As the coming NFL season begins, players will be more focused on winning each week in the chase of a Super Bowl. But some will continue building a resume that will, at some point, be considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. For many whose careers have come and gone, their candidacy for induction is already ready to be debated.
This past weekend, the Pro Football Hall of Fame inducted its newest class of members. Highlighted by three former Chicago Bears—Steve McMichael, Devin Hester, and Julius Peppers—the class is one of the best in recent memory. And Hester made history in becoming the first return specialist to be inducted.
With the Class of 2024 now in the past, we can now look forward to players who are eligible for induction next year. There are some strong holdover candidates and a few new names who will be considered.
One name stands out as a should-be lock for induction, but his position opens the door for questions. Adam Vinatieri is arguably the most clutch kicker in the history of the NFL. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and made All-Pro three times. It’s worth noting that, because of his Super Bowl appearances, his Pro Bowl selections may have been impacted.
Vinatieri was a key member of four Super Bowl-winning teams during his fabulous career. He made 83.8 percent of his field goal attempts during a 24-year career that was split between New England and Indianapolis.
However, there are only five kickers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame today: Morten Andersen, Jan Stenerud, George Blanda, Lou Groza, and Ray Guy, who is the only inducted punter.
One of the more intriguing names to consider is former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning. Many feel he’s a lock to get into the Hall of Fame, but digging into his stats opens the door for some debate. He was a .500 quarterback during the regular season over the course of his career, and his touchdown to interception ratio isn’t great.
If his last name wasn’t Manning and he hadn’t played in New York, there would undoubtedly be less debate about his merits. But those are both working in his favor, as are two Super Bowl wins. And both championships came at the expense of Tom Brady’s Patriots, which helped his case immensely.
It will be very interesting to see if Manning gets in his first year of eligibility.
Two linebackers have a strong case for induction in the coming year as well.
Former Carolina inside linebacker Luke Kuechly has a loaded resume when considering him for induction: Rookie of the Year (2012), Defensive Player of the Year (2013) and he earned five first-team All-Pro honors. He was elite without question, but his career was limited to only eight seasons.
It’s noteworthy when considering Kuechly’s candidacy that former 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis, who also only played eight seasons, was inducted this year. However, this was Willis’s fifth year of eligibility. We’ll see if that impacts Kuechly.
Another linebacker who has a strong case is Terrell Suggs. The pass rush specialist who made a name for himself in Baltimore also won Defensive Rookie of the Year (2003) and Defensive Player of the Year (2011). He was an impactful part of two Super Bowl championship teams. But he was a first-team All-Pro only once, albeit playing the same position at the same time as two of this year’s inductees, Dwight Freeney and Peppers.
Three wide receivers could make a strong case. Reggie Wayne played too much of his career in the shadow of Marvin Harrison in Indianapolis, but his resume is strong enough for induction. Steve Smith, Sr. and Torry Holt both put up numbers that are worthy of a long conversation. But the bar for receivers to get in is extremely high.
Three offensive linemen could also argue their case well. Willie Anderson, Marshal Yanda, and Joe Staley were all among the best at their positions for a long time. But, again, it’s incredibly hard for an offensive lineman to get into the Hall of Fame.
Safety Earl Thomas was the centerpiece of the Seattle Seahawks “Legion of Boom” defense at safety. But his career numbers are debatable for Hall of Fame induction.
One of his teammates in Seattle, Marshawn Lynch, will have a lot of fans loving him but his numbers don’t necessarily warrant induction. Another running back who has a very good case and is considered overdue is long-time 49ers back Roger Craig.
It will be very interesting to see if Hester’s induction opens the door for other return specialists in the coming years. He specifically mentioned Brian Mitchell and Josh Cribbs during his speech. A good case can also be made for Dante Hall, who many have compared to Hester in the way he impacted games with teams simply refusing to kick the ball in his direction while he was playing with the Kansas City Chiefs.
