The Pro Football Hall of Fame will have a special 20-member class in 2020 in celebration of the NFL’s 100 years. The expanded class will include 15 “Centennial Slate” inductees, two of which are coaches.
Former Broncos coach Dan Reeves was among the finalists for the “Centennial Slate” but the voters choose former Steelers coach Bill Cowher and former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson instead.
Many fans and pundits on Twitter were perplexed about Johnson and Cowher reaching the Hall of Fame over Reeves and another former Broncos coach, Mike Shanahan.
Cowher’s 149 wins is 41 fewer than Dan Reeves. His 2 SB appearances is 2 fewer than Dan Reeves. His one AP coach of the year is one fewer than Dan Reeves. Took the effing Falcons to the Super Bowl. Went to 3 in 4 years in Denver. What the hell am I missing? What am I missing? https://t.co/X7K4jx4AT4
— Adam Malnati (@AdamMalnati16) January 12, 2020
It’s debatable if Reeves and Shanahan were more deserving but one could make a strong case that they are at least as deserving.
Love Jimmy Johnson and Bill Cowher. Both deserving. But if those two are in, you absolutely, postively, no doubt about it have to put Mike Shanahan in. Not even a question.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 13, 2020
Shanahan was a brilliant offensive mind that won two Super Bowls as a head coach and three overall. His style of offense is still seen around the NFL thanks to his impressive coaching tree that includes Gary Kubiak, Kyle Shanahan (his son), Sean McVay and Matt LaFleur.
If voters believe that Johnson and Cowher belong in the Hall of Fame, surely they must believe Reeves and Shanahan do as well, right? Unfortunately, that might not be the case, in part because of the voting process for the 2020 class.
Johnson and Cowher were selected by a special “blue-ribbon panel,” not the usual selection committee. That panel’s view on what’s deserving of Hall of Fame recognition might not line up with the selection committee’s view, so even if Shanahan and Reeves are just as deserving as Johnson and Cowher, Denver’s two former coaches might still face an uphill battle to Canton. Classes will go back to being selected by the usual committee in 2021.
While the Broncos won’t have a coach enter the Hall of Fame this year, the team does have three finalists: modern-era safeties Steve Atwater and John Lynch and linebacker Randy Gradishar, a Centennial Slate candidate.
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