Patrick Willis: Hall of Famer?

Well, we're talking about a defensive player, so you compare him to other defensive players not the laundry list of running backs who hit the wall at ages 28-29.

 

Sorry, I must have missed all of those 1,500-plus yard, 13-plus-TD seasons all those guys put up.

Since Davis' 2,000-yard, 21-TD season in 1998, you know how many Denver rushers have matched even the WORST season of his incredible three-year run (1,538, 13 TDs)?

One: Clinton Portis, who had back-to-back 1,500, 14-15 TD seasons in 2002-03. And that's it. no one else has even come close.

 

Are there any other linebackers (or any defensive players) who played as few as eight years?

 

The problem is, Davis' streak was less than half of the Broncos' streak of years of dominant rushing performances under Shanahan. Davis was a system running back.

 

I'm still waiting for all those other system backs to rush for 2,000 yards and 20 TDs. Or 1,500 and 13.

 

Mike Anderson rushed for like 1,480.

 

How about Dick Butkus?

Butkus — 9 seasons, 8 Pro Bowls, 6 first-team All-Pro selections, 2 2nd-team All-Pro selections

Willis — 8 seasons, 7 Pro Bowls, 5 first-team All-Pro selections, 1 2nd-team All-Pro selection

Worth noting that Butkus played when the NFL and AFL were comprised of 24-26 teams, while Willis played in a 32-team NFL his entire career. Thus, it was more difficult to earn All-Pro honors in Willis' era.

Not saying Willis was as good as Butkus, but his credentials compare favorably.

 

lee roy selmon (different position obviously) made the HOF after playing nine seasons. he had six pro bowls and just one first-team all pro (though he did have a defensive player of the year award as well. willis never won that award).

 

I'm not a fan of going that far back for a comparison, even though it makes Willis look good. I think he's been a top 5 defensive player over the last eight seasons. I hope that's enough to get him in.

 

He was also running behind one of the better offensive lines of the last 20 years.

 

Nonetheless, joe king's point stands -- all those guys who disprove Davis' HOF credentials didn't come close to doing what Davis did.

The years 1996-98, the Broncos' ranks in rushing offense were 1, 4, 2. Starting in 1999 they were 12, 3, 10, 5.

 

Where did I say anything about a fullback? You said he's "one of the players who defines his era," not "one of the linebackers who defines his era."

If we're talking "one of the players who defines his era," Patrick Willis isn't close to being one of the guys who people would identify as "defining" this era.