2020 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class

Gonna say yes. This article states he was the first to 20 and no one really was close. Bucs' Barber sets CB milestone for sacks, INT

 

I am sure that it is. The NFL only started counting sacks in about 1980.

Corner blitz are something that has started only in the last thirty years or so with the widespread use of nickel defenses where corners would line up in the slot or the nickel back would rotate over.

While football in the 60's and 70's saw safety blitzes (Larry Wilson of the Cardinals made the Hall of Fame in part because it was his trademark) you never saw guys like Willie Brown or Herb Adderly blitzing.

 

Finalists for the Centennial Class have been announced:

Coaches (two will be chosen for Centennial Class):
Don Coryell (St. Louis Cardinals 1973-77; San Diego Chargers '78-86)
Bill Cowher (Pittsburgh Steelers 1992-06)
Tom Flores (Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders 1979-87; Seattle Seahawks '92-94)
Mike Holmgren (Green Bay Packers 1992-98; Seahawks '99-08)
Jimmy Johnson (Dallas Cowboys 1989-93; Miami Dolphins '96-'99)
Buddy Parker (Chicago Cardinals 1949; Detroit Lions '51-56; Steelers '57-64)
Dan Reeves (Denver Broncos 1981-92; New York Giants '93-96; Atlanta Falcons '97-03)
Dick Vermeil (Philadelphia Eagles 1976-82; St. Louis Rams '97-99; Kansas City Chiefs '01-05)

Contributors (three will be chosen for Centennial Class):
K.S. "Bud" Adams, owner of Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans until 2013
Ralph Hay, a founder of the league
Frank "Bucko'' Kilroy, a scout and executive with four franchises
Art McNally, an official and head of officiating for the NFL
Art Modell, owner of Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens until 2011
Clint Murchison, founder and owner of Cowboys until 1983
Steve Sabol, administrator and president of NFL Films until 2012
Seymour Siwoff, owner and president of the Elias Sports Bureau
Paul Tagliabue, NFL commissioner from 1989 to 2006
George Young, executive for the league and three teams

Seniors (10 will be chosen for the Centennial Class):
Cliff Branch, WR (Raiders 1972-85)
Harold Carmichael, WR (Eagles 1971-83; Cowboys '84)
Jim Covert, OL (Chicago Bears 1982-90)
Roger Craig, RB (San Francisco 49ers 1983-90; Raiders '91; Minnesota Vikings '92-93)
Bobby Dillon, DB (Packers 1952-59)
LaVern Dilweg, WR (Milwaukee Badgers 1926; Packers '27-34)
Ox Emerson, OL (Portsmouth Spartans 1931-33; Lions '34-37; Brooklyn Dodgers '38)
Randy Gradishar, LB (Broncos 1974-'83)
Cliff Harris, DB (Cowboys 1970-'79)
Winston Hill, OL (New York Jets 1963-76; Los Angeles Rams '77)
Cecil Isbell, RB and DB (Packers 1938-42)
Alex Karras, DT (Lions 1958-70)
Verne Lewellen, RB (Packers 1924-27 and '28-32); New York Yankees ('27)
Tommy Nobis, LB (Falcons 1966-76)
Drew Pearson, WR (Cowboys 1973-83)
Donnie Shell, DB (Steelers 1974-87)
Duke Slater, OL (Badgers 1922; Rock Island Independents '22-25; Chicago Cardinals '26-31)
Mac Speedie, WR (Browns 1946-52)
Ed Sprinkle, LB and DL (Bears 1944-55)
Al Wistert, OL (Eagles 1943-51)

 

And four other guys. I can't make educated guessed about anyone before like 1970, player-wise.

 

If I had to guess:

Don Coryell and Buddy Parker

Ralph Hay, Art McNally, Steve Sabol

Cliff Branch
Roger Craig
LaVern Dilweg
Ox Emerson
Randy Gradishar
Cliff Harris
Alex Karras
Drew Pearson
Duke Slater
Ed Sprinkle

 

One of them (likely Hay) is going to get screwed by shoehorning Tagliabue in there.

 

Concur. This whole deal seems aimed at getting Tagliabue in there.

 

really surprising Buddy Parker isn't in already. 2 titles, 3 straight title game appearances. Best coach with a founding team (Lions).

 

Very happy to see Karras in there

 

Drafts of 1967 &68 each produced 8 Hall of Famers. Of the 16 half were from HBCU.

 

So the packers had a guy named Vern and a guy named LaVern on their roster for most of the late 1920s and early 1930s. That sort of cracks me up. I also wished they had guys named Ernest and Shirley, but sadly not.

 

Noticed Art Modell's name in there. Could you imagine him getting inducted 60 miles from the city he famously ditched? We could see CNN on the scene at the Canton Riots.