2020 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class

Davis has two Super Bowl rings, which figure heavily in Hall of Fame voting, and he has one of only seven 2,000-plus yards in NFL history. At his best, he was more dominant. Also, you are comparing a running back to a wide receiver. Running back careers are shorter.

 

My problem with Sharpe is he didn't become a superstar until very late in his shortened career. That's not all his fault, but it's there.

 

Davis was also replaced by Olandis Gary (1159 yards) and Mike Anderson (1487 yards). The dominance was in part due to the Broncos offensive line. Look, I'm not saying Davis doesn't belong. But Sharpe deserves more consideration than he's gotten. He was the second best receiver in the NFL after Jerry Rice for the better part of a decade. He was elected first team All-Pro three times -- or as @Della9250 pointed out earlier in regard to Drew Pearson -- that's more than Andre Reed, Lynn Swann and Tim Brown combined. And more than a slew of other receivers.

The bar is not lowered by inducting a guy like Sharpe. He had a unique career.

 

He was first team All-Pro in his second season, when he first led the league in receptions and also had more than 1,400 yards receiving.

 

I mean, look at this list of wide receivers who are in the Hall of Fame. Sharpe 100 percent belongs in that group.

 

I agree he belongs. I think it would suck if it established a precedent, even though we are going to see careers become shorter and shorter.

Part of the problem is there are too damn many receivers in Canton already.

 

Kick out a few or put some in the Annex.

 

Right now there are more receivers (27) than quarterbacks (26).

There are only nine tight ends and 46 offensive linemen.

Voters love counting stats.

 

Monk, Joiner, Tim Brown, Stallworth and Swann don't belong IMHO. Reed probably, too.

 

I agree with all of those.

Swann never even had a 1,000-yard season and averaged 47.1 ypg over 116 career games.

 

Cris Carter?

 

336 receptions, a paltry figure. But he had that catch that's probably been seen more than any clip in NFL history. Plus the Hollywood last name. And I say all this as a Steelers fan. His omission from the Hall -- Stallworth's, too -- should have been permanent. Fine players, not HOFers.