If JJ Watt is done, does he...

[DesertSteel]

make the Hall of Fame, as is?

[Bluecoat96]

As a 3x DPOY, I say yes...maybe not on the first ballot, but yes.

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[Born2Steel]

How can he be? He's missed most of the last 3 seasons hasn't he? He's a force when playing but he has been injured more than not as of late, if I'm remembering right. Such a small sample of greatness, I don't think it gets him in.

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How can he be? He's missed most of the last 3 seasons hasn't he? He's a force when playing but he has been injured more than not as of late, if I'm remembering right. Such a small sample of greatness, I don't think it gets him in.

Nevermind...I did not remember correctly. He missed last season and now this season. He played injured all of 2015, but he did play. So, 2011 to 2015? Enough to get him in? Maybe. Not a lock though.

[DesertSteel]

Gale Sayers. Terrell Davis.

[steelreserve]

I don't think he does. He had three dominant seasons and one pretty good one.

Just as importantly, the Texans never won anything, which goes a long way toward determining the fate of guys "on the bubble" so to speak. A short but dominant stretch like that culminating in a Super Bowl win, or possibly a great performance in a Super Bowl loss, or even singlehandedly carrying your team to three straight conference championship games or something, might be enough to tip the scales in your favor. But the team aspect of it doesn't do him any favors either.

In any case, it's sad to see the career of an exciting player like that get derailed by bad luck.

[DesertSteel]

He wasn't just the best player at his position during those three years but arguably the best player in the NFL. I think he would make it.

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Let's hope TJ carries the torch.

[st33lersguy]

With Davis and Sayers, he has a chance, but he will probably have to wait at least a decade to get in if he does

[Mojouw]

If he never plays another down, this is going to be hard one!

From 2012-2015, Watt had a 4 year run that is equal to any 4 year period of guys like Reggie White, Lawrence Taylor, Derrick Thomas, and insert any other dominant edge rusher here.

In fact, it could be argued that this was the most dominant 4 season stretch ever put on tape by a defensive player/pass rusher. But I can't find a defensive player that is in the HOF with just 4 seasons, no matter how amazing.

My gut says that Watt goes down as a "What might have been" story and remains stuck in the "Hall of Very Very Good" forever. Tragic really.

[86WARD]

If Terrell Davis gets in, anyone with a stretch of 4 decent years should get in...lol. Watt was a better player and more of an impact on the league than Davis was.

[steelreserve]

If Terrell Davis gets in, anyone with a stretch of 4 decent years should get in...lol. Watt was a better player and more of an impact on the league than Davis was.

Don't forget the two Super Bowl wins. Like I said, that gives borderline players a big boost. Not to mention, at the time he had the aura of "The Guy Who Finally Helped Push John Elway Over The Top, Since We've All Been Saying For 15 Years How He'd Win The Super Bowl Easily If Only The Broncos' Running Game Didn't Always Suck, And We've Been Saying The Same Thing For Dan Marino's Entire Career Too So We're Really Glad To Have Some Validation On That."

So that probably got him about 50,000,000 arbitrary bonus points with the people who vote on it.

Also don't forget he was one of the few people who ever had a 2,000-yard rushing season, for which there is really no equivalently-hyped stat on defense. Yeah, kind of 20 sacks in a season, but you don't have anywhere near the same fascination with that milestone. It's kind of like hitting 60 home runs in a season versus having 50 saves.

So while I don't think Davis is even close to the same kind of dominant player as Watt, I can see how all of that shaped the thought process of those who decide it in his favor, arbitrary as it might be.

[ALLD]

Is Bo Jackson in the NFL HoF? There's your answer.

[Butch]

IMHO yes even if he never plays another down. A great spokesperson for the NFL and has been nothing but a class act since he has joined the league. His play has been phenomenal and his wanting to do anything to win. Sayers also had a short but Spectacular career and never won a Super Bowl and made it in. I think JJ will be able to get in for the same reasons. Personally I hope he comes back and continues to shine but if he doesn't he's definitely a H.O.F player in my books.

Good luck to JJ no matter what comes of this.

[Dwinsgames]

IMHO yes even if he never plays another down. A great spokesperson for the NFL and has been nothing but a class act since he has joined the league. His play has been phenomenal and his wanting to do anything to win. Sayers also had a short but Spectacular career and never won a Super Bowl and made it in. I think JJ will be able to get in for the same reasons. Personally I hope he comes back and continues to shine but if he doesn't he's definitely a H.O.F player in my books.

Good luck to JJ no matter what comes of this.

Sayers probably wouldnt make it in today , he had the benefit of the league not being that old and he was a superstar that allowed him to put up huge numbers to catch guys before him , today not as easy to do with so many more years /players putting up great numbers ...same can be said of Swann , Namath and some others

Bo Jackson as great of a player he was he never had a 1,000 season running the ball ( 950 best year ) and never topped 700 any other year with 4 years total but just 38 games played ..for me the body of work just isnt big enough

[DesertSteel]

Is Bo Jackson in the NFL HoF? There's your answer.

When was Bo Jackson ever the greatest player in the NFL? He never even ran for 1,000 yards once.

[steelreserve]

When was Bo Jackson ever the greatest player in the NFL?

DUH!!!

He never even ran for 1,000 yards once.

[86WARD]

Lmao

[BostonBlackie]

It's a tough one. You can ask the same of Gronk? If this were to be his last year, is he in? If not, how much more would he need to do?

[DesertSteel]

It's a tough one. You can ask the same of Gronk? If this were to be his last year, is he in? If not, how much more would he need to do?

Gronk gets in. Not the best player but the best TE of his era.

[st33lersguy]

It's a tough one. You can ask the same of Gronk? If this were to be his last year, is he in? If not, how much more would he need to do?

He probably gets in. He has 70 TDs which is 3rd all time behind only Gonzalez and Gates.

[steelreserve]

I'm sure they let Gronkowski in. Not only does he have high stats, he's the main recognizable "face" of the offense, other than the gay quarterback, for a team that technically won multiple championships. As I said elsewhere in the thread, that carries a lot of weight among the people who vote on these things.

I refuse to call him "Gronk," for the same reasons that I refuse, for example, to refer to Kim Jong-Un as "K.J." or "The Jongmeister." Fuck that guy.

[43Hitman]

I'm sure they let Gronkowski in. Not only does he have high stats, he's the main recognizable "face" of the offense, other than the gay quarterback, for a team that technically won multiple championships. As I said elsewhere in the thread, that carries a lot of weight among the people who vote on these things.

I refuse to call him "Gronk," for the same reasons that I refuse, for example, to refer to Kim Jong-Un as "K.J." or "The Jongmeister." Fuck that guy.

I just refer to him as the Young Un.

[BostonBlackie]

I'm sure they let Gronkowski in. Not only does he have high stats, he's the main recognizable "face" of the offense, other than the gay quarterback, for a team that technically won multiple championships. As I said elsewhere in the thread, that carries a lot of weight among the people who vote on these things.

I refuse to call him "Gronk," for the same reasons that I refuse, for example, to refer to Kim Jong-Un as "K.J." or "The Jongmeister." Fuck that guy.

A gay quarterback? Shocking.

[43Hitman]

A gay quarterback? Shocking.

"Not that there is anything wrong with that." -Jerry Seinfeld

[steelreserve]

A gay quarterback? Shocking.

I mean, you guys are used to it, so I guess it's no big revelation.