Four Steelers nominated for HOF

[polamalubeast]

The Steelers are well represented among the nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2019.

Alan Faneca, a finalist the last three years, Hines Ward, a semifinalist the last two years, and safety Thomas Everett, who was nominated for the first time, are joined on the list by Bill Cowher.

The complete list of Modern Era nominees includes a total of 102 individuals. The Modern Era nominees will be trimmed to 25 semifinalists in November and to 15 finalists in January.

The Hall of Fame Selection Committee will hold their annual meeting on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019. The finalists will go from 15 to 10, and then down to five. The Class of 2019 will be announced during the “NFL Honors” show that evening.

The 2019 Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony will be held next August in Canton, Ohio.

https://www.steelers.com/news/four-steelers-nominated-for-hof

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Faneca, Ward and Cowher yes.....but Thomas Everett??

[polamalubeast]

I do not understand why Cowher is not more considered for the HOF...Similar career to Tony Dungy ... Dungy has a better winning percentage in the regular season in his career, but that's mostly because he had Peyton Manning in half of his career.

[AtlantaDan]

Faneca should get in eventually but modern era reception stats and Ward never being regarded as All Pro level when he played will make it unlikely for him

Cowher is a borderline case

He has a championship game record like John Madden (1 Lombardi, lots of AFC championship game losses) but a lower career winning percentage without the glow from being the premier TV analyst for decades

List of HOF coaches below - if George Allen, Hank Stram and Tony Dungy made it from the modern era I suppose Cowher has a shot

George Allen (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/george-allen/) 1966-1977
Paul Brown (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/paul-brown/) 1946-1962
Guy Chamberlin (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/guy-chamberlin/) # 1922-1927
Jimmy Conzelman (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/jimmy-conzelman/) # 1921-30, 1940-42, 1946-48
Tony Dungy (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/tony-dungy/) 1996-2008
Weeb Ewbank (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/weeb-ewbank/) 1954-1973
Ray Flaherty (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/ray-flaherty/) # 1936-1949
Joe Gibbs (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/joe-gibbs/) 1981-1992
Sid Gillman (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/sid-gillman/) 1955-1969, 1971-1974
Bud Grant (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/bud-grant/) 1967-1983, 1985
George Halas (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/george-halas/) # 1920-29, 1933-42, 1946-67
Earl (Curly) Lambeau (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/earl-curly-lambeau/) # 1919-1953
Tom Landry (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/tom-landry/) 1960-1988
Marv Levy (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/marv-levy/) 1978-1982, 1986-1997
Vince Lombardi (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/vince-lombardi/) 1959-1967, 1969
John Madden (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/john-madden/) 1969-1978
Earle (Greasy) Neale (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/earle-greasy-neale/) 1941-1950
Chuck Noll (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/chuck-noll/) 1969-1991
Steve Owen (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/steve-owen/) # 1930-1953
Bill Parcells (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/bill-parcells/) 1983-1990, 1993-99, 2003-06
Fritz Pollard (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/fritz-pollard/) # 1919 - 1923, 1925-1926
Don Shula (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/don-shula/) 1963-1995
Hank Stram (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/hank-stram/) 1960-1974, 1976-1977
Bill Walsh (http://www.profootballhof.com/players/bill-walsh/) 1979-1988


http://www.profootballhof.com/heroes-of-the-game/positions/

2017 ESPN article on coaches who deserve closer look for HOF includes Cowher but notes Coughlin and Shanahan have two Lombardis while Holmgren is 1-2

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/20265133/nfl-hall-fame-coaches-deserve-closer-look-including-marty-schottenheimer-chuck-knox

[polamalubeast]

I always thought that Marty Schottenheimer was very unlucky in his career in the playoffs ... here is an example


Heartbreaking defeats are part of the game for every coach, but some of these were especially cruel and even unlucky. For example, while data has shown that fumble recoveries are random, Schottenheimer's opponents recovered an incredible 15 of 15 fumbles in the games culminating with The Drive, The Fumble and McCree's miscue (hat tip: Jason Lisk of The Big Lead). While with Kansas City, Schottenheimer once lost a playoff game to Miami that hinged in part on fourth-quarter turnovers by Joe Montana (red zone interception) and Marcus Allen, Hall of Famers both.

It's amazing .... also his kicker rarely helped him

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

I do not understand why Cowher is not more considered for the HOF...Similar career to Tony Dungy ... Dungy has a better winning percentage in the regular season in his career, but that's mostly because he had Peyton Manning in half of his career.

I agree. The teams of his era were always in contention for division and conference championships. He won a SB and went to another, but the bulk of his career he had guys like Tomczak, Kent Graham, Tommy Maddox, Kordell, Neil Odonnell at the QB position until Ben came along. Elway, Brady, Manning, McNair, Jim Kelly, Marino, Bledsoe, etc were all in the AFC and Cowher won a lot of games with lousy QB's.

[polamalubeast]

I agree. The teams of his era were always in contention for division and conference championships. He won a SB and went to another, but the bulk of his career he had guys like Tomczak, Kent Graham, Tommy Maddox, Kordell, Neil Odonnell at the QB position until Ben came along. Elway, Brady, Manning, McNair, Jim Kelly, Marino, Bledsoe, etc were all in the AFC and Cowher won a lot of games with lousy QB's.

And when Cowher had a young Roethlisberger, the steelers were almost unbeatable ... 27-4 including playoffs with him as QB in 2004 and 2005.

Of course, 2006 it was not good for obvious reasons.

[Fire Goodell]

And when Cowher had a young Roethlisberger, the steelers were almost unbeatable ... 27-4 including playoffs with him as QB in 2004 and 2005.

Of course, 2006 it was not good for obvious reasons.

Yeah I remember my dad saying the Steelers would be better than Dallas (in the 90s) if they could pass. Once Cowher had Big Ben, it was like holy crap lol

[polamalubeast]

For Hines Ward, I think he'll be in the HOF even if we'll have to be patient with him.It also took a lot of time for Swann and Stallworth to be in and they are there and before Antonio Brown, Ward was considered as the best WR in Steelers history.

The fact that Swann and Stallworth are in the HOF will help Ward.

[st33lersguy]

I do not understand why Cowher is not more considered for the HOF...Similar career to Tony Dungy ... Dungy has a better winning percentage in the regular season in his career, but that's mostly because he had Peyton Manning in half of his career.

I don't get that either. Cowher generally made it farther in the playoffs too. More AFC Championship appearances, fewer one and dones, more Super Bowl appearances, same amount of wins

[Fire Goodell]

Cowher deserves to make it just because of that epic chin lol

[AtlantaDan]

For Hines Ward, I think he'll be in the HOF even if we'll have to be patient with him.It also took a lot of time for Swann and Stallworth to be in and they are there and before Antonio Brown, Ward was considered as the best WR in Steelers history.

The fact that Swann and Stallworth are in the HOF will help Ward.

Swann made it for his Super Bowl X catches while being on a great team but was a sketchy inductee - he actually had only two great seasons (1975 and 1978) with 1 first team All Pro selection (1978), 2 first team all AFC (1975 & 1977) & three Pro Bowls
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SwanLy00.htm

Stallworth again benefited from the glow of 4 Lombardis and "Swann & Stallworth" becoming a late 70s brand that HOF voters remembered - 1 first team All Pro season (1979), 1 first team all AFC (1984), and three Pro Bowls
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/StalJo00.htm

Ward had 1 first team all AFC (2002) and 4 Pro Bowls
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WardHi00.htm

Ward is a hard sell

But not Faneca - 6 first team All Pro (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2007), 1 first team all AFC (2003) and 9 Pro Bowls
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/F/FaneAl00.htm

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

For Hines Ward, I think he'll be in the HOF even if we'll have to be patient with him.It also took a lot of time for Swann and Stallworth to be in and they are there and before Antonio Brown, Ward was considered as the best WR in Steelers history.

The fact that Swann and Stallworth are in the HOF will help Ward.

I agree that Ward should get in over time.

The problem with comparing Ward with guys that played 20+ years before him is that IMO you have to compare the eras. I would say that in Hines Ward years there was always guys like Randy Moss, TO, Reggie Wayne, Torry Holt, Marvin Harrison, etc who were better true receivers with speed. Ward was more a possession WR that got lumped into the Anquan Boldin, Keenan McCardell, Derrick Mason, Issac Bruce 2nd tier of guys I thought.

Swann and Stallworth were more marquee WR's in their era and guys like Steve Largent, John Jefferson, Preston Pearson, Harold Carmichael, etc.

I would say that Swann and Stallworth were 2 of the marquee WR's of their era, while Hines Ward always had 4 or 5 better WR's in the league than him, but his longevity, route running ability and hands resulted in big career yardage numbers. I still rank Steelers WR's as
#1 AB
#2 Stallworth
#3 Swann
#4 Hines Ward

- - - Updated - - -




But not Faneca - 6 first team All Pro (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2007), 1 first team all AFC (2003) and 9 Pro Bowls
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/F/FaneAl00.htm

Agree, I always thought the best 2 OG in the NFL during Faneca early years were Will Shields of KC and Faneca. Then towards the end of the career it was Steve Hutchinson and Alan Faneca. He should make it this year or next IMO.

[BlackAndGold]

It's going to be a while before Ward gets in.

[GoSlash27]

I would say that Swann and Stallworth were 2 of the marquee WR's of their era, while Hines Ward always had 4 or 5 better WR's in the league than him, but his longevity, route running ability and hands resulted in big career yardage numbers. I still rank Steelers WR's as
#1 AB
#2 Stallworth
#3 Swann
#4 Hines Ward

I agree with all of this, but I don't believe that any of the attributes listed above were what made him special. Hines Ward was a true *combat* receiver. He was a violent, punishing football player who happened to play receiver. I can't think of any WRs like him, even back in the '70s.

The fact that so many DBs feared him and fans hated him is the reason that he won't make the HoF.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpGk3JXwlog

[Dwinsgames]

truth be told .... looking at the big list gonna be hard to sneak ANY in .....

this might be the best guard eligible class ever and they almost certainly will not put in 2 or 3 guards ... Alan Faneca (G), Chris Hinton (G/T)Steve Hutchinson (G)Steve Wisniewski (G)
Kevin Mawae (C/G)


WR class is pretty solid as well Isaac Bruce, Gary Clark, Henry Ellard (also PR), Torry Holt, Chad Johnson, Derrick Mason, Sterling Sharpe, Rod Smith, Hines Ward ...


coaches ... well good luck on this one too .... Don Coryell, Bill Cowher, Tom Flores, Jim Hanifan, Mike Holmgren, Jimmy Johnson, Richie Petitbon, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, Clark Shaughnessy, Dick Vermeil

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

I agree with all of this, but I don't believe that any of the attributes listed above were what made him special. Hines Ward was a true *combat* receiver. He was a violent, punishing football player who happened to play receiver. I can't think of any WRs like him, even back in the '70s.



I agree with you. The closes comparison to me is that Hines Ward is Steve Largent (although not as good a route runner as Largent) if Largent blocked, ran reverses and knocked fools out. Ward was more of a "possession receiver", but none of those guys in the HOF would ever seek out an OLB like Keith Rivers, or a Safety like Ed Reed so they could get a block on him.

IMO, guys on the list at WR like Gary Clark, Henry Ellard and Derrick Mason belong in the HO very good, not the HOF. Sharpe I don't think had long enough of a career to be HOF worthy, but for a couple seasons he was one of the best in the NFL.

[86WARD]

I agree with all of this, but I don't believe that any of the attributes listed above were what made him special. Hines Ward was a true *combat* receiver. He was a violent, punishing football player who happened to play receiver. I can't think of any WRs like him, even back in the '70s.

The fact that so many DBs feared him and fans hated him is the reason that he won't make the HoF.


Steve Smith was the closest I could think of. But Smith leaned more towards the receiver side of the spectrum.