, but he was also an incredible leader, and exactly the guy the Eagles needed at that point in time. Brunell: 59.6 completion percentage, 31,826 passing yards, 182 touchdown passes, 106 interceptions, 84.2 passer rating, 4.8 yards per carry, 15 rushing TDs. But what of McNabb? The five-time Pro Bowler was an underrated, venerable playmaker through a 12-year career all with Arizona. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. His long-time teammate and future brother-in-law Jason Taylor is a close second, but Thomas, the undersized, prolific tackling marvel, has to be the Dolphins top snub. McNabb was 98-62, 61.25%. Can the presence of Tom Brady, a continued resurgence of Ronald Jones and the drafting of Ke'Shawn Vaughn add a rushing component long absent in Tampa? Kelly had the luxury of throwing to some of the greatest players in league history. Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelpline.ma.org (MA), Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). But he is among the current top 25 of all-time leading rushers. The Eagles scored 17 touchdowns in 1998. McNabb has more yards than Kelly career wise, their completion percentages are about the same, have similar TD #s as well. 13 on the all-time rushing yards list, right behind Jim Brown and Marshall Faulk and just ahead of Marcus Allen and Franco Harris. Anderson was in the league from 1982 to 2004, and the kicker is third on the career points list with 2,434. That added dynamic made him one of the most feared players in the NFL. Each NFL team's biggest Hall of Fame snub, Ranking eachteams potential Hall of Famers, NFL uniform rankings;why Cowboys are No. Fresh off his breakout rookie campaign, Seahawks receiver D.K. ", -- "McNabb was a good leader; good field general. I don't know of a football writer who didn't regard the dearth of black NFL quarterbacks as one of the most important issues in the late '80s and early '90s. Longevity, versatility, stats, and the legendary resume play he will forever be known for. SU alums Donovan McNabb and Gary Anderson. Making it into the Hall of Fame is the highest honor in every sport. I'm only including quarterbacks who have played more than five seasons to this point (guys such as Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning and Philip Rivers don't yet qualify). Marshall is known for one of the biggest on-field blunders in NFL history, a wrong-way defensive TD run that turned into a 49ers safety during a Vikings regular-season victory in 1964. Gonzalez decided to forgo his senior year of school, beginning his Hall of Fame football career after getting selected 13th overall by the Chiefs in 1997. Not to mention he was one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks when he played and is currently 10th in all-time rushing yards by a quarterback. When you look at McNair's era of quarterbacks -- I'm talking about guys who rose to prominence while the days of Joe Montana, John Elway, Steve Young and Jim Kelly wound down -- I consider him to be one of eight standouts. But in the meantime, good luck to McNabb and Anderson this time around. How many times has he led his team to the big game?" Thanks alot!! McNabb lost four conference titles. That averages to 85 catches, 1,162 yards and 9 TDs per season. During his eight seasons with the Patriots, Seymour went to five Pro Bowls with three first-team All-Pro selections. 1999: 1 Tim Couch, 2 Donovan McNabb, 3 Akili Smith 2021: 1 Trevor Lawrence, 2 Zach Wilson, 3 Trey Lance 2023: 1 Bryce Young, 2 C.J. His statistics are better than a lot of quarterbacks already in the Hall of Fame, but that just is not enough. "There's one particular player, individual, who I believe should have an opportunity or should I say two players it's Randall Cunningham and Steve McNair," McNabb said. Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson are the only two backs who rank in the top 15 and are not in the Hall, and thats because theyre still in the league. 1. But the Hall should rethink that given how important special teams are and how much Tasker thrived in his role. Syracuse, N.Y. Donovan McNabb isn't eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame until 2017, but one Hall of Famer believes he should get in when that time comes. And as much as I like and respect Brunell, he isn't someone who likely will generate tremendous Hall of Fame debate. The average audience was 6.0 million viewers (TV plus digital) over three days, which was up 12% from 2022. However, when looking at a player's entire career, how can we leave out how much they meant to a franchise, or even to an entire city?