Being named a Senior finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame was a virtual lock for induction in recent years. In fact, every Senior finalist since 2010 had gotten a bronze bust. So wouldn’t you know it, the first time it happened in more than a decade, it was a Raiders legend who was voted down and kept out.
Art Powell was among three players who were named Senior finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The other two were Randy Gradishar and Steve McMichael.
Gradishar and McMichael made it. Powell did not.
It was bad enough that it took the senior committee in order for Raiders greats Ray Guy, Ken Stabler and Cliff Branch to get into the Hall of Fame, but now they’re finding ways to reject them through this route as well.
It’s been 55 years since Powell, who died in 2015, played his final game. But he still holds some lofty franchise and league records to this day.
He had 81 touchdown catches in 105 games, giving him an average of 0.77 touchdowns per game. That’s second-highest ever behind only Don Hutson (0.85).
Powell led the league in receiving in 1963 (1,304), and his 16 touchdowns that season are still the franchise record. He put up a franchise-record 247 yards in a single game that year. He outdid his receiving yardage the following season. His 1,361 yards are still third in franchise history.
But when it comes to recognition among the game’s greats, Powell got snubbed again. And with former cornerback Eric Allen also not making the cut among modern-era finalists, the Raiders have been shut out from the Hall of Fame class this year.