Pro Football Hall of Fame 2012 Semi-Finalists Hope For A Happy New Year

The Pro Football Hall of Fame voters announced 28 semi-finalists for induction into the 2012 class. As always, it is a dubious list missing a ton of superior players, coaches and contributors languishing in a black hole called the "Seniors Pool". Just two players from that pool have a chance each year, which shows the huge flaw of this voting process.

The voters have an extremely hard group of players to sift through this year. There are as many as 13 or more players I feel belong in Canton.

While the next vote to slim the list will not come for a few months, yours truly thought his ineffectual vote should be heard despite not counting. Here is the list :



Steve Atwater
Safety
Denver Broncos
11 Seasons
8 Pro Bowls
2 First Team All-Pro Teams
24 Interceptions



I don't think he is even the best safety in Broncos history, an honor I bestow on Goose Gonsoulin then Dennis Smith and Billy Thompson. Atwater will never get my vote.






Jerome Bettis
Running Back
Pittsburgh Steelers
13 Seasons
6 Pro Bowls
2 First Team All-Pro Teams
13,662 Yards Rushing
94 Total Touchdowns



Bettis was involved in one of the biggest steals ever, when the Steelers got him from the Saint Louis Rams in a trade. He ran for over 1,000 yards in eight of his first nine seasons, showing remarkable durability because his game was running between the tackles.

Not much of a receiver, he could be depended on once handed the ball. He fumbled 41 times, but he usually rewarded his teams with a pounding style that wore out opponents while chewing up the clock.

There is no question that Bettis is worthy of Canton, so I would vote him onto the finalist's list without hesitation.







Jack Butler
Safety
Pittsburgh Steelers
9 Seasons
5 Pro Bowls
3 First Team All-Pro Teams
52 Interceptions
10 Fumble Recoveries
9 Touchdowns



I profiled Butler on Crazy Canton Cuts back in 2008.

He is the last person to play in the NFL from Saint Bonaventure University because the school dropped their football program after 1951. Butler joined the Bonnies football team at the request of Bonnie athletic director, Father Dan Rooney, the brother of Steelers owner Art Rooney. Butler then joined Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent rookie.

He retired early because of an injury, but his 52 interceptions in nine seasons were second most in NFL history at the time. He still ranks second in the Steelers history in total interceptions.

When he retired from playing, Butler became an NFL scout. He was the director of BLESTO for over 40 years until he retired at 80 years old in 2007. Butler has helped start the career of innumerable scouts, player personnel directors, and general managers in the NFL.

Butler was one of the hardest hitting cornerbacks to have ever played the game. Yet, he also had shut down ability, which is shown with his 52 thefts. Personally, I think his contributions off the field make him worthy two different ways.

But, sticking to just his play on the gridiron, there is no question that is is truly a disgrace that Jack Butler has not yet been inducted into the Pro Football Hall Of Fame already. He goes into Canton if I voted. NO question.







Tim Brown
Wide Receiver
Oakland Raiders
17 Seasons
9 Pro Bowls
1,094 Receptions
105 Touchdowns



Brown certainly is a product of the rule changes that allows receivers to roam untouched after five yards, but he was more than just a pass catcher. Brown also made an impressive mark on special teams

My issue with his being inducted is the fact he was never selected First Team All-Pro and led the league in receiving just once. Brown did lead the NFL in punt and kickoff return yards.

But is that worthy of induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame? I say no and chalk him up as a good and reliable player who lasted a long time.








Cris Carter
Wide Receiver
Minnesota Vikings
16 Seasons
8 Pro Bowls
2 First Team All-Pro Teams
1,101 Receptions
130 Touchdowns



Carter, like Brown, go to enjoy rules friendly to the offense in an obscene fashion. He had a gift, however, of making catches in the end zone.

That gift had him once released by the Philadelphia Eagles, where head coach Buddy Ryan the reason was that all Carter did for the Eagles was "catch touchdown passes". The truth was that Carter was abusing drugs and the wide receiver credits his being cut as the wake up call that saved his life.

The Minnesota Vikings claimed him off the waiver wire right away, where he eventually started and would hold that spot the remainder of his Vikings career. One of Carter's strengths was his conditioning and durability. Though he missed four games because if injury in one season, he played every other game possible for Minnesota.

He led the NFL in receptions once and in touchdown catches three times. Seven different quarterbacks were the primary starter in his 12 seasons with the team. Despite all the lunacy and confusion, Carter was a beacon of steady leadership and consistent production.

Carter accumulated double figures in touchdown receptions in five of his Pro Bowl years. What also made his production even more special is the fact he had to share receptions with future Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss, Pro Bowl wide receivers Jake Reed and Anthony Carter, and Pro Bowl tight end Steve Jordan.

Carter has been a finalist for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame three times so far. He ranks third in NFL history in career receptions, fourth in career touchdowns catches and eighth in career receiving yards and total touchdowns.

Then there are the old school fans who point to the obvious fact Carter never dealt with the ten-yard chuck rule, which makes it much harder to excel as a receiver, as opposed to the offensive-friendly rules he participated in. Rules that greatly inflate statistics and can help make a player look better than players who did not benefit from the rule changes. This fact has made modern statistics dwarf the numbers from the ten-yard chuck era.

Men like Mac Speedie, Lionel Taylor, Charlie Hennigan, Harold Carmichael, Drew Pearson, Gino Cappelletti, Sonny Randle, Cliff Branch, Harold Jackson, Pete Retzlaff, and LaVern Dilweg are just a few great receivers on par with Carter, Brown, and Andre Reed also awaiting their inductions. Men who dealt with a much rougher game, let alone the ten-yard chuck.

Carter has a feel-good story attached to his career, one that has now extended to where he provides analysis on television. With his career on the ropes because of drugs, he rebounded and became a leader and won the Bart Starr Man of the Year Award, the Bryan "Whizzer" White NFL Man of the Year Award and the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

Besides the 17 NFL records he either owns or shares, he is a member of the NFL's 1990s All-Decade Team. He is one of the 50 Greatest Minnesota Vikings as well as being a member of their 40th Anniversary Team.

The Vikings have retired his jersey and have had a huge amount of great receivers to play for them. Cris Carter may be the best ever for this franchise and certainly deserves to move on to being a finalist once again.






Don Coryell
Saint Louis Cardinals
San Diego Chargers
14 Seasons
111 Wins
First Coach With 100 Wins In Pro And College Football
Only Coach To Lead NFL In Passing 6 Straight Years
5 Division Titles



The biggest no-brainer of the semi-finalists. It is disgusting he hasn't been inducted already, and even more revolting he passed away last year and will never get to enjoy his deserved respect from a game that still leans heavily on his genius to this very day. Crazy Canton Cuts profiled Coryell in 2009.

Coryell played college football at the before getting into coaching. He succeeded George Allen, who later became a Pro Football Hall Of Fame coach.

He also showed his innate ability to develop players, especially on offense. He had 54 players go to the NFL from his college teams, including five players drafted in the first round. Nine of his players were First Team All-Americans. In 1967, he had eight players drafted, and five went in the first two rounds.

The Coryell coaching tree from his collegiate era is very impressive as well.

Joe Gibbs was a player on Coryell's team at first and won the team's Most Inspirational Player Award once. Gibbs later became a graduate assistant, then assistant coach at San Diego State.

He also was an assistant under Coryell with both the Cardinals and Chargers before becoming head coach of the Washington Redskins. Gibbs is a member of the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.

Another Pro Football Hall Of Fame coach who coached under Coryell at San Diego State was John Madden. Madden would join the Oakland Raiders and then become the youngest head coach of the league the next season at 32 years old.

Legendary men like Jim Hanifan, Ernie Zampese, and Rod Dowhower also coached under Coryell at San Diego State. Coryell's 104 victories and .840 winning percentage are the best in Aztec history, and he is a member of the College Football Hall Of Fame.

He then moved to the NFL to lead the Saint Louis Cardinals. His 42 wins are the most by any coach in the Cardinals franchise's history, and his five years as head coach with the team is the second longest tenure ever.

The San Diego Chargers would later hire Coryell. This was when "Air Coryell" was born as a common term, even though Coryell's years in Saint Louis also featured high-powered offenses running under much of the same schemes also used in San Diego.

When Coryell retired from the NFL with 111 wins in 195 games overall, he is the first head coach with 100 victories in both professional and collegiate football.

To try and sum up this man's career or impact on football is nearly impossible. Virtually every offense today, on all levels of the game, is a variation of his system. In his 14 seasons as a coach, his offenses led the NFL in net yards gained per passing attempt five times. They finished in the top-five of the NFL six more times.

His teams led the NFL in passing yards seven times and none of his teams finished lower than seventh. They led the NFL in passing touchdowns three times and finished in the top ten nine other times.

Many Hall Of Fame players and Pro Bowlers were coached by Coryell in the NFL. The list of players inducted into Canton includes Dan Fouts, Kellen Winslow, Charlie Joiner, Dan Dierdorf, Jackie Smith, Fred Dean and Roger Wehrli.

Coryell changed the way football was played. It is still being played the way Coryell invented to this very day. The now all-to-common sight on multiple receiver sets was first started by Coryell, as are many versions of offenses being run these days.

They are all spawns of his genius.

Winslow stated it best when he said, "For Don Coryell to not be in the Hall of Fame is a lack of knowledge of the voters. That's the nicest way that I can put that. A lack of understanding of the legacy of the game."

An ignorance that has wrongly kept Don Coryell from taking his rightful place.








Roger Craig
Running Back
San Francisco 49ers
11 Seasons
4 Pro Bowls
1 First Team All-Pro Team
8,189 Rushing Yards
566 Receptions
83 Touchdowns



A lot will point to Floyd Little as reason why Craig belongs in Canton. Like Little, Craig had a couple of great seasons and a couple of good ones. Unlike Little, he did not play on lousy teams nor did he save a city from losing their football team.

Many will point to his three Super Bowl rings, which could get him in but my opinion is that a championship is a team accomplishment. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is an individual accomplishment.

A versatile back, Craig also had the luxury of being surrounded by a ton of talent that included two Hall of Fame quarterbacks and a Hall of Fame wide receiver. He certainly was a reason the 49ers won three titles, but he was part of an offensive onslaught opponents could not stop.

I consider him a guy on the cusp, but equal to many other deserving running backs like Larry Brown, Spec Sanders and more. It wouldn't bother me to see him a finalist, but I do not consider him more worthy of induction than many other players.








Terrell Davis
Running Back
Denver Broncos
Seven Seasons
3 Pro Bowls
3 First Team All-Pro Teams
7,607 Rushing Yards
65 Touchdowns



Davis had four consecutive years of over 1,000 yards rushing before a knee injury basically ended his career. Two seasons were monstrous, where Davis led the league in rushing scores. He led the NFL with 2,008 rushing yards once as well.

Gale Sayers is an argument for Davis in a way. Sayers had a career also cut short by an injury, but he still got into Canton. Unlike Davis, Sayers was a terror as a punt and kickoff return specialist as well.

Davis was like a comet that burned brightly and flamed out fast. It shouldn't be enough to get him into Canton.








Dermontti Dawson
Center
Pittsburgh Steelers
13 Seasons
7 Pro Bowls
6 First Team All-Pro Teams



Dawson first started out as a guard before switching the center and became one of the very best in the business. He has been a semi-finalist three times and and finalist twice. It is time he gets inducted.








Eddie Debartolo Jr.
Owner
San Francisco 49ers
23 Seasons



Ummm....No! Really? This guy is a semi-finalist with a ton of worthy players not? I hope he never reaches these heights again.











Chris Doleman
Defensive End
Minnesota Vikings
15 Seasons
8 Pro Bowls
3 First Team All-Pro Teams
150.5 Quarterback Sacks
8 Interceptions
2 Touchdowns
2 Safeties



Defensive end is a position stacked with worthy candidates who are not amongst the current semi-finalists. Men like Claude Humphrey, Jim Marshall, Coy Bacon, L.C. Greenwood and many others head a list of men at this position worthy of induction.

Doleman's numbers do not lie. He was a play-making machine. But he was more than a pass rush specialist at defensive end, which is shown by the fact he exceeded 100 tackles twice in his career. Doleman did get more than 10 sacks eight season and led the league once.

There is no doubt Doleman is worthy of induction, and it would be a shame if he had to wait as long as other past greats like Humphrey or Bacon. Yet I can't say he deserves to go into ahead of them too.









Kevin Greene
Linebacker
Los Angeles Rams
15 Seasons
5 Pro Bowls
2 First Team All-Pro Teams
160 Quarterback Sacks
5 Interceptions
26 Fumbles Recovered
3 Safeties



A hired gun as a pass rush specialist, Greene played for five different teams in his career. While getting to a quarterback was his main focus, he did get 87 tackles one year. He had 10 or more sacks in 10 different seasons.

Greene was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year once and led the league in sacks twice. He is a lot like Charles Haley in that he did just one thing really well, but the fiery player was versatile enough to create turnovers defending the pass on occasion.

He is worthy of being a finalist, but there are a ton of other outside linebackers I'd put into Canton ahead of him.









Charles Haley
Linebacker
San Francisco 49ers
13 Seasons
5 Pro Bowls
2 First Team All-Pro Teams
100.5 Quarterback Sacks



The only reason Haley has been a semi-finalist three times and finalist once before is because he played on five teams that won Super Bowls. Strictly a pass rush specialist, he never had more than 69 tackles in a season.

Honestly, Charles Haley does not belong in Canton. He never led the league in any category, though he did have the good fortune to play on good teams and was able to line up at defensive end as well. There are way too many candidates more richly deserving of induction over him.









Cortez Kennedy
Defensive Tackle
Seattle Seahawks
11 Seasons
8 Pro Bowls
3 First Team All-Pro Teams
58 Sacks
3 Interceptions



Kennedy is a bit of a conundrum for me, as far as being worthy of Canton. He was a playmaker who sacked the quarterback pretty often for a defensive tackle. He did enjoy three excellent seasons where he piled up 242 tackles over that time.

Yet he recovered a measly six fumbles in his career and he had four mediocre season. I can't say he is worthy, just because there are many defensive tackles, like Curly Culp, I consider superior. Yet it wouldn't be that frustrating if he went in either.









Curtis Martin
Running Back
New York Jets
11 Seasons
5 Pro Bowls
2 First Team All-Pro
14,101 Rushing Yards
484 Receptions
100 Touchdowns



One of the more underrated running backs of his era, Martin rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of the first 10 seasons of his career. Reliable and durable, he led the NFL in carries and rushing yards in his tenth season.

Martin was much more than a guy who carried the ball. He was an effective receiver and fumbled just 29 times in his career. He is easily the most worthy running back amongst the semi-finalists and surely gets my vote.










Clay Matthews
Linebacker
Cleveland Browns
19 Seasons
4 Pro Bowls
69.5 Sacks
16 Interceptions
14 Fumbles Recovered
2 Touchdowns



The Matthews family may be the most famous in the NFL. Bruce is already in Canton, something Clay Jr. hopes to do as well.

His longevity is a big reason he got this far, and he was still a very effective player at the end of the career. Matthews Jr. was an excellent player, I just can name a great deal many more outside linebackers I would put in first.








Karl Mecklenburg
Linebacker
Denver Broncos
12 Seasons
6 Pro Bowls
3 First Team All-Pro Teams
79 Quarterback Sacks
2 Touchdowns Scored
1 Safety



After starting out as a pass rushing specialist, Mecklenburg moved to inside linebacker and became a star. He once 13 sacks despite just nine starts.

An effective tackling machine, he had eight years of 97 tackles or more. He was a leader by example, and is one of the greatest Broncos defenders ever.

Yet I consider Randy Gradishar, who is still awaiting induction into Canton, the greatest Broncos linebacker ever. Mecklenburg was a very good player, but I would not vote him into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.









Bill Parcells
Coach/ General Manager
31 Seasons
172 wins
2 Super Bowl Wins



Parcells is here because he coached the New York Giants, a team flooded with media attention. While a good coach who has 42 more victories than defeats, he also had some limited successes with the New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots.

Known as the "Big Tuna", he was named NFL Coach of the Year three different seasons and is a member of the NFL's 1990s All-Decade Team. He then went on to become a general manager and had mixed results.

Does Parcells belong in ahead of such legendary coaches like Buddy Parker, Chuck Knox, Tom Flores, Dick Vermeil and others? He doesn't belong in ahead of Don Coryell, but the New York City factor might push him in. I think he fairly worthy, but I think that of a few others as well.










Andre Reed
Wide Receiver
Buffalo Bills
16 Seasons
7 Pro Bowls
951 Receptions
88 Touchdowns Scored



Reed was a precise route runner who was more good than great. He never led the league in any category and exceeded 1,000 yards receiving just four times despite playing in a era that caters to offensive production.

What gets him this far is the fact he played on four teams that reached the Super Bowl. He had a Hall of Fame quarterback and running back helping him as well. I classify Reed as a very good player, but I'd put a ton of wide receivers into Canton ahead of him.










Willie Roaf
Offensive Tackle
New Orleans Saints
13 Seasons
11 Pro Bowls
3 First Team All-Pro Teams



Roaf deserves induction this year. Plain and simple. I think there are a ton of blockers who belong, but the position is usually overlooked.

Even though he missed 17 games because of injuries, Roaf started in every one of the 189 games he played in his career. A cerebral player with immense strength and incredible dexterity, the nimble tackle was rarely beat whether run blocking or protecting the blind side of the quarterback.










Donnie Shell
Safety
Pittsburgh Steelers
14 Seasons
5 Pro Bowls
3 First Team All-Pro Teams
51 Interceptions
19 Fumbles Recovered
4 Touchdowns



Shell is the fourth Steeler on this list. A key member of the famous "Steel Curtain" defense, he is a lot like L.C. Greenwood in that he has been overlooked because that defensive unit already has three members in Canton. Yet there should be three more, even if the voters appear to have a quota per team

The 70 turnovers and four scores in his career may show that Shell was incredible, but he was mainly known for his bone-jarring tackles. There were few safeties more feared in his era.

While I feel Johnny Robinson may be the most deserving strong safety not yet in Canton, I'd put Shell in as well.










Will Shields
Guard
Kansas City Chiefs
14 Seasons
12 Pro Bowls
2 First Team All-Pro Teams



Shields better go in immediately. He missed one start, but played in all 224 games in his career. He was always one guards in the AFC annually. He deserves induction now, but I have been saying this about Chiefs legends Jim Tyrer, Johnny Robinson and Ed Budde for years and years as well.









Dick Stanfel
Guard
Detroit Lions
7 Seasons
5 Pro Bowls
5 First Team All-Pro Teams



Stanfel lasted only seven years, but he was amazing in his time. His rookie year was the only season he did not earn an accolade. After four seasons with the Lions, he joined the Washington Redskins and suddenly retired at just 31 years old.

He played in an era where the pay scale was so minimal, players usually made more money working other jobs. Stanfel left the game so he could feed his family at a higher-paying job. There were just three starting offensive lineman in the NFL older than Stanfel when he left the game.

Yet many historians agree there were few guards better. Despite his limited years, Stanfel is a member of the 1950s All-Decade Team. I'd put him in Canton, so hopefully he gets to the list of finalists.








Paul Tagliabue
Commissioner
17 Seasons



No way does this basketballer belong. He helmed the the ruination of the NFL by gearing the rules of the game to carry the offenses while building a false pedestal for the quarterback. His toad, Roger Goodell, continues to carry that message today.







Steve Tasker
Special Teams
Buffalo Bills
14 Seasons
7 Pro Bowls



Tasker was an overachiever who became a terror on special teams as a gunner. But no way does anyone belong in Canton via the special teams ahead of Ray Guy.











Aeneas Williams
Cornerback
Arizona Cardinals
14 Seasons
8 Pro Bowls
3 First Team All-Pro Teams
55 Interceptions
23 Fumble Recoveries
12 Touchdowns Scored



Williams is one of many cornerbacks who belong in Canton, joining greats like Lemar Parrish, Pat Fischer, Louis Wright and more, but he may beat them in the race for induction. Like them, he was a premier defender.

One fact easily seen is that Williams made opponents pay when they tried to move the ball in his direction. I believe he is worthy of immediate induction, but I been saying that about Parrish and others for years.








Ron Wolf
General Manager
Green Bay Packers
24 Seasons



Wolf had a career that even traveled into the Canadian Football League. He orchestrated a deal with the NFL so Joe Kapp could leave the CFL and quarterback his Minnesota Vikings team. Not only did he build them into a powerhouse where the defense was named the "Purple People Eaters", he helped the Oakland Raiders build into dominant franchise as well.

He joined the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and suffered through a 0-25 record until the team got to the NFC Championship Game. Wolf later went to the Green Bay Packers and acquired the services of Brett Favre in a trade that would later result in a Super Bowl win for the team.

Wolf belongs in Canton, but I believe coaches, owners, contributors and executives should be in a separate category so they do not steal a slot from players.








George Young
Executive
New York Giants
33 Years



An employee of the Baltimore Colts, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants and NFL, Young was named Executive of the Year five different times. His teams won three Super Bowls and one NFL Championship.


Young belongs in Canton, but coaches, owners, contributors and executives should be in a separate category so they do not steal induction slots from players.

Charlie Hennigan

Charlie Hennigan
6'1" 187
Wide Receiver
Houston Oilers
1960-1966
7 seasons
410 Receptions
6,723 Receiving Yards
51 Touchdowns
5 Pro Bowls
AFL All-Time Team
First With 101 Receptions In A Season


Charles Taylor Hennigan joined the expansion Houston Oilers as an undrafted 25-year old in the fledgling American Football League in 1960. He had previously been a high school teacher at a high school, where he earned $4,000 annually. He kept a monthly pay stub of $270.72 in his helmet for inspiration on the gridiron.

He had initially went to college at LSU on a track scholarship, where the coaches of the school had designs for him to compete in the Olympic games. The Tigers were the SCC mile-relay champions in his freshman year, an event Hennigan specialized in.

Football became Hennigan's primary interest soon after his high school sweetheart passed away from cancer. LSU did not want him switching sports, so Hennigan transferred to Northwestern State University and played running back for three years.

After college, he was invited to try out for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. He was cut after a week, so he had a stint in the United States Army before returning to Louisiana to teach biology and gym class while also coaching both football and track.

Hennigan used his time as a track coach to run and stay in shape, along with using isometrics. Red Cochran was a former NFL player who later became a scout. He happened to live nearby Hennigan, so Cochran got him to try out for the newly founded Oilers. Cochran's career would last 52 years in the NFL, ending up in the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.

Having no real experience as a wide receiver, Hennigan asked Cleveland Browns legend Dub Jones for some help. Jones, whose son Bert would later become a Pro Bowl quarterback with the Baltimore Colts, was a former Pro Bowl receiver who happened to live close by Hennigan as well.

Jones, who still shares the NFL record for six touchdowns scored in one game, drilled Hennigan on how to fake the defender and not the area. NFL defenses employed man-to-man coverage in those days, as opposed to the zone coverage most teams use in the game today.

Hennigan went into a Oilers camp that had a few stars trying out for the team. The team cut future stars like Hall of Fame cornerback Willie Brown and Pro Bowl wide receiver Homer Jones. Jones, who still holds the NFL record for yards per catch in a career, is known best for inventing the football spike after a score.

A big reason Brown didn't make the Oilers is because he had difficulty covering Hennigan in practice. The two would butt heads many times over the years, often complimenting each other as the toughest opponent either had faced in their careers.

There was a few hundred men trying out for the Oilers and Hennigan began to hear rumors he was about to be cut as well. Yet he made the team and had Browns great Mac Speedie, a former teammate of Dub Jones, as his wide receivers coach.

He and Oilers teammate Charley "The Human Bowling Ball" Tolar are the first persons at Northwestern State to play professional football. The school would later produce such greats like Hall of Fame tight end Jackie Smith, Pro Bowl players like quarterback Bobby Hebert, cornerback Terrence McGee, wide receiver Mark Duper, running backs Tolar, John Stephens and Joe Delaney. They are amongst the 44 players from that school to play professional football.

The five Pro Bowls Hennigan accrued is tied with Smith as the most ever by a Northwestern State Demon. Also a track star, he has been named one of the 100 greatest football players in school history.

He soon won a starting job in camp and developed an amazing repertoire with Hall of Fame quarterback George Blanda. Hennigan scored the first touchdown in Oilers history, which happened in the first game in franchise history against the Oakland Raiders.

Separating his shoulder in the first half of that game, Hennigan then sat out for three games as he healed from the injury. He returned to be second on the team in receiving yards and touchdown catches as the Oilers eventually reached the first ever AFL title game.

Playing against the Los Angeles Chargers, Houston came back from an early deficit to capture the championship with a 24-16 victory. Hennigan's four receptions for 71 yards were both the second best totals on the team.

The 1961 season started out strange for the Oilers. After stumbling out to a 1-3-1, they replaced head coach Lou Rymkus with Wally Lemm. This awoke the Oilers roster, as they would then explode upon the AFL with 10 straight wins on their way to winning the second, and so far last, title in franchise history.

The offense was ranked first in the league in offense, total yards and passing yards. They also finished second in rushing yards, points and total yards allowed. It was also the finest season of Hennigan's career.

He had to share receptions with Pro Bowlers like Tolar, Billy Cannon, Willard Dewveall, Bob McLoud and Bill Groman. Groman led the AFL with 17 touchdowns off of 50 receptions for 1,175 yards that year, as well as leading the league in yards per catch.

Hennigan racked up 82 catches at an impressive 21.3 yards per reception average that was second best in the AFL. He led the league with a career best 1,746 receiving yards, breaking an 11-year old record previously set by Hall of Famer Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch.

He had started out the season charting out a way to break Hirsch's record. Hennigan once calculated the number of receptions and receiving yards he needed to break the record by writing on a bathroom mirror with soap as he shaved.

Not only did he set a career best mark by leading the AFL with 124.7 receiving yards gained per game, he also caught a career high 12 touchdowns. The 124.7 yards mark stood as a record until 1982, when Wes Chandler surpassed it in a strike-shortened season that lasted nine games that year. Hennigan appeared in 14 games 21 years earlier and his average still ranks second best in pro football history.

Yet he also piled up more records. He still owns the record for three games of which Hennigan had over 200 yards receiving. He also owns the record for seven straight games of at least 100 yards receiving, which is how he started out the 1961 season. Hennigan was also the first player ever to have 10 games in a season with over 100 receiving yards.

Hennigan had 11 total games that year of at least 100 yards receiving. It, as well as his streak of seven games, was tied in 1995 by Hall of Famer Michael Irvin. Irvin needed 16 games to tie the record.

His streak of seven games ended after getting 232 yards and two scores against the Buffalo Bills. After missing his eighth straight game by 22 yards the next week in a game Houston won 55-14 over the Denver Broncos, he did not catch a pass the following game.

While the Oilers beat the San Diego Chargers for the 1961 AFL Championship, they did a good job limiting Hennigan to 43 yards on five catches. The reason was because they concentrated on him after he had burned them for 214 yards and three scores just three weeks earlier.

Not only did his 1,746 total yards lead the AFL on 1961, Hennigan began a streak of five consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. The record of 1,746 receiving yards stood as a record until 1995, when Isaac Bruce and record holder Jerry Rice surpassed it. Yet Hennigan's total still ranks and the third most ever.

The difference between Hennigan's record setting seasons to those who tied or surpassed him is the fact he passed Hirsch's record in 12 games, the same number of games Hirsch had played in 1951. Rice and Bruce needed 16 games, two more than Hennigan played in 1961, to surpass him.

Another difference is that only Irvin was on a championship team like Hennigan was during these record-setting years. Rice, a Hall of Famer, and Bruce would win titles in different seasons.

Hennigan, who was named First Team All-Pro in 1961 and 1962, then continued his excellence after his incredible year. He grabbed 115 balls for 1,918 yards and 18 touchdowns over the next two seasons. The 1962 Houston team reached the AFL title game for a third straight season, but lost in overtime.

Some say Hennigan's 1964 season was his best, while Hennigan prefers to think his 1961 season was. Though he was good friends with Denver Broncos legend Lionel Taylor, he set out to break Taylor's 1961 record of 100 receptions.

He broke the record by grabbing 101 passes that year. This mark stood 20 years until Hall of Famer Art Monk had 106 in 1984, a record would stand for. Hennigan also had 1,546 receiving yards, which also led the AFL and still ranks as the 21st most in pro football history.

The 110.4 yards gained per game receiving average he has in 1964 also still ranks as the eighth best ever in pro football history. Hennigan is the first pro player ever to have two seasons of over 1,500 yards receiving, and he is also the first to have four games of 200 or more receiving yards.

Concussions began to catch up to Hennigan by 1965, as well as the fact he was running around on an injured knee. He gutted it out over the next two years, catching 68 passes for 891 yards and seven touchdowns over that time.

One game against the Chargers saw San Diego cornerback Claude Gibson hit Hennigan with a rabbit punch, knocking the Oilers star out cold. Hennigan woke up in the locker room, but was dazed. He was put back out on the field, but didn't know where he was most of the time because of the concussion he suffered.

It turned out to be a mistake by Gibson, a great punt returner who led the AFL in punt return yardage and average twice. Player in those days took care of their own teammates.

Unbeknownst to Hennigan, two of his teammates set up Gibson during a preseason game a few years later. He was hit in the knees, which ended Gibson's career. Hennigan was told this story at a 50th anniversary reunion by his teammates.

Concussions went untreated back then, and medical technology was not good enough to do a good job repairing knees either. Houston traded Hennigan to the Raiders for a future draft pick, but he failed the physical and decided to retire.

Not only was Hennigan on the gridiron for the love of the game, but he was able to pursue his doctorate in education with an increase in salary compared to what he earned as a teacher.

He once asked Oilers owner Bud Adams for a raise after his monster 1961 season, but was refused. Instead, Adams cut him a check for $10,000 and sent Hennigan out of his offices.

When Hennigan retired after the 1966 season, he basically owned every receiving record there was for the Oilers and AFL. He still has the most touchdown receptions in franchise history, as well as the fourth most receiving yards and sixth most receptions in team history.

He owns the Oilers record of most catches and receiving yards in a game, when he went for 276 yards on 13 receptions in 1961. His 26 games of at least 100 yards receiving is also a franchise record.

His 71.8 receiving yards per game is not only the best in team history, it is still the 12th best ever in pro football history. Four of the players ahead of him on this list are still active, so Hennigan could move back up the list as the years go on.

The 16.8 yards per reception average is excellent for any era of football, especially one that dealt with the 10-yard chuck rule. Not only does it rank 39th best ever in yards per touch in pro football history, it is the second best in Oilers/ Titans history behind Oilers great Ken Burrough.

I do not know what disgusts me most. Hennigan's exclusion from the Pro Football Hall of Fame or the fact Adams has seemingly spit on his teams earlier history.

Blanda and Jim Norton are the only early Oilers in the franchises Hall of Fame. Ken Houston and Elvin Bethea, two more Hall of Fame players, are the only other AFL Oilers inducted into the teams Hall of Fame.

Hennigan should have been inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Oilers/ Titans Hall of Fame by now. Not only is he the greatest wide receiver in that franchises history, he is one of the very best in AFL history. Hennigan is a member of the AFL All-Time Team.

There are the obvious signs of the continued AFL disrespect by the Pro Football Hall of Fame as one of the reasons to why Hennigan has not yet been inducted. Even though the building in Canton does not say NFL Hall of Fame, it has become just that.

The NFL's anger of being forced to merge with the successful AFL still seems to burn brightly. The voters obviously cower and heed this anger by inducting modern inferior players instead.

Not only did Hennigan have to deal with the 10-yard chuck rule, which is a lot harder to have success in compared to the modern five-yard rule, he dealt with playing fields that were nowhere as near as pristine as they have been the past few decades.

Football used to be a game for men in Hennigan's era. Players had to actually earn their accolades then, as opposed to the rule changes that guarantee successes like now. Yet the numbers he put up easily match or exceed many players today that are deemed as stars.

Some detractors will point at he fact he lasted just seven seasons, but the Hall of Fame is filled with men who had careers of that length or less. Men who put up inferior production as well.

While Hirsch is in the Hall of Fame, he went to two less Pro Bowls and had one less First Team All-Pro honor than Hennigan. Though a great wide receiver, Hirsch had two excellent seasons and several decent ones.

Lynn Swann, another Hall of Famer, lasted nine years but many of his number pale in comparison to Hennigan. Swann was finalist 13 times before induction, while Hennigan hasn't even been named a semi-finalist once. Hennigan also has more receptions than Hall of Fame receiver Bob Hayes, let alone the fact he either owns or shares several other records with some of the best receivers to ever play the game.

Blanda, who was later a teammate of Brown's, often lamented the exclusion of Hennigan from the Hall of Fame up until his death. Hennigan set his receptions record after catching nine passes against Brown, who also agrees with Blanda that the Oilers legend deserves a bust in Canton.

Not only did Hennigan's 101 reception season stand as a record for 20 years, his 1,746 yards gained stood as a record for 34 seasons. He is the only player ever to have three games of 200-yards receiving in a season.

Voters should look at the travails Hennigan had to persevere through compared to the game now. Not only the rules to empower the modern offense that he did not have to help him nor the shoddy fields he played on often. How the hash marks placement greatly differed then and the goal posts used to be placed hazardously on the goal line in his day.

How the defenses of his day actually were allowed to play defense and even extend it further to the realm of crossing the lines of fair play. Even with medical care that didn't have as much expertise as now, Hennigan went out there and performed at a Hall of Fame level no matter how hurt he was.

There is no doubt that Hennigan belongs in Canton. The seniors committee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame is afforded just two nominees each year, which is unfair to the tremendous backlog they have to sift through annually. Yet Hennigan should never have reached the seniors pool, because it is obvious he should have been inducted long ago.

While he is in that deep seniors pool now, Hennigan easily rises to the top of the best wide receivers not yet inducted. Yet too much times has passed in his omission, so the voters must get it together now and put him in so Hennigan can enjoy his long overdue induction.

It is easy to see Charlie Hennigan is the greatest wide receiver not yet put into the hallowed halls within Canton. He belonged long ago, but now is the time to right the wrongs made by past voters. Contact all of the voters and tell them that Hennigan deserves his rightful place inside the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Greatest Washington Redskins Not In Canton

Chris Hanburger
Washington Redskins
Linebacker
6'2" 220
1965 - 1978
14 Seasons
187 Games Played
19 Interceptions
5 Touchdowns
9 Pro Bowls
1972 NFC Defensive Player of the Year


Christian G. Hanburger was an 18th Round draft choice of the Redskins in 1965, played right away and was in the Pro Bowl by his second year in the league.

He would then begin a string of Pro Bowl appearances until 1969. He then resumed that string in 1972 until 1976. Sacks and tackles were not recorded in those days, but Hanburger was a play maker. He is considered one of the best of his era. He was known for his blitzing ability and pass coverage.

Ever the complete player, he returned three fumbles for touchdowns, third most in NFL history, in his career to go with two more on interceptions.

In 1972, Hanburger captained the Over The Hill gangs defense to a Super Bowl appearance, and was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Year.

Hanburger was known not only for good speed, but his exceptional quickness. He had the innate ability to diagnose a play before the ball was hiked. He often would cover the other teams tight end and peel off to knock passes down meant for wide receivers. Coach George Allen liked to have a safety first defense, leaving the rest to Hanburger and his fellow linebackers.

Chris Hanburger's nine Pro Bowl appearances are still the most by any player in the entire history of the Washington Redskins. His four First Team All-Pro honors is tied with Hall Of Famer Sammy Baugh as the most ever by any Redskin.

He is a member of the Redskins Ring Of Fame and 70 Greatest Redskins Team.

The game was played different for the most part in his era. The running game was most teams primary weapon. Tackling with sound fundamentals was a must then. Few players lead with their heads for "kill shots" because they would be injured much faster than today with innovations of modern technology on equipment nowadays.

It also should be remembered that players then did not command the same level of salaries that they do today. Most players would work a second job in the off season, compared to the luxury players have today to train whenever they choose to.

As a kid, I once heard a long time local media type say that he figured Hanburger had over 50 quarterback sacks in his career. This, coupled by the facts that are allowed in the record book truly says that there is NO DOUBT that Chris Hanburger SHOULD BE in the NFL Hall of Fame.

You can help Chris get his respect by signing this petition : http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/chrishanburgerhof/







Pat Fischer
5'9" 170
Cornerback
1961 - 1977
17 Seasons
213 Games
56 Interceptions
941 Yards
4 Touchdowns
3 Pro Bowls


Patrick Fischer was a 17Th round draft choice of the Saint Louis Cardinals in 1961. He returned a few punts and kick offs in his Cardinal career, as well as catching one pass for 22 yards in his rookie year. He made two Pro Bowls in 1964 and '65 for Saint Louis.

He signed with Washington as a free agent in 1968, and made the 1969 Pro Bowl team. He was the teams shut down cornerback on the 1972 Super Bowl team. NFL Films listed Fischer as the Redskins All-Time Neutralizer in the 1980's.

Fischer is still all over the Cardinals record books. He is fifth most interceptions with 29, fifth in interception return yardage with 529, third in interceptions returned for touchdowns with three, third in consecutive games with an interception by accumulating five, ninth longest for the longest interception return for a touchdown when he took it 69 yards in 1967.

In 1964 he returned two interceptions for touchdowns, which ranks second in Cardinals history. Fischer also ranks third for most interceptions in a season for the Cardinals, when he snared 10 in 1964.

He also ranks seventh in Redskin history with 27 interceptions, and fourth ain interception return yardage with 412. When he retired, Fischer had played in a then-NFL record for games played by a cornerback with 213.

Fischer may appear small to those who never saw him play, but those who did know better. His battles with Philadelphia Eagles 6'8" wide receiver Harold Carmichael were legendary. Fisher often was also matched up against Dallas Cowboys wide receiver "Bullet" Bob Hayes, the fastest man in the world at one time.

He was a rough "bump and run" style defender full of tricks. One common move he would use was, if an opponent had to catch a pass over his head, Fischer would punch him in the gut or jaw. He made many plays versus the pass, but also excelled in run support.

Teams would often work away from Fischer and Ken Houston, when passing, due to their propensity of returning interceptions for touchdowns for the Redskins. Pat Fischer played in an era where defenders had to work harder. The 10 yard chuck rule was not changed to 5 yards until the 1979. Wide receivers also had to work harder to get open in that era.

The rushing attack was the primary weapon, and run support from defensive backs was a must in that era. Players like Deion Sanders may have been relegated to only punt return duty back then, possibly nickel back. Fischer also excelled on special teams, which was a must for head coach George Allen and special teams coach Marv Levy, who are both in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.

He is a member of the Redskins Ring Of Fame and 70 Greatest Redskins Team.

Fischer had an excellent career. Is it worthy of Canton? After seeing how long it took a superstar like Emmitt Thomas to get in, and how a long list of former great cornerbacks like Louis Wright, Ken Riley, Lester Hayes, and others are not in yet, it may be a long shot.

Still, after looking at how his numbers compare with those cornerbacks that are inducted, there is no doubt in my mind that Pat Fischer should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.







Jerry Smith
6'3" 208
Tight End
1965- 1977
13 Seasons
168 Games Played
421 Receptions
5,496 Yards Receiving
60 Touchdowns
2 Pro Bowls


Jerry was drafted in the ninth round of the 1965 draft by Washington and wasn't used much by the head coach, Otto Graham, in his rookie year. He caught 19 passes for two touchdowns that year. Charley Taylor, then a halfback, was the primary weapon. Jerry was a back up wide receiver initially, but with two Hall of Famers, Taylor and Bobby Mitchell, as the primary targets of the newly acquired Hall of Fame QB Sonny Jurgensen, Graham decided to move Smith to tight end.

Jerry was used much like you now have seen Sterling Sharpe or Antonio Gates used. This was a trend setting move that allowed Smith to explode onto the NFL scene. In his second season, Smith caught 54 balls for 686 yards and six TD's. Smith had his best season as a pro in his third year. He caught 67 passes for 849 yards and 12 TD's.

He then caught 45, 54, and 43 passes the next three years to go with 24 TD's. Smith was hurt early in 1971 and only managed 16 catches with one score. He was never quite the same again.

In the Redskins Super Bowl year of '72, Smith did catch seven touchdowns on only 21 receptions. The following year he did not get into the end zone on 19 catches.

Finally showing signs of health in 1974, Smith caught 44 passes for 554 yards with three touchdowns from Billy Kilmer, who never threw to the TE much. The next year Smith caught 31 balls for 391 yards and three touchdowns.

Injuries besieged Smith in his final two years, and with newly acquired Jean Fugett now starting, Smith managed eight catches for 2 scores.

Smith retired with a then-NFL record 60 touchdown catches for tight ends. He finished second All-Time behind Mike Ditka for receptions and yards receiving by a tight end.

To this day, he ranks first in Washington Redskin history for tight ends in catches, yards receiving and touchdowns. He is also tied with three others with 12 TD's caught in a season. He is tied with ten other Redskins with three touchdowns in one game, something he did twice.

His team record 67 catches, in 14 games, for a tight end in a single season was surpassed by Chris Cooley, in 16 games, in 2005. Smith still ranks third in Redskin history in touchdown catches, and fourth in receptions overall in Redskins history.

While Smiths statistics may pale in today's modern game, one must remember that the NFL "chuck" rule was 10 yards in his playing days. It was a much rougher game as well back then. Clotheslines were frequent, as were players diving at each others knees. If Smith had the luxury of only a 5 yard chuck rule, his statistics surely would have increased.

Smith may never be inducted into Canton. He died at the age of 43 in 1986 of AIDS. He never had told anyone that he was a homosexual, but was outed by former team mate and lover, running back David Kopay (the first NFL player to announce his being gay) shortly after Smiths death. Kopay has asserted the NFL's homophobia in those days was so prevalent, that once he had announced he was gay, several coaching offers were rescinded.

Not that much has changed nowadays, as Jeremy Shockey's comments on the Howard Stern show revealed, but there is a hope that the NFL Senior Committee can look past the mans lifestyle and the politics involved.

Smith retired with superior stats comparatively to Hall of Fame tight ends such as John Mackey. He retired only 6 catches short of Ditka's then-NFL tight end reception record as well.

He is a member of the Redskins Ring Of Fame and 70 Greatest Redskins Team.

Jerry Smith may be a controversial subject to some. Even after everything that can be said for, or against him, his statistics tell a steadfast story. Smith was lauded by Sports Illustrated as a top pass catching tight end during his era. His legend on the gridiron still shines bright today, 31 years after his retirement. Maybe some will say he is on the fringe for induction, or that I'm being biased due to the Redskins being my favorite team as well.

Maybe these things are true.

Still, in my eyes, Jerry Smith belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.








Russ Grimm
6'3" 273
Guard
1981-1991
11 Seasons
140 Games Played
4 Pro Bowls

Russell Scott Grimm was a third round draft pick by the Redskins in the 1981 draft. He played 14 games that year, and started in 11 of them. This was during a time where a young group of blockers would bond under the leadership of coach Joe Bugel and veteran offensive tackle George Starke to form one of the greatest offensive lines in NFL history. This was when "The Hogs" were born.

This nickname was given to them as they prepared for the 1982 season by Bugel. The season was shortened to nine games because of a players strike, and the WildCard Redskins blew right through the playoffs riding the backs of the Hogs. Washington then won their first Super Bowl, thanks to the blocking of the unit and the running of Hall Of Famer John Riggins.

Grimm made his first Pro Bowl in 1983, and the Redskins returned to the Super Bowl before losing to the Los Angeles Raiders. It was the first of his four consecutive Pro Bowl nods, and the first of three straight First Team All-NFL honors.

He also was a versatile athlete who was listed as the teams emergency quarterback. The 1987 season showed off his athleticism, when he had to start five games at center for the injured Jeff Bostic, then was injured himself. The Redskins went on to win their second Super Bowl.

He battled through injuries the next three years, and started in 24 of the 32 games he was able to play. After starting in just one games in 1991, he retired after the Redskins won their third Super Bowl in ten years that season.

Since his retirement, he has gone on to become one of the top offensive line coaches in the league. His name has come up often when teams are considering who to hire as a head coach. He has also been a finalist for induction into the Pro Football Hall Of Fame four times so far, and hopefully will soon find his way in Canton.

Russ Grimm is usually the first person thought of when "The Hogs" are discussed. He was a gritty blue collar player who was a key component of the Redskins famed counter trey play. His ability to pull was the primary reason the play was unstoppable, even though opponents knew it was coming.

He is a member of the Redskins Ring Of Fame, and is one of the 70 Greatest Redskins.










Gene Brito
6'1" 226
Defensive End
1951 - 1960
Nine Seasons
97 Games Played
47 Receptions
2 Touchdowns
5 Pro Bowls

Genaro Herman Brito was drafted in the 17th round of the 1951 draft by the Redskins. He was a 26 year old rookie, having spent time in the Armed Forces defending the United States in World War II.

The Redskins used him on offense a lot in his first two years, and Brito grabbed 47 passes and two touchdowns over that time. Disenchanted with his role, he then went to play for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League with Redskins quarterback Eddie LeBaron. He was named to the All-Conference Team in his lone season with them.

Both players returned to the Redskins in 1955, and Washington put Brito exclusively at defensive end for the rest of his career. He was named NFL Player of the Year by the Washington D.C. Touchdown Club that year, and would go to the Pro Bowl in each of the five seasons he played in Washington.

He was named MVP of the 1958 Pro Bowl, the first Redskin to ever accrue that honor.

Brito was considered on of the best defensive lineman of the 1950's. Hall Of Famer Paul Brown once wanted to put a Cleveland jersey on him because "Brito was more in my backfield than his own". He also received the Presidential “Seal of Approval” from both Richard M. Nixon and John F. Kennedy for his high level of play at the end position. Both presidents referred to him as their favorite player.

He was so popular that he hosted a television show called "The Gene Brito Show", which was shown just before the actual games were played. He is considered one of the first players in NFL history to do this.

He joined the Los Angeles Rams in 1959, but was only able to play two games because of injuries. He returned in 1960 to play 11 games and was named Second Team All-NFL. He then retired.

Gene Brito is a member of the Redskins Ring Of Fame and 70 Greatest Redskins Team, and his three First Team All-NFL accolades are the second most in franchise history. No other defensive end in team history has appeared in as many Pro Bowls as he did in his career. He is one of the most popular Redskins ever, and their best defensive end ever. He is certainly worthy of induction into Canton.









Lemar Parrish
5'11" 181
Cornerback
1970 - 1982
13 Seasons
166 Games Played
47 Interceptions
13 Fumble Recoveries
13 Touchdowns
8 Pro Bowls


Lemar was drafted in the seventh round of the 1970 draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He was incredible in his rookie season, getting five interceptions, and scoring a touchdown on both a punt return and kickoff return. He averaged 30.1 yards per kick return and also scored on a blocked field goal return. He would go to the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons.

He followed that up next season with seven interceptions. He took one interception 65 yards for a touchdown, and one fumble for a touchdown. In 1972, Parrish picked off five passes and took two in for touchdowns. He also returned a punt for a touchdown. In 1973, he has two interceptions and returned a fumble for a touchdown.

The 1974 season saw Parrish returned to the Pro Bowl by setting a still standing Bengals record with an NFL leading 18.8 yards per punt return average. He also scored two touchdowns on punt returns. One went for 90 yards and is presently the second longest in Bengals history. He also recovered a fumble and took it 47 yards for a touchdown.

He would go to the Pro Bowl every year up until the 1977 season. In 1977, Parrish had three interceptions and took one in for the last touchdown of his career.

After the 1977 season, Parrish was traded to the Redskins, after a contract dispute, with defensive end Coy Bacon by the Bengals to Washington for the Redskins’ first-round pick in the 1979 draft. That first-round pick ended up being the 12th overall selection, which Cincinnati used to pick running back Charles Alexander out of Louisiana State.

Parrish was not asked to return kicks on the Redskins, yet still made a immediate impact on the Redskins defense his first year with four interceptions. The next year, he had nine interceptions and was named First Team All-NFL and to the Pro Bowl.. He followed that up with seven interceptions in 1980, and was named to his last Pro Bowl. Parrish left the Redskins after 1981, and joined the Buffalo Bills in 1982. He retired after that year.

Lemar Parrish is the Bengals All-Time leader in touchdowns scored by "return or recovery" with 13. This is still tied third All-Time in NFL history with two others. His two interceptions returned for TDs is still tied for the most in a game, with many others in NFL history. He was also the only player in Cincinnati history ever to score two "return or recovery" touchdowns in a single game, which he did separate 3 times.

When he retired, his three fumble returns for touchdowns tied an NFL record. He still fourth All-Time in Bengals history for interceptions in a career, and second in touchdowns scored by interception.

His four punt returns for touchdowns ranks first in Cincinnati Bengals history. He also is first in career average for kickoff returns with 24.7, touchdowns in a season on kick off returns, interceptions made in one game, and touchdowns returned via interceptions in a season and a single game.

He ranks second in Bengals history with 130 punt returns, and punt return yardage in a season and career. He is third in franchise history in interception return yardage in a career. His 95 yard kick off return currently is the sixth longest in Bengals history.

Parrish did not win the 1970 Rookie of the Year Award probably because the Bengals had two players win the award the two previous seasons, even though he had a superior season to the winner, 49ers CB Bruce Taylor.

Lemar Parrish is a member of the Cincinnati Bengals 40th Anniversary Team.

Parrish epitomized the definition of "play maker" in his career. He was a shut down cornerback who teams tried to avoid. He would make the opponents cringe when he was asked to return kicks or punts. Parrish teamed with Ken Riley to form, perhaps, the best cornerback duo in the NFL in the 1970's.

He was also noted for his ability to stop the run, which is something he had to supply often due to the Bengals porous front seven. Safety Tommy Casanova was a beneficiary of this cornerback tandem, and made 3 Pro Bowls from 1972 to 1977. Casanova retired after Parrish left the Bengals.

Teams could not beat the Bengals by passing the ball, but they would win by running the ball up the middle. The Bengals often challenged the great Steelers teams of the 1970's, but would come up short. The pass defense was never the reason.

While with the Redskins, Parrish also made fellow cornerback Joe Lavender a better player. Lavender made the Pro Bowl twice in his career, the same years that Lemar did. Parrish was a complete player. He could do it all. His penchant for taking the ball to the end zone was prodigious. He made his teams better, his teammates better, and now is teaching his students to be better.

Every year of his career saw him intercept at least one ball, except for his 1974 Pro Bowl season. To be named to the Pro Bowl by your peers, despite having no interceptions, truly shows his greatness and is an example of how opposing teams feared him. The following two Pro Bowl years of 1975 and '76 are further examples to make this fact concrete, because he had three interceptions total over this time.

I find it amazing to see Lemar Parrish yet to be inducted into Canton. Recent inductee Roger Wehrli went in with finally, so hopefully the voters are going to right long standing wrongs. It would be fitting to see Parrish and Riley inducted together.









Len Hauss
6'2" 235
Center
1964-1977
14 Seasons
196 Games Played
5 Pro Bowls


Leonard Moore Hauss was drafted in the ninth round of the 1964 draft by the Redskins. He soon earned a starting job by the fourth game of his rookie year, and would hold onto it the rest of his career. Hauss never missed a game in his entire career. His 14 years with the team is tied as the third most in franchise history.

He made his first Pro Bowl in 1966, then would make it three straight seasons between 1968 to 1970. The 1972 season was his last as a Pro Bowler, but he remained an upper echelon player for years in a decade where great NFC centers like Mick Tinglehoff, Jeff Van Note, Forrest Blue, and others were perennial Pro Bowl players as well.

When he retired after the 1977 season, he was the only center in Redskins history to attain five Pro Bowl honors. Jim Schrader is second with three Pro Bowls.

There is no doubt that Len Hauss is the greatest center in team history. He is a member of the Redskins Ring Of Fame, and is one of the 70 Greatest Redskins.











Coy Bacon
6'4" 270
Defensive End
1968 - 1981
14 Seasons
180 Games Played
130 Sacks
2 Touchdowns
3 Pro Bowls


Leander McCoy Bacon was an undrafted rookie signed by the Los Angeles Rams right before the 1968 season. Bacon had just come from playing in the Continental Football League. Coy had signed with the Charleston Rockets in 1966, after leaving Jackson State University upon completion of his sophomore year. While playing with the Rockets, Coy was named an CFL All-Star in 1966. Other NFL luminaries like Bill Walsh, Ken Stabler, and Garo Yepremian also were in the Continental Football League. .


Coy joined a Rams team that had one of the best defensive lines in football, featuring Hall Of Famers Deacon Jones and Merlin Olsen. They were called "The Fearsome Foursome", and Bacon played just seven games as a reserve in his rookie year.

He cracked the starting lineup the next year, and started 13 games at defensive tackle. He was moved to defensive end in 1970, recorded 20 sacks,and took a fumble 14 yards for a touchdown. Bacon then had 21 sacks and intercepted a pass the next year. He made his first Pro Bowl Team in 1972, and then was traded to the San Diego Chargers after that season as part of a blockbuster deal.

He picked off a pass that year for San Diego, and took it 80 yards for a touchdown. Bacon also led the Chargers in sacks in two of his three seasons with them.

Right after the 1975 season, the Chargers traded Bacon to the Cincinnati Bengals for Hall Of Fame Wide Receiver Charlie Joiner. Coy responded with 21.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries for 48 yards and a safety. He was named to the Pro Bowl Team. He then made his last Pro Bowl Team the next year for the Bengals, despite missing two games.

The Bengals then traded Bacon to the Washington Redskins right before 1978. Coy was the pass rusher the Redskins desperately needed, and he recorded double digits in sacks in each of his first three seasons with them.

He was 39 years old in 1981, and started the three games he played before being injured for the rest of the season. The Redskins released him in the off season, but Coy was not done playing. He joined the Washington Federals of the USFL in 1983, and had a few good games. He then retired for good after that year.


Bacon played in an era where sacks were not a recorded statistic. Some researchers have credited him with over 130 sacks in his career. If you discount the three games he played in 1981, you can easily see he averaged 10 sacks every year of his career. That includes his first two seasons as a defensive tackle.

He was one of the best pass rushers I have seen play the game. He was noted as a character who would not like to practice during the week of a game, reserving his energies for Sunday. He wasn't always stout against the run in the latter part of his career, but he made several spectacular plays when his team needed it most.

Coy recently passed away, and may be a fringe player for many as far as induction into Canton. Yet I look at a guy like Fred Dean get in and wonder why Coy is not. He was just as good a pass rusher, played on lesser defensive lines, meaning the primary focus was on him, and was better versus the run than Dean.

Coy Bacon is a victim of times passing, as the newer voters don't probably know who he is. He never played on any teams that won anything, so he never got the press he probably deserved. But even if you look at the statistics, you can see he is worthy of induction into the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.





Others?

There are other current and former Redskins who will possibly be inducted into Canton one day, and others who appear on their way.

Brian Mitchell



Chris Samuels



Champ Bailey



Joe Jacoby



Jim Lachey



Jason Taylor



Chris Cooley