Matt Ryan: Hall of Famer?

Quarterbacks almost always are at the head of the line when it comes to finalists -- Warner's the only one in the past nearly 30 years to not make it on the first try.

I would imagine Roethlisberger will retire within the next three years -- he enters this season at 37. He could be in a retirement class that squeezes him out -- if potentially he, Brady and Brees all retired at the same time. Jason Witten reset his clock by coming back, so when he leaves again is in play. The possibility that Gronk returns would push him back at some point. Larry Fitzgerald might be on the same track as him.

The ones who get hurt the most are always the holdover finalists, not the first-timers. 2016 and 2017 are prime examples -- only 3 of the 10 inductees were first-timers. The last two years it has been 6 of the 10. 2020 is a weak group. Polamalu is going to go in on the first ballot. The best other first-timers are Reggie Wayne, Patrick Willis and Justin Smith. I would be stunned if the five modern candidates next year are not Polamalu, Faneca, Lynch, Hutchinson with the final slot going to either Bruce or Boselli. I think it's Bruce because they are already putting in to offensive linemen.

 

That is my only legitimate hesitation on Roethlisberger going in the first year he is eligible. If the class is strong enough, especially if it is the same year as Brady and/or Brees, he might have to wait a year.

 

Going way back to this, but to answer that question: The most jaded, hopeless, spiteful collection of homers one could ever possibly assemble.

 

I realize Jason Witten's full name has been "future Hall of Famer Jason Witten" for about ten years, but apart from the star on his helmet I have yet to see a reason why.

 

Right. That the HOF has been very selective with inducting quarterbacks from the ‘70s and ‘80s shouldn’t matter. The position, it could be argued, has never been more important, and there has never been an era with this many quarterbacks who’ve both won Super Bowls and put up ridiculous numbers.

 

I don’t like the Cowboys but Witten is fourth on the all-time receptions list and will add to it. Ahead of him are Rice and Gonzalez, in the HOF, and Fitzgerald will be.

Passing era, but he has the numbers without a question.

 

Didn’t realize it was a one on one game.

 

He's an 11-time pro bowler, a two-time first-team All-Pro with two second-team selections and all-time he is fourth in receptions, 21st in receiving yards and 47th in touchdowns, all as a tight end.

Among tight ends, he is 2nd (to Gonzalez), 2nd (to Gonzalez) and 5th ( to Gates, Gonzalez, Gronk and Graham) in those categories

 

I didn't realize you thought the QB was the same level of importance as the left guard.

 

Now, I will say some QBs, like Ryan, who put up crazy numbers in the regular season but really don't have much in the way of playoff success, they will wait and might not get in at all.

If you're a good QB, you are going to play 15 years in this league. There is no way all 15 of those years your team was dogshit. But at least win a couple of playoff games. Go to a conference championship or two. Voters should understand if it's a great quarterback carrying a shit team (Brady last year), a shitty QB on a great team (Goff), or a great QB on a great team (Roethlisberger's Super Bowls).

Ryan I think falls into good QB on a really good team. Eli might as well, but Eli's teams won those damn games.

 

That’s your takeaway from my post?

 

If you’re using stats and durability as your argument for Ryan, that means he’s Matthew Stafford although Ryan at least has won a playoff game
As for Eli, two rings put him in, whether you like it or not