Fryar's career numbers are great for when he played, and he obviously was a good player for a long time. They can't be bumped more than five yards downfield. During the 1970s, Jackson led all players in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving TDs. NFL Career: Clayton played from 1983 to 1993. He probably doesn't need to be in. Swann, for instance, is generally thought of as a '70s guy. He lacks Johnsons best seasons and Smiths image. That said, Boldin played second fiddle to Larry Fitzgerald in his signature seasons and was perceived as more of a gritty veteran than a playmaker in his final seasons. 1971-84, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys [Being sober] is not a victory because its a lifelong battle, Smith told Frenette. His receiving TDs ranked 4th, 4th, 11th, 11th, and about 40th (actually a bazillion-way tie for 37th). We continue this week with WRs of the 1970s. Cliff Branch Four-time All-Pro and three-time Super Bowl champion who was exceptional in his prime. 29, 2020, But we can certainly compare these players to their peers. Statistically, hes far behind his contemporaries, and thats probably why hes never been taken seriously as a Hall of Fame candidate. Those of us who care about the Hall of Fame sometimes write derisively about "compilers" that is, a compiler of stats, who has impressive career numbers without ever really being a great player. Two: Carmichael. Three: Chandler, Hill, Morgan, Reed, Rison, Hugh Taylor That set off a stretch of peak seasons for Smith that few other wideouts can top. I believe only about five of those players deserve induction, but there's a case to be made for all of them. When you think about his numbers in the context of 14-game seasons and the defense-dominated '70s, they're nothing short of remarkable. Rather than three years finishing second and one tied for first, he's got two seasons alone at the top and another tied for the lead. There's a comparison to be drawn between Smith from '95-'04 and Big Game Torry Holt in the 2000s, when BGTH led the league in receptions and yards, with about half as many touchdowns as Moss and Owens. Jackson's record wasn't tied until Tim Brown in 2003, and finally broken by Terrell Owens and Tony Gonzalez almost 30 years later. And yet, half his production came after '95: five of his eight 1,000-yard seasons, four of his six double-digit TD years, overall about 47% of his statistical value. Smith led the NFL in receptions in 1999 (116), then the highest total in history outside the whacked '94-'95 seasons. 1965-74: Fred Biletnikoff, Bob Hayes, Charley Taylor, Paul Warfield Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1950s, Tim Brown Morgan was one of the greatest deep threats in NFL history. Neil Paine was the acting sports editor at FiveThirtyEight. Dante Hall chosen for induction into Chiefs Hall of Fame They were drafted just one year apart, both were great punt returners early in their careers, both had most of their best seasons in the '90s, both had career numbers that looked exceptional before the explosion of receiving stats in the last decade or so. *JAWS is an average of a players career and seven-year peak Approximate Value. At . Rice had a three-time Super Bowl Champion. However, no player may have a more unique path to enshrinement than former Chiefs returner and wide receiver Dante Hall. He has several advantages over Johnson, however. Fryar was a late bloomer. A wide receiver who was the 5th- or 6th-best of his generation is a player I'm okay leaving out of Canton. All rights reserved. Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison, and Carter are the only players in history with five straight years of double-digit receiving touchdowns. Edelmans strongest Hall of Fame argument his only Hall of Fame argument, really is that he ranks second to Jerry Rice on the all-time lists of both playoff receptions (118) and yards (1,442). Hill is an instant-impact player, and voters typically prefer that sort of player to someone who just accumulates lots of stats by being a cog in a machine. It's useful to me, in thinking about these issues, to break them down by era. He didn't live up to his contract in Cleveland, he got a bad reputation, Left Eye burned his house down, and he played for seven teams, eight if you count the Argos. 1972-85, Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders The Hall of Fame wideout finished his career as the NFL's all-time leading receiver and was a staple of the Redskins offense for 14 years. He has several advantages over Johnson, however. In 1968, the Eagles finished 14th in the 16-team NFL in passing yardage, and 15th in scoring, with just 14.4 points per game. Harrison is in the Hall of Fame, along with a number of Smiths other receiving peers: Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Isaac Bruce, Tim Brown, Cris Carter and, of course, Jerry Rice. HOF Qualifications: POOR. Here are the 25 best undrafted free agents (UDFAs) in NFL history. I immediately lost all respect for your credibility for this page because there is no mention of Andre Reed. Now lets talk seriously about getting Cliff Branch and Sterling Sharpe into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1950s Tim Brown 1988-2004, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1,094 receptions, 14,934 yards, 100 TD The Hall of Fame voters, in recent years, have almost entirely ignored special teams contributions. Opening up to Gene Frenette of Jacksonville.com in 2016, Smith admitted that his fight against drug addiction is a constant obstacle. Both years, he caught just two TDs. He finished his 234-game career as the NFL's second all-time leading receiver with 1,101 receptions for 13,899 yards. These NFL wide receivers do not count toward our list of 10 worthy Hall of Famers. 6. Sharpe was better than any of them, but the others had long careers and lots of postseason glory. Anything that causes a player's career to be broken up usually dampens the perception of his greatness. Sharpe was better than any of them, but the others had long careers and lots of postseason glory. When you talk about a player like Irving Fryar, I think there's some truth to the idea that he had a lot of pretty good seasons without necessarily establishing true greatness. But in looking at the early '90s, I don't think Fryar and Rison are as strong as some of the candidates I'll write about next week: Gary Clark, Henry Ellard, Andre Reed, and Sterling Sharpe. Reaching those round numbers makes his stats look a lot different. A seventh-round draft pick remarkable for his height (6'8"), Carmichael led the Eagles in receiving yardage seven times and played in four Pro Bowls. "The Marks Brothers" have better numbers than some of the receivers in the Hall of Fame. Behind The Mask Podcast: STEVE SMITH, FORMER CAROLINA PANTHER ALL-PRO Branch's stat line in the '80s dwarfs Pearson's, by over 1,000 yards 50% more yardage. Dont scoff because it is so early in his career. There is one clear answer when it comes to who is the greatest receiver in 'Skins history: Art Monk. Hall of Fame Case: Point #1- Dominance While he only played for seven seasons, Sterling Sharpe was, undoubtedly, one of the best (if not THE best) wide receiver in the game during his career. Charley Taylor. Standing at 5-8, Hall's size scared off a number of NFL teams during the 2000 NFL draft, though his incredible versatility as a converted wide receiver caught the eye of the Kansas City Chiefs, who went on to draft him in the fifth round with the 153rd pick. The 9 best Jets not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame HOF Qualifications: EXCELLENT. 1992-2005, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars For what it's worth, neither has ever reached the Finalist stage of voting. That player would be michael irving popular has rings and of course on the cowboys. Moss? To keep the statistics from skewing, I used top-five rankings (instead of top-10) for seasons before 1970, when the leagues were 8-16 teams rather than 26-32. Smith was occasionally dogged by drug issues, and his four-game suspension in 2003 probably kept him from becoming the only person besides Rice with 10 straight 1,000-yard seasons. But do all 15 of these receivers belong in the Hall of Fame, plus Edelman and your personal favorite whom I might have omitted? Harrison is one of the best wide receivers in NFL history, currently ranked fourth all-time in career receptions and fifth all-time in receiving yards. Brian Branch, S, Alabama. If a guy was the best receiver besides Jerry Rice, that's the sort of player I feel is a legitimate snub. Look at the man's career stats. Moore had three seasons of 100 receptions, trailing only Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison, and Wes Welker (4 each). What are some wide receivers that are currently in the hall of very Theres no reason to belabor the arguments for them. In 2000, they chose Carter, not Michael Irvin, to join Rice on the All-90s Team. His career-highs after '76 were 59 receptions (1980), and 858 yards and 7 TDs (both '81). Clutch. Aggie Football: Chiefs to induct Dante Hall into their Hall of Fame The premier deep threat and speed burner in the league in his prime. A statistical oddity about Drew Pearson: in his two best seasons, he scored a combined total of four touchdowns. But for a few seasons, Morgan was one of the most dynamic players in the NFL. During that three-year stretch, Branch caught 157 passes for 3,096 yards and 34 TDs. During that period, he ranked second (behind Marvin Harrison) in total catches, first in receiving yards and seventh in touchdown receptions. who was recently elected to the Hall of Fame, sits atop the list of when it comes to the highest single-season yardage output, accounting for . Sterling Sharpe: Hall of Fame Candidate Today's wide receivers play 16-game schedules. Irving Fryar Both the Eagles and Rams improved dramatically when they acquired Jackson. Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1950s (Hill, Howton, Speedie, Hugh Taylor, Wilson) Cliff Branch 1972-85, Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders 501 receptions, 8,685 yards, 67 TD. Of course, Brown is most remembered as a receiver who was among the best at his position for a decade. The players listed below are the top 250 HOFm-rated players who played WR starting in 1955 or later for at least 50 career games. Their stats in the decade are comparable, but Pearson found the postseason glory that eluded Branch until the 1980s, and teammates called him Mr. . What To Do About A Problem Like Dianne Feinstein? He has been stuck in Hall of Fame semifinalist purgatory for five years, unable to advance to the finalist stage. For years, it was Lynn Swann or Art Monk. Gray: 351 rec, 6,644 yds, 45 TD 3. If I look down the line at some of the best wide receivers to play in Green Bay, guys like . Smith was one of the most dangerous NFL wide receivers of his era, and he made his mark in the playoffs with 7 postseason touchdowns (Edelman has 5). Best Wide Receivers Not in the HOF: 1970s - Sports Central He led the NFL in receiving touchdowns twice, and in . Smith was a star from 1996-2005. But Boldin has lots of Hall of Fame trappings: a Rookie of the Year Award, a Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, a Super Bowl ring (and an important fourth-down Super Bowl reception) with the Baltimore Ravens, some playoff heroics for the Arizona Cardinals, lots of postseason production, and a pair of 100-catch seasons. He signed for 1995 and spent the season working his way up the new teams depth chart. Harrison is in the Hall of Fame, along with a number of Smith's other receiving peers: Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Isaac Bruce, Tim Brown, Cris Carter and, of course, Jerry Rice. Yet Jackson wasn't chosen to the All-70s Team, and he has never been a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Morgans career was in decline by the time the Patriots got hammered by the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XX. Branch made four Pro Bowls, was four times first-team All-Pro, and played on three Super Bowl winners. New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman announced his retirement from the, Lets start by running through five obvious cases of overly-qualified receivers who have not yet been enshrined. He helped redefine both offensive expectations and the wide receiver position during that span. More, Subscribe to the Sports Central Feed Follow Sports Central on Twitter, "There is a reason he is a two-time MVP, a Finals MVP, because he pushes us over the top in moments like this. 1984-2000, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins The guys who peaked a little later have a stronger case. My silly side is insisting that Jimmy Smith should obviously make the Hall of Fame, because he's incomparable! In 1994, he set the single-season record for receptions (122, since broken), and in three other seasons he led the NFL in receiving TDs. Andre Rison's average 5th, 9th, and 3rd. Then again, Smith didn't play on the kind of pass-oriented offenses most of the others did. More, Subscribe to the Sports Central Feed Follow Sports Central on Twitter, "There is a reason he is a two-time MVP, a Finals MVP, because he pushes us over the top in moments like this. Smith in 2004 gained the third-most receiving yards ever by a 35-year-old (1,172), and he and Rice are the only players ever to gain over 1,000 yards in a full season after turning 36. 7101 yards, 53 tds. The only stain on Jones' resume has been the lack of touchdown. Smith retired when he was still a good player; his final season yielded 70 catches, 1023 yards, and 6 TDs. His career stats are good, especially the TDs, but they aren't impressive when compared to contemporaries with longer careers, like Tim Brown, Cris Carter, Henry Ellard, Irving Fryar, and Andre Reed. Rison, in his third-best season, was 2nd in the NFL in both receptions and receiving TDs. He remained a good player for years afterwards, but there are lots of good receivers. for NFL news and in-depth analysis concerning the 2021 season and beyond. No, it was Carter." Their quarterbacks are protected in ways Y.A. Chiefs announce Dante Hall to be 2023 inductee into team Hall of Fame Wards Hall of Fame candidacy is held back by unimpressive statistics and a lack of All-Pro appearances. They can't be bumped more than five yards downfield. 5. He has a well-deserved tough-guy personality, a high television profile (all voters try to tune that sort of thing out, and a few succeed), and several signature plays, including the broken-arm catch and some unforgettable playoff performances. He made five Pro Bowls (one as a returner) and was second-team All-Pro twice (once as a returner). In that seasons signature win a playoff upset at the heavily favored Denver Broncos Smith had 71 yards and scored the eventual game-winning touchdown. Here's someone who would fit there perfectly. They play in high-efficiency pass-oriented offenses, as opposed to the exciting but reckless bomb-it-down-the-field passing games of the past, when running was a way of life and throwing a sneaky change of pace or a mark of desperation. Harold Jackson Five-time Pro Bowler, first player to amass 10,000 receiving yards in the NFL. Gray was very good, but Carmichael, Branch, and Pearson are all much stronger HOF candidates. Who is the best wide receiver eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but not yet enshrined? Now, it's guys like Andre Reed and Cliff Branch. That distinguishes him from almost every receiver in history. But that was the widespread impression at the time; Rison's success with Green Bay was a real surprise coming from someone most fans thought was finished as an impact player. He had nine consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons and ranks 4th all-time in receiving yards. But I think the voters have been reluctant to enshrine him partly for the same reason Art Monk had to wait so long. He should be in. Andre Reed is mentioned eight times. The expanded 16-game season and increased offensive levels also made Branchs 46-to-60 catch stat lines look like something any receiver could accomplish. He played seven games and never caught a pass. Both players also have to fight the perception that they were good for a long time without being true standouts. NFL wide receivers that will make the hall of fame and ones that won't.If you're new, Subscribe! 1991-2002, Detroit Lions, New York Giants Let's break this down a little more, looking at both the Hall of Famers and the contenders we've examined. NFL's top 20 players not in the Hall of Fame: Torry Holt, Zach Thomas A first-team All-Pro in 1990 and a five-time Pro Bowler, Rison had five 1,000-yard seasons and in 1993 tied Jerry Rice for the most receiving TDs in the NFL (15). Rank'Em: Cowboys Now Have 20 Hall of Famers - Dallas Cowboys The Jacksonville Jaguars of the 1990s cannot catch a break. To me, those are the Hall of Famers, and Smith is just barely that next group down. Andre Rison Touchdown machine in the early '90s who revived his career with a 54-yard TD in the Super Bowl and a Pro Bowl with the Chiefs. Defenses fear the deep threat, the guy who can burn you on any given play. But you can't compare Smith to the guys who played most of their careers in the 2000s, because Smith was already in his 30s then. He fell just short of 600 receptions, 9,000 yards, and 80 touchdowns. Joiner's best seasons came in the early '80s and the others all reached stardom in the '60s, whereas Jackson's career is truly centered in the '70s. He also had several very good seasons in the '80s, making the Pro Bowl in 1980 and going over 1,000 yards in '81. Everyone else on this list has a strong case, though some are stronger than others. During his NFL career, Rison caught touchdown passes from Jack Trudeau (4), Chris Miller (25), Scott Campbell (2), Billy Joe Tolliver (6), Wade Wilson (3), Bobby Hebert (11), Jeff George (9), Vinny Testaverde (1), Eric Zeier (2), Mark Brunell (2), Brett Favre (1), Elvis Grbac (7), and Rich Gannon (11). Pro Football Hall of Fame Top 20 - Leading Lifetime Receivers. The Best Damn Receiver Who Won't Make The Hall Of Fame The Best Damn Receiver Who Wont Make The Hall Of Fame, passing game grew to take over the modern sport, remains the Jags all-time franchise leader in AV, Partisan Gerrymandering Is Legal Again In North Carolina. Those same seasons, he placed 23rd, 1st, 2nd, tied for 1st, and 8th in receptions an average of 7th. Please note that WRs of the late '80s and early '90s, like Reed and Sharpe, are in next week's column. But those are glimpses of greatness. zack howard on Twitter: "Imagine growing up with a hall of fame qb as All members of our Hall of Pretty Damn Good Players brought value to their teams in an underappreciated way its sort of a requirement for enshrinement, after all. Here's my list of 25, ranked by the number of times they were among the top 10 in their league in receiving yards: Seven: Powell 1990-99: Michael Irvin. Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1960s Art Monk. 501 receptions, 8,685 yards, 67 TD. Late in his career, he was suspended under the NFLs substance-abuse policy; after retiring, he went through even more cycles of rehab, sobriety and relapse, even serving prison time in 2013. Jackson made five Pro Bowls and was remarkably steady, with over 500 receiving yards for 13 consecutive seasons, breaking Raymond Berry's record of 11. Four: Branch, Ellard, Fryar, Hennigan, Howton, Moore, Sharpe, Otis Taylor He made two Pro Bowls as a returner, in 1988 and '91, and in 2001 became the oldest NFL player (35) to return a punt for a TD. But when you're talking about the Hall of Fame, does it distinguish him from guys like Cris Carter and Henry Ellard and Tim Brown? The Best Wide Receivers in Los Angeles Rams Franchise History . Brown caught 90 passes for 1,344 yards. There will be about half a dozen who have great seasons like Smith in '99, and about half of those will excel even further, push the records set by superstars like Moss and Owens and Harrison. The Hall of Fame voters, in recent years, have almost entirely ignored special teams contributions. HOF absurd. He probably doesn't need to be in. This is an era in which the phrase "other than Jerry Rice" comes up often. If you really want to include '83, the Cliff Branch-Era Raiders, who won three Super Bowls, have twice as many HOFers as the 1980s 49ers, who won four. Stats again: The interesting thing about this list is that many of these players need to be evaluated with serious consideration of their postseason accomplishments. Stroud Could Slide, Bijan Robinson, and More, Ranking the Best NFL Draft Steals of All Time From Tom Brady to Tony Romo. Smith had more receptions and yards than anyone but Marvin Harrison, with the 4th-most receiving TDs (Harrison, Owens, Moss). Five: Brown, Carter, Clark, Jackson, Pearson, Shofner, Smith, Speedie, Wilson Mel Gray was certainly a fine player. He probably shouldn't be in. But Fryar was effective for so much longer, I think he did more to help his teams. Raider fans want Branch and Ken Stabler and Ray Guy and maybe a couple others in, as well. Work at the Hall; Buy Tickets; FAQs; He led the NFL in receiving touchdowns twice, and in receiving yards in 1974. By the fall of 1994, he had been cut by Dallas and also the Philadelphia Eagles, leading to a year out of football. He led the NFL in yards per reception for three straight years from 1979 through 1981. To me, no one from that group left a Hall of Fame legacy. You can easily look at player like Art Monk or the 2 pass on this year TIm Brown and Chris Carter whom at a time or 1 and 2 on record books or right behind Jerry Rice. But hes no Hall of Famer. From recent years, when the passing game has reached levels of unprecedented importance, so far there's just Rice and Irvin. Choosing between the two, I'd go with Ellard. When the 1970s All-Decade Team was chosen, however, Pearson was a first-team selection and Branch was left off entirely. Top 20 Receivers | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site I don't buy that, for either one. Comparing Smith to Keenan McCardell is just silly, which I guess leaves Herman Moore and maybe Rod Smith. HOF Qualifications: POOR. Thats also a big reason why Smith finished fourth among players who started their careers in 1950 or later behind only Rice, Harrison and Owens based on their head-to-head TRY against teammates over their careers (after adjusting for aging effects).