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Every year I get extreme excitement and joy in filling out my Hall of Fame ballots, with Football and Baseball giving me the most joy of the four. You already know I would love to cash in on my dream of having my ballot be one of the 50 on the selection committee. In this life, it's just an opinion. An opinion that may not be agreed with across the masses. I have eight legends on my ballot that I feel most-deserve the nod in THIS class among the 15 finalists given to choose from. There isn't a restricted limit on selections, but they recommend 4-8, so I usually choose eight every year. Lets get to it!
I replaced two of the Committee's selections in Andre Johnson and Dwight Freeney and added an eighth. Both Johnson and Freeney are Hall eligible in my book- they will make my ballot next season. I put in two guys that I have wanted in for the past few ballots, Johnson and Freeney can wait another year, in my opinion. Here are my selections:
S Darren Woodson (replaces Freeney)
WR Torry Holt (replaces Johnson)
TE Antonio Gates (added - first ballot)
KR/PR Devin Hester
LB Patrick Willis
LB Randy Gradishar
DT Steve McMichael
DE Julius Peppers (first ballot)
I am beyond pleased that the Committee finally put Randy Gradishar and Steve McMichael in the Hall. No doubters for me. The Orange Crush era in Denver hasn't received the amount of love and admiration as it should in the Modern-Era. Gradishar was the face of it. One of the more physically demanding players of all-time, Gradishar was the heart and soul of the Orange Crush defense that reeked havoc on the gridiron in the late '70s. Not only was Gradishar a physical specimen, but he was one of the greatest tackling linebackers of all-time. After missing out on the nod in '03 and '08- Gradishar finally gets his seat in football immortality. Well-deserved. Same goes to the other Senior (pre Modern-Era) selection- Steve McMichael.
About damn time McMichael gets in! The cat sold his life to football and pro wrestling. I spoke on Gradishar's relentless and physical play... McMichael was a specimen in his own right. McMichael was one of the most important pieces to the legendary '85 Bears defense. The nucleus of the defense. Not the guy that got all the love on TV, but the guy who set the household names up. The guy who controlled the trench. Steve was a JACKHAMMER. He ranks third all-time in sacks by a lineman and was one of the most feared men to block. He sold his body to the game. Lost years of his life post football for the game. It's about damn time he can be celebrated in football immortality. Beyond deserving. Now he can rest.
Senior selections are no brainers, glad those two will get their gold jacket. I myself had two other no-brainers on my ballot. Two that didn't make the cut yet again on the official ballot. Darren Woodson and Torry Holt BELONG in the Hall, cha heard. You put Andre Johnson in over Holt? Come on, man! I won't discredit Johnson. Both Johnson and Reggie Wayne (missed the cut) deserve a seat in the Hall down the line. I will like them both to get in on next year's ballot, but Holt gets in first and should have gotten in by now. Fifth consecutive year they have snubbed Torry. It's a shame. I could sit here and give his case, show the stats, all that, but I am tired of doing that. Holt needs to be in the Hall of Fame. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Same goes for Darren Woodson.
People have been torn on Woodson, who is the all-time leading tackler for the Cowboys and was a major piece in three Super Bowl titles in Dallas. I am not torn. He belongs in the Hall for his play at Safety in a grueling era in the '90s. Woodson was a maestro in a slew of big/tough games to help Dallas reach those three titles. If Troy Polamalu and John Lynch are in the Hall (should be), then so is Darren Woodson. Outside of snubbin' Holt and Woodson, the other selections I agreed with. Devin Hester was the greatest player at his position... he belongs in the Hall. His skills at WR/CB have nothing do with his HOF case. The greatest return-man in league history belongs in football galore. Peppers? No question. Patrick Willis was the only one I had to think about; only because of his early retirement. Then I got to the correct thinking. Willis was a GLADIATOR on the gridiron; his physicality and hard-nosed play forced that retirement to come early (turf toe). Willis was an Aaron Donald at the Linebacker position- Pro Bowl in each of his first seven seasons and a total of 5 All-Pro nods. I'm all with puttin' Willis in already. He sold his body to the game and was one of the most successful defensive players of the 21st-century.
Lastly, we get to Antonio Gates. Many think I may be wrong on thinking he should be a first-ballot and I get that, but if Tony Gonzalez made first-ballot then Gates should too. Gates ranks 7th all-time in receiving touchdowns (116), one spot higher than Gonzalez (111). He also ranks top three in all major categories for Tight-Ends. Gates did it all for the Chargers and at the position. Not winning a ring doesn't shade his case. Should have been inducted this season and that's the bottom line.
The seven finalists who didn't make my ballot this year, certainly still have a case for my next ballot and so on. I am ok with Dwight Freeney and Andre Johnson being in the Hall on the official '24 ballot as both guys would have been on a ballot of mine eventually. As I do my ballot, I give each finalist thought and ponder before deciding the selections. I checked up on each case. Of the seven that missed the cut:
RB Fred Taylor
DE Jared Allen
DB Eric Allen
OT Willie Anderson
S Rodney Harrison
WR Reggie Wayne
G Jahri Evans
I only had three that were real tough decisions. Guys that could definitely make my ballot in 2025: Reggie Wayne, Jahri Evans, and Rodney Harrison. Evans might have to wait a bit, but Harrison and Wayne are deserving now. Wayne with the strongest case. The other four had weak cases to the point I question if I can put them in the Hall anytime soon. I love my Philly guy Eric Allen, but his case remains a tough one to immortalize. Could he get in down the line? Sure, it's not that weak, but with the upcoming defensive-backs hittin' eligibility- it could be quite the wait. Same for Jared Allen and Willie Anderson. Allen had the strongest case of the three; I think he, John Abraham, Robert Mathis, and Simeon Rice are next in line for D-ends. Willie Anderson may have to wait, in my opinion. Then there is Fred Taylor.
Taylor is a tough one. Fred had a helluva career and is one of my favorite tailbacks of the 2000s. Hard-nosed cat who could take a high amount of carries. Taylor became the face of the Jaguars franchise when he was drafted going into the 'chises 4th official playing season. Taylor had a remarkable rookie campaign in '98 and was a solidified top-15 back in the league for just under a decade. Taylor is just one of three top-20 all-time rushers to not make the Hall of Fame. The other two being Steven Jackson and Corey Dillon, who each have more Pro Bowl selections than Taylor's one. I wouldn't mind seeing Taylor in the Hall down the line, but he needs to wait. Guys like Eddie George, Warrick Dunn, Tiki Barber, or Jamal Lewis should come before him.
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