Jerry Rice in the '90s and Jackson in the '70s are the only Modern Era players to lead any decade in every major receiving category. When he's in the zone like that, you try to just get him in his spots, get him the ball and get out of the way. Thereafter, he was out-gained every year by either Jake Reed or Moss. 1965-74: Fred Biletnikoff, Bob Hayes, Charley Taylor, Paul Warfield Smith made the most of the years he did play, with nine 1,000-yard receiving seasons and five Pro Bowl appearances. Elect Willie Gault already. Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1960s Neil Paine was the acting sports editor at FiveThirtyEight. Based in Charlotte, NC, we specialize in intelligent sports fan commentary and colorful interpretation. 1991-2002, Detroit Lions, New York Giants Pearson: 489 rec, 7,822 yds, 48 TD But Fryar was effective for so much longer, I think he did more to help his teams. And if you look at the list of active players, there's really no one else who figures to pass Brown and Carter any time soon. Which is a shame, because he was secretly one of the greatest pass-catchers in NFL history. And then theres Jimmy Smith, a five-time Pro Bowler who led the NFL with 116 receptions in 1999. Tony Boselli, one of the best left tackles of a generation full of great ones, has been a finalist for five years. For one thing, Carmichael ranked among the top 10 in receiving TDs eight times, and as a possession receiver, his yardage totals don't fully reflect his value. Hall spent seven seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs (2000-06), appearing in 97 games (10 starts) which is tied for the seventh most by a wide receiver in franchise history. During the 1970s, Carmichael ranked 2nd in receptions, tied for 2nd in receiving TDs, and 4th in receiving yardage. Stats again: The interesting thing about this list is that many of these players need to be evaluated with serious consideration of their postseason accomplishments. There's a bevy of top-end defensive players sitting atop the draft board Friday night. More, Subscribe to the Sports Central Feed Follow Sports Central on Twitter, "There is a reason he is a two-time MVP, a Finals MVP, because he pushes us over the top in moments like this. He was the Megatron of the time and his stats blow away the similar era receivers who are in the HOF. Top Golf Logo. But give the Sloan crew credit: they arent hailing Jon Gruden as a mathematical sorcerer because he traded Khalil Mack for draft picks anymore! In the '90s, who besides Jerry Rice did what Brown and Carter did? Harrison is one of the best wide receivers in NFL history, currently ranked fourth all-time in career receptions and fifth all-time in receiving yards. I got struggles. The counter-argument is that Rison only had six or seven seasons in which he provided real value for his team. I suspect it is here that Jackson's consistency has worked against him. Carter just doesn't have the highlight reel those guys do, and he never won a championship. For instance, it might be tempting to write off Smiths lifetime stats 862 receptions, 12,287 yards, 67 TD catches as a product of the modern pass-heavy era. But that would result in a Pro Football Hall of Fame teeming with hundreds of players at various positions. Thats also a big reason why Smith finished fourth among players who started their careers in 1950 or later behind only Rice, Harrison and Owens based on their head-to-head TRY against teammates over their careers (after adjusting for aging effects). But playing on so many bad Eagles teams delayed his entry into the Hall of Fame. You can probably win a bar bet with that, by the way. Carter, once 2nd all-time in both catches and receiving TDs, is now 4th in both categories. R.Smith: 849 rec, 11,389 yds, 68 TD According to computer vision, Addison has the third-fastest burst (speed achieved in the first 3 yards traveled) of any receiver in this draft class when . He probably shouldn't be in. The Hall of Fame wideout finished his career as the NFL's all-time leading receiver and was a staple of the Redskins offense for 14 years. Now, it's guys like Andre Reed and Cliff Branch. When you see wide receivers motion into the slot, hide in the backfield, or haul in a tunnel screen, you are seeing some of the things Green Bay Packers coach Mike Holmgren and his staff made popular in the NFL in an effort to funnel the ball into Sharpes hands. Those teams were consistently good, but they played in two Super Bowls. He didn't live up to his contract in Cleveland, he got a bad reputation, Left Eye burned his house down, and he played for seven teams, eight if you count the Argos. Average rank in five best seasons: This is a quick-and-dirty rating method, underemphasizing the most important stat (yards) and unduly skewed by a couple of bad TD years, so I wouldn't want to draw any specific conclusions from it. 1980-89: James Lofton, Art Monk Here are ten worthy wide receivers who are about to become Hall of Fame nominees, were snubbed or lost in the shuffle in the past, or (in our first two cases) wont be eligible for at least a decade. They can't be bumped more than five yards downfield. The bar for the Pro Football Hall of Fame is incredibly high, and even a player of Johnsons caliber can end up in a bin with four or five other guys a few seasons after his retirement. Harrison is one of the best wide receivers in NFL history, currently ranked fourth all-time in career receptions and fifth all-time in receiving yards. When the 1970s All-Decade Team was chosen, however, Pearson was a first-team selection and Branch was left off entirely. Whom you ask why stats or ok not great nothing like carters or Tim brown who enter the league same year and was so far ahead and higher in stats and records even with horrible qbs and team. Brohm was inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Association Hall of Fame in Lexington. At . Two: Carmichael. He has several advantages over Johnson, however. 29, 2020, We all believe that Calvin Johnson is one of the greatest of all time. And if nothing else, the Hall of Pretty Damn Good is all about keeping great players like him from slipping through the cracks of history. 1950-59: n/a When you think about someone who was maybe the 2nd-best receiver of the decade, certainly no lower than 4th it's a different perception than right now. Jimmy Smith was drafted in 1992. Irving Fryar and Rison did a lot of the same things as Andre Reed, but the constant team-switching makes it hard, psychologically, to view them that way. Ten Worthy Hall of Fame Receivers (Not Named Julian Edelman) April 15, 2021, 11:20 am ET 38 Our own Mike Tanier wades into the Hall of Fame debate with this list of wide receivers he believes deserve consideration for the Hall of Fame. Those are 16-game seasons, after the Mel Blount Rule and the changes that opened up pass blocking. Wide Receivers (14) Jun. Edelmans strongest Hall of Fame argument his only Hall of Fame argument, really is that he ranks second to Jerry Rice on the all-time lists of both playoff receptions (118) and yards (1,442). THE 2,000-YARD CHALLENGE FOR A WIDE RECEIVER. Were Branch and Carmichael and Pearson really more outstanding than Henry Ellard and Andre Reed and Sterling Sharpe? Johnson should eventually be enshrined, but his case exemplifies the folly of any Julian Edelman argument. His three-year yardage and TD totals are the highest for any receiver in the 1970s, including the later years with a 16-game schedule. 10 Biggest Pro Football Hall of Fame snubs in NHL history. That's when Steve Largent and James Lofton and the Air Coryell teams in San Diego were shattering receiving records. Branch emerged from Fred Biletnikoff's shadow and starred in two Super Bowl wins, while the Cowboys' dynasty began to decline and Pearson was surpassed by Cowboy teammate Tony Hill. [Being sober] is not a victory because its a lifelong battle, Smith told Frenette. Drew Pearson Had five standout seasons and played in seven NFC Championship Games. His 1995 season ranks among the most impressive statistical seasons of all time: 123 rec, 1686 yds, 14 TD. Andre Rison's average 5th, 9th, and 3rd. Swann, for instance, is generally thought of as a '70s guy. Carter averaged just 12.6 yards per reception, one of the lowest marks in history for an elite wide receiver. It's Pro Football Hall of Fame induction week around the NFL world. Carmichael was one of the best wide receivers of his era. Andre Rison Touchdown machine in the early '90s who revived his career with a 54-yard TD in the Super Bowl and a Pro Bowl with the Chiefs. Moore's other issue is that he played for the Lions at a time when (1) they weren't an elite team, (2) they had kind of a weird offense, (3) he was overshadowed by Barry Sanders. Stallworth: 537 rec, 8,723 yds, 63 TD Art Monk<br>1980-1995. Irvin gained almost 1,400 yards and led all receivers in first downs. When Philadelphia traded Jackson to Los Angeles in 1973, the 6-7-1 Rams improved to 12-2. If there's another receiver of this era who's worthy of HOF consideration, I suppose it might be John Gilliam, or Gene Washington of the 49ers, maybe Ken Burrough or Carmichael, if you count him here instead of 1975-84. Please help keep me accountable. Irving Fryar Five-time Pro Bowler and standout punt returner who played 17 seasons and scored 88 total TDs. He is ranked 15th in NFL history with 13,777 yards, but he is not in the Hall of Fame, though he was nominated in . Receiving statistics are exploding, and their numbers don't look as glorious now that guys like Marvin Harrison, Randy Moss, and Terrell Owens have played full careers. Hill is no Hall of Famer yet, but it will only take a few more deep playoff runs with Patrick Mahomes to put him over the top. Tittle and Roger Staubach never dreamed of. Hall of Fame QB's son will get NFL chance after signing rookie free agent deal. 1965-74: Fred Biletnikoff, Bob Hayes, Charley Taylor, Paul Warfield NFL's top 20 players not in the Hall of Fame: Torry Holt, Zach Thomas, Ken Anderson headline all-time list These greats are still waiting for their call to Canton By Bryan DeArdo Aug 18,. It's difficult to compare players across eras at any position, and this is particularly true in the passing game, because the rules and statistics have changed so much. He didn't play at all the next two years. Moore didn't. Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne: Each was a HOF Finalist last year, so each is on the doorstep of Canton. Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1980s (Chandler, Clark, Ellard, Morgan, Reed, Sharpe) The 2023 NFL Draft has wrapped -- but the team-building process continues with the signing of undrafted rookie free agents. He caught two touchdowns in Super Bowl XV and could easily have been named the games MVP. Rison signed a big free agent contract with the Browns, then publicly cursed at the Cleveland fans. Players active in 2005 who rank closest to a Top 20 ranking: TERRELL OWENS (716), ERIC MOULDS (675), RICKY PROEHL (666), TONY GONZALEZ (648), MUHSIN MUHAMMAD . Worthy Hall of Fame (HOF) NFL Wide Receivers: The shoo-ins Let's start by running through five obvious cases of overly-qualified receivers who have not yet been enshrined. The only wide receiver from Carmichael's era who had more TD catches was Paul Warfield, who had 85. Hall will be the 48th player and 52nd individual inducted into the Chiefs . He should be in. @Neil_Paine, NFL (976 posts) Smith in 2004 gained the third-most receiving yards ever by a 35-year-old (1,172), and he and Rice are the only players ever to gain over 1,000 yards in a full season after turning 36. If a guy was the best receiver besides Jerry Rice, that's the sort of player I feel is a legitimate snub. Mel Gray was certainly a fine player. So now that I have my benchmark down, here are the wide receivers that I think only need a couple more seasons to potentially be considered for the HOF. Boldin is yet another receiver who becomes a Hall of Fame nominee this year. Nuk will also get some juice for having signature seasons while catching passes from Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett, and Tom Savage, and having perhaps the best hands of his generation. The wide receiver won three Super Bowls and was selected to five Pro Bowls. Harold Carmichael set the all-time, repeat, all-time consecutive game catch streak! I would point out, though, that if we're trying to decide which potential HOF snub is most worthy of induction, we're arguing about who is the 5th-best receiver of the late '70s and early '80s. So in Smith you have one of the best old receivers ever, a guy who had a lot of good seasons, including five years over 1,200 yards and two seasons catching more than 110 passes. He was voted to the 1970s All-Decade Team as a backup and was second-team All-Pro twice. Let's use 1994-98. 579 receptions, 10,372 yards, 76 TD. Just looking at career numbers, Fryar and Rison both compare well to Irvin. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); As you watch this years selection you have to scratch your head and wonder. The Hall of Fame argument in Rison's favor is that he has good career stats for his era, and he was a remarkable player in his prime, with five 1,000-yard seasons and four years of double-digit TDs. The 10 Best Wide Receivers Not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Dean Hybl June 21, 2009 Best of the Rest 1 of 11 10. Here's my list of 25, ranked by the number of times they were among the top 10 in their league in receiving yards: Seven: Powell The top 18 players in all-time sacks are either in the Hall of Fame or will be soon except for O'Neal, who ranks No. For all of his successes as a player, Smith has fought more than his share of battles with personal demons over the years. But when you're talking about the Hall of Fame, does it distinguish him from guys like Cris Carter and Henry Ellard and Tim Brown? He literally changed the game as the first of the series of liberalized passing rules which the 1970s would see was called the Isaac Curtis rule. HOF Qualifications: FAIR. Harold Jackson Five-time Pro Bowler, first player to amass 10,000 receiving yards in the NFL. All Rights Reserved. A statistical oddity about Drew Pearson: in his two best seasons, he scored a combined total of four touchdowns. Moore had three seasons of 100 receptions, trailing only Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison, and Wes Welker (4 each). During those five seasons, Moore ranked 11th, 3rd, 3rd, 6th, and 24th in receiving yards. Jerry Rice has 1549 receptions, 22895 receiving yards, 197 touchdown catches when playing wide receiver. The Pro Football Hall of Fame voters are the same people who select All-Decade Teams. Pearson made three Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams, and from 1974-79, he was consistently among the top receivers in the NFL. But he was a heck of a player. His first 1,000-yard season came in 1991, when Fryar was 29 and playing his eighth year in the NFL. From 1990-94, Rison was a truly great player. Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1980s With his 5-foot-9, 171-pound frame, Downs is a bit of a mixup size-wise at the receiver position for the Colts, who have featured larger pass-catchers in recent years with Michael Pittman Jr. (6 . All rights reserved. Morgans career was in decline by the time the Patriots got hammered by the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XX. It was a pleasure to watch and cover you for many years! He led the league in receptions once, never in yards or TDs. From 1996 through 2002, Smith may have been the best receiver in football. Smiths post-NFL life has been peppered with issues, but that has little to do with his Hall of Fame candidacy. Best Wide Receivers Not in the Hall of Fame: 1960s In his prime, Smith was a receiving machine, easily the most important part of a Jaguars team that won the NFLs seventh-most games from 1996 through Smiths retirement after the 2005 season. Smith, like Andre Johnson, becomes Hall of Fame eligible next season. 2. It's useful to me, in thinking about these issues, to break them down by era. But hes no Hall of Famer. Joiner's best seasons came in the early '80s and the others all reached stardom in the '60s, whereas Jackson's career is truly centered in the '70s. All HOFm Positions: QB RB WR TE G T C DT DE ILB OLB DB K P WR HOFm Leaders Bold indicates HOF player See full explanation here Share & Export 1955-64: Raymond Berry, Tommy McDonald, Bobby Mitchell Gray was very good, but Carmichael, Branch, and Pearson are all much stronger HOF candidates. For this project, we'll examine in depth 25 eligible wide receivers with strong backing for the Hall of Fame: Cliff Branch, Tim Brown, Harold Carmichael, Cris Carter, Wes Chandler, Gary Clark, Henry Ellard, Irving Fryar, Charley Hennigan, Harlon Hill, Billy Howton, Harold Jackson, Herman Moore, Stanley Morgan, Drew Pearson, Art Powell, Andre Reed, Andre Rison, Sterling Sharpe, Del Shofner, Jimmy Smith, Mac Speedie, Hugh Taylor, Otis Taylor, and Billy Wilson. His receiving TDs ranked 4th, 4th, 11th, 11th, and about 40th (actually a bazillion-way tie for 37th). Ellard had four seasons among the top four in receiving yards, Fryar none. Larry Fitzgerald: Also a lock when he retires in the year 2269. Theres no reason to belabor the arguments for them. Andre Rison Fryar's career numbers are great for when he played, and he obviously was a good player for a long time. During the 1970s, Jackson led all players in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving TDs. He has several advantages over Johnson, however. There's a comparison to be drawn between Smith from '95-'04 and Big Game Torry Holt in the 2000s, when BGTH led the league in receptions and yards, with about half as many touchdowns as Moss and Owens. Here's a look at some of the best prospects available for teams drafting in the early part of the second round: Jordan Porter Jr., CB, Penn State. Shortly before Jackson retired, the NFL moved to a 16-game schedule and made several rules changes to substantially open up the passing game. For what it's worth, neither has ever reached the Finalist stage of voting. 30, 2023, 5:11 p.m. Kansas State wide receiver Kade Warner (85) carries the ball as Alabama .
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