Michael Irvin

Probably not? Are you out of your mind?

Thurman Thomas has to squirm just to be make the cut, and we've got Troy Brown on the table. Put him in your Ring of Honor, but keep him out of the Hall of Fame, please.

 

I don't know how anyone making an argument for Troy Brown could possibly be doing it with a straight face, either, LJB.

 

Gentlemen, you're both indicating you don't understand football in the slightest. Not one little bit. Troy Brown is a great player, period. He's made many big-game winning plays on offense, defense, and special teams for the dynasty of our time. Greatness is not just numbers. There is no "minimum" stat standard for football greatness. Troy Brown: always found a way to help his team win-wherever it put him.
I'll put that against yards per catch anytime.

 

There are a lot of guys like that in the NFL, and they're damn good players. Just not Canton worthy. No shame in that because he's had a good career regardless.

 

Submitted to anyone on the board who might be a Steelers fan.

2001 AFC championship game
Troy Brown. 8 catches for 121 yards.
Troy Brown. a 55 yard punt return for a touchdown.
Troy Brown. While playing outside to watch for a fake on the field goal block team, Brown turns blocked kick into long run-then a lateral to Antwan Harris for 49-yard touchdown.

The last one is why Brown's a Hall of Famer. Can you imagine anyone ASKING Irvin to guard against the fake on the field goal block team, let alone making a TD creating play out there?

 

Nothing about Troy Brown evokes real greatness. Sorry. And this stinks like a typical Boston entitlement thing, Mike.

John Taylor made as many or more plays for his dynasty, on offense and special teams, too, and he might even have been able to play defense had circumstances forced him to do so. There's no rush on him for the Hall of Fame. You can go on down the line.

 

We're sort of on the same page there, LJB. None of the great teams of history is as seriously underrepresented in Canton as are the '80s 49ers. You didn't even mention Roger Craig, IMO the most glaring omission

 

If Troy Brown is in the discussion, then so is Hines Ward. Ok, he doesn't play defense, but Brown isn't the blocker Ward is and Ward has been a more productive receiver with lesser quarterbacks throwing to him. Also, he has a Super Bowl MVP award.

I really don't think Ward is going to make the Hall of Fame, but his case is as good if not better than Brown's. Both belong in the Hall of Very Good.

I agree that Taylor has a better case, too.

Yes, the Steelers made Brown look like a Hall of Famer in 2001. They've done that for a lot of guys in AFC Championship games. (Think Alfred Popunu).

Edit: Here are their career stats.
Now that I look, Ward's career numbers are better than I thought. Easily well ahead of Brown's. And I'm not sure you can say Ward is going to the Hall of Fame.

In nine seasons, Hines Ward has 648 receptions for 8,005 yards and 58 touchdowns. He has been over 1,000 yards in a season four times.

In 14 seasons, Troy Brown has 557 receptions for 6,366 yards and 31 touchdowns.

But hey, Brown did have that one great game against the Steelers.

 

Nice not-so-subtle dig. Trust me, you only pointed out what I already knew. I didn't forget that game (or the fact that the lateral you mentioned went forward lateral and should have been called back, but I digress).

As LJB pointed out, John Taylor is a great example.

Compared to Brown, Taylor has only 700 yards less, but averaged 5 more yards per catch (16.1) with 12 more touchdowns (43). That's not to mention more 1,000-yard seasons (two to Brown's one). And he's played in 70 less games.

Compared to Brown, Ricky Proehl has 112 more catches, 2,500 more yards and 23 more touchdowns while playing on three different teams that reached Super Bowls.

Compared to Brown, Muhsin Muhammad has 145 more catches, 3,000 more yards and 22 more touchdowns while playing on two different teams that reached Super Bowls, scoring one touchdown each time in a loss.

The comparisons could go on and on.

I know you've followed the Pats, but if you're looking to enshrine someone else from those teams, you might want to start with Vinatieri or Corey Dillon. Brown simply won't make the cut.

 

Troy Brown is David Wells. That's not a HOFer.

 

The only recent non-active Patriot that I'd put in Canton is Bruce Armstrong -- and I realize he wasn't part of the sacred championship troika. Six Pro Bowls, extremely durable tackle (missed fewer than 10 starts in his career), Curtis Martin amounts to very little without him.