2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame Ballot

Newton's biggest problem isn't the drugs -- it's Steve Wisniewski

On the 90s all-decade team, it's he who got selected as the other guard opposite Allen. McDaniel and Matthews are the first-teamers. Wisniewski is the only one of that group not yet in the Hall of Fame.

He played the equivalent of one more season that Newton and has two more more Pro Bowls than Newton.
They both have two first-team all-pro selections BUT Wisniewski also has six second-team selections. Newton has none.

Of Wisniewski's 10 most comparables, 9 have been inducted. The one who hasn't is Jim Tyrer, and the nature of his death -- murder/suicide involving his wife -- is almost certainly the reason he hasn't sniffed being a senior finalist because his football resume is impeccable.

If Wiesniewki's not in, there's no way Newton stands a chance.

 

I politely differ on Johnston.
His prodigious blocking skills were a known thing all during the Cowboys run.
He wasn't just blocking for Smith but picking up blitzers in Dallas's brutally efficient short passing game.

Newton was a mess in the 90s and beyond. So was Lawrence Taylor.
Peter King has said many times that voters are prohibited from taking off-the-field issues into account.
This was also a heated topic in the case of serial rapist Darren Sharper.

 

List down to 25 semifinalists:

Steve Atwater, safety

Champ Bailey, cornerback

Ronde Barber, cornerback/safety

Tony Boselli, tackle

Isaac Bruce, wide receiver

LeRoy Butler, safety

Don Coryell, coach

Alan Faneca, guard

Tom Flores, coach

Tony Gonzalez, tight end

Torry Holt, wide receiver

Steve Hutchinson, guard

Edgerrin James, running back

Jimmy Johnson, coach

Ty Law, cornerback

John Lynch, safety

Clay Matthews, linebacker

Kevin Mawae, center/guard

Karl Mecklenburg, linebacker

Sam Mills, linebacker

Ed Reed, safety

Richard Seymour, defensive lineman

Zach Thomas, linebacker

Hines Ward, wide receiver

Darren Woodson, safety

 

Boselli needs to be in. For eight years no one touched a Jaguars quarterback from his side.

 

Agreed. The only ones I think sail in out of this group are Reed and Gonzalez.

 

I went 23-for-25. Had Leslie O’Neal and Simeon Rice instead of Sam Mills and Tom Flores

My guess for the 15 finalists:

Champ Bailey, cornerback
Tony Boselli, tackle
Isaac Bruce, wide receiver
Don Coryell, coach
Alan Faneca, guard
Tony Gonzalez, tight end
Steve Hutchinson, guard
Edgerrin James, running back
Ty Law, cornerback
John Lynch, safety
Kevin Mawae, center/guard
Karl Mecklenburg, linebacker
Ed Reed, safety
Hines Ward, wide receiver
Darren Woodson, safety

 

Bailey is going to sail in. 12-time Pro Bowler, 3 time first-team all pro, 4 second-team all-pro, first-team all-decade team pick

 

My guess for final 15:
Atwater
Bailey
Bruce
Boselli
Faneca
Gonzalez
Holt
Hutchinson
Johnson
Law
Lynch
Mawae
Mecklenburg
Reed
Ward

 

Neal was as good if not better than Johnston. People just remember Johnston because he was part of such a ridiculously talented team.

What about somebody like Tom Rathman, who was actually a threat as a runner, caught more passes and was also a strong blocker on some great teams?

It's going to be tough for a modern era fullback to get in the way they are used. I'm not even sure Johnston was the best of his time.

 

Neal also has a good statistical hook that he blocked for 11 1,000-yard rushers I’m a row. Granted it was Eddie George, Warrick Dunn, Corey Dillon, Tomlinson and some schmuck for the Jets, but still something to hang a candidacy on.

 

Johnston blocked for a pretty good tailback, too.

 

I would rather see Simeon Rice than Mecklenburg.
What, please, did Mecklenburg actually do?
Starred on defenses that came up very small on the big stage.