SI's 100 football jerseys

Take away the "what ifs" and I still take Sterling. I like Shannon Sharpe a lot, but there have been a lot of tight ends like him. I'll go with the guy who was an All-Pro five times in seven seasons at the more competitive position.

 

Fair enough.

 

The number 51 was handled perfectly. All good.

 

I'm a Niners fanboy, but I was surprised to see Dwight Clark (87) and Julian Peterson (98) there.

 

Shannon would've been in the show without his brother. Sterling was spectacular and the neck injury was untimely.

 

I missed on #45. I didn't see Tunnell on the list, who obviously was way better than Easley. Easley had a great couple of years and then was done almost overnight.

 

Starman, I see your point, but I was looking at it from the standpoint of a 1960s coach. Hornung could run, block, catch, pass and kick, which teams loved in that era. I use threat in that sense. A lot of people knocked Brown because he didn't (or wasn't asked) to do those things.

 

Exactly. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say he would be No. 2 in all receiving categories right now had he not gotten injured.

 

Hornung was a much better player at his position than McNabb is at his, and McNabb's pretty damn good.
Greene and Deacon Jones is hard to decide. Both all-time greats at nearly the same position. I wouldn't argue it either way, as either choice would be correct.

 

Some thoughts:

4 - Was cool to see them give John Kasay a shoutout. Should be the next number retired in Charlotte along with No. 51.
5 - Donovan McNabb and Paul Hornung ... almost a generational-level argument. I'd have to go with Hornung.
10 - So cool to see Fran Tarkenton carrying the torch of the best little number IMO.
12 - I question putting Tom Brady over Terry Bradshaw (and I think those who know me know I'm not part of the Steelers following ... )
15 - Could not lose between Bart Starr and Steve Van Buren. I think I would have gone with the latter, but that's not meant to slam Starr.
21 - Would go with Tomlinson over Deion. Both will be in Canton.
23 - No way I'd take Troy Vincent over Mel Gray. No way.
41- No way I'd take Keith Byars over Charlie Waters.
45 - Emlen Tunnell over Kenny Easley.
55 - Derrick Brooks over Junior Seau. Take a look at what Michael Vick did as a running QB. Got sick of watching him run all over the Panthers. Bucs stuffed him in their collective pockets. Why? Brooks in the weakside linebacker position ... better combination of speed, skill and discipline. Seau had first two skills in bunches, too ... but lacked the discipline Brooks did.
72 - I'll take either "Too Tall" or Dexter Manley over Dierdorf. Maybe Conrad Dobler would have agreed.
81 - "Night Train" Lane over Tim Brown - in a landslide.
84 - Would've been a nice debating point between the Sharpe brothers had Sterling not had his career ended prematurely.
87 - Dave Casper over Dwight Clark. This bunch was looking too much at The Catch and not enough at overall body of work here.

 

Hornung averaged 412 yards rushing per year, with a high of 681.

In his best receiving season, he caught 28 passes for 257 yards.

For his career, he was 66-140 on field goals.

Coasted on his Notre Dame aura his whole career. And the Heisman was a travesty.

 

But he was feared? Right? Really, you make a good argument. However, if you read stuff written at the time, people genuinely game planned to stop Hornung. The stats don't back up that opinion, but he was definitely other coaches worried about.