Predicting The Five Modern Players Selected To The 2022 Pro Football Hall Of Fame Class
Here's the modern players who I think will make the 2022 Hall of Fame class.
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The 2022 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists have been announced and with this, the list of eligible players has been chopped down to fifteen.
The finalists are: Jared Allen, DE -- 2004-2007 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-2015 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers, Willie Anderson, OT -- 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens, Ronde Barber, DB – 1997-2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tony Boselli, T -- 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002 Houston Texans (injured reserve), LeRoy Butler, S -- 1990-2001 Green Bay Packers, Devin Hester, PR/KR/WR -- 2006-2013 Chicago Bears, 2014-2015 Atlanta Falcons, 2016 Baltimore Ravens, 2016 Seattle Seahawks, Torry Holt, WR -- 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars, Andre Johnson, WR -- 2003-2014 Houston Texans, 2015 Indianapolis Colts, 2016 Tennessee Titans, Sam Mills, LB -- 1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers, Richard Seymour, DE/DT -- 2001-08 New England Patriots, 2009-2012 Oakland Raiders, Zach Thomas, LB -- 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys, DeMarcus Ware, LB -- 2005-2013 Dallas Cowboys, 2014-2016 Denver Broncos, Reggie Wayne, WR -- 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts, Patrick Willis, LB -- 2007-2014 San Francisco 49ers, Bryant Young, DE/DT -- 1994-2007 San Francisco 49ers
Of those fifteen players, only five can be selected to be enshrined and enter a special club that only three hundred and forty six individuals are a part of. Here are the five that I believe will make it.
Jared Allen, DE -- 2004-2007 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-2015 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers:
The Cowboy Jared Allen has 136 total sacks in his career as a Chief, Viking, Bear, and Panther which is more than Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor in less time, more than Dwight Freeney, and one less than Hall of Famer Richard Dent in three less seasons.
To go with Allens immaculate sack total, he’s tallied 643 tackles, forced 32 fumbles, and intercepted 6 passes in 187 games. In those 187 games, he started 181 and started every game from 2008 to 2013.
He was a hell of a leader on the Vikings where his career is best remembered. He’s a five time Pro Bowler, four time First Team All Pro, led the league in sacks in 2007 and 2011, and is one of the top fifty Vikings of all time.
Allen deserves a spot in the Hall alongside other great Viking defensive linemen like Alan Page and John Randle.
DeMarcus Ware, LB -- 2005-2013 Dallas Cowboys, 2014-2016 Denver Broncos:
DeMarcus Ware had a hell of a career with the Cowboys and when he moved onto the Broncos, his productivity didn’t slow down. In his career, he made opposing quarterbacks tremble as he tallied 138.5 sacks, 117 in nine seasons with Dallas and 21.5 in three years with Denver.
His sack total isn’t the only impressive stat line from his career. In twelve seasons, the Troy alum made 654 tackles, forced 35 fumbles, and deflected 25 passes. In 178 games, he started 173 of them making every start from 2005 to 2008 and from 2010 to 2012.
Ware has a slew of accolades including seven time All Pro, nine time Pro Bowler, won the 2008 and 2011 Butkus Award, and led the NFL in sacks in 2008 and 2010.
He dominated the second he entered the league to the day he left. There is no player more deserving than Ware on this ballot to be inducted into the Hall of Fame this year and it’d be a shame if he wasn’t voted in.
Willie Anderson, OT -- 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens:
How is Willie Anderson not in the Hall of Fame. The Auburn alumni is a four time All Pro player, a four time Pro Bowler, and was named one of the Bengals fifty greatest players of all time.
The six foot six inch monster paved the way for Corey Dillon to break two NFL records, Jim Browns single game rookie rushing record and Walter Paytons single game rushing record. In addition to that, he was a key factor in Rudi Johnson breaking the Bengals single season rushing record that still stands today.
Anderson played from 1996 to 2008 and from 1999 to 2007, Anderson didn’t miss a start. In his thirteen year career, Anderson only allowed sixteen sacks and didn’t allow one from 1999 to 2001.
The Bengal great is one of the three most dominant players not in the Hall of Fame and I think that this year is the year he makes it.
Devin Hester, PR/KR/WR -- 2006-2013 Chicago Bears, 2014-2015 Atlanta Falcons, 2016 Baltimore Ravens, 2016 Seattle Seahawks:
The greatest special teams player to ever walk the face of the Earth needs, needs, needs, and should, should, should be put in the Hall of Fame this year. No questions asked.
In eleven seasons with the Bears, Falcons, Ravens, and Seahawks, Hester brought five kickoffs and fourteen punts to the house. That is more than any returner to ever play in the NFL. His 3,695 punt return yards is third in NFL history and his 7,333 kick return yards is twelfth in league history.
The Miami alum was a four time All Pro player, a four time Pro Bowler, three time Special Teams Player of the Year, was named to the NFL 100th Anniversary Team, and was on the 2000’s and 2010’s All Decade Team.
If Hester doesn’t have a bust in Canton this year then we’re going to have some problems.
Reggie Wayne, WR -- 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts
I struggled with who I thought would be the fifth player in this spot. I debated between Patrick Willis, Reggie Wayne, and Sam Mills and landed on Wayne making the Hall of Fame over those two ferocious linebackers.
From 2001 to 2014, Wayne reeled in 1,163 passes coming from Peyton Manning to go with 15,599 yards and 91 touchdowns. From 2003 to 2011, the Miami alumni didn’t miss a start and in 232 games, he started 218 games.
Wayne is tenth all time in receiving yards ahead of Andre Johnson who is also on the ballot. In addition to that, Wayne is tenth all time in catches ahead of Johnson.
His numbers along with his three time All Pro selections and six time Pro Bowl selections should push the Colts pass catcher into the Hall of Fame.
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