Snubbed: Cowboys legend DeMarcus Ware not elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame

In a bit of a surprise, long-time Cowboys star DeMarcus Ware was not named a member of the 2022 Hall of Fame inductee. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys had been front and center all evening at the NFL Honors, but when it came down time to announce the lifetime achievement awards, they stood on the sidelines. Better known as the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the story of the NFL is told within the walls of Canton. Just last August, three Cowboys had their busts added to the big wing, when 2020 inductees, safety Cliff Harris and head coach Jimmy Johnson were joined by 2021 inductee Drew Pearson on the big stage.

There won’t be a Cowboy on the stage this year though, as DeMarcus Ware was not one of the five players selected. Instead, he will have to wait at least another year while contemporaries Richard Seymour, Tony Boselli, Bryant Young, Leroy Butler and Sam Mills were announced as members of the Class of 2022.

Also strangely absent were WR Andre Johnson and Return specialist Devin Hester.

Ware was a first-round draft pick out of Troy in 2005. He led the league in sacks in 2008 and 2010, and he was the second-fastest player in NFL history to hit the 100-sack milestone (since it became an official stat).He left the Cowboys following the 2013 season as the franchise’s all-time leader in sacks (117.5), forced fumbles (32), tackles for loss (145), and quarterback hits (185).

Ware is a four-time First-Team All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowler who left Dallas after nine seasons to finish his career with the Denver Broncos. The move worked, as Ware was a member of the 2015 world champions.He finished his career with 138.5 sacks.

Ware’s career stats closely resemble those of Jared Allen, another first-year finalist this year, but stunted by the star-studded class. Ware has 138.5 career sacks to Allen’s 136 and has a slightly higher Career AV of 128 to Allen’s 125.

Pro-Football-Reference’s Hall of Fame Monitor ranks Ware as the ninth-best OLB, with a score of 95.33. The average Hall of Fame OLB’s score is 106.19.

[vertical-gallery id=663648]