Tag: Hall of Fame

LISTEN: Marques Colston vs. Julian Edelman, Sean Payton vs. Kevin James

Up next: the Hall of Fame candidacy of Julian Edelman and Marques Colston, the casting of Kevin James as Sean Payton, and the 2021 NFL draft

Episode 28 of the Saints Wire Podcast is live, hosted weekly by Ryan O’Leary (@RyanOLearySMG) with Saints Wire managing editor John Sigler (@john_siglerr). You can subscribe for new episodes on Apple Podcasts or your podcast app of choice, and catch up on past episodes in the playlist embedded below.

We’ve got plenty to talk about this week, between the annoying Hall of Fame candidacy of Julian Edelman (ahead of Marques Colston, to hear Patriots fans tell it) and the bizarre casting of Kevin James as Sean Payton in an upcoming Netflix feature. Oh, and the 2021 NFL draft is just ahead of us, too. Dig in:

If Julian Edelman is a Hall of Famer, Marques Colston should be, too

Patriots receiver Julian Edelman announced his retirement, but he shouldn’t get into the Hall of Fame before Saints legend Marques Colston.

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The New England Patriots’ surprising Monday afternoon termination of slot receiver Julian Edelman raised eyebrows around the NFL’s landscape, with speculation running rampant. Jokes were made about whether he’d soon catch a flight to Tampa Bay for a reunion with Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (who added pass-catching ex-Bengals running back Giovanni Bernard to his arsenal on the same day) and boisterous tight end Rob Gronkowski, two of his former teammates.

Some corners of the internet made an even more laughable assertion: that this could start the timer on Edelman’s Hall of Fame enshrinement. If that’s the case, then New Orleans Saints fan-favorite Marques Colston should be just ahead of Edelman in line for a gold jacket and bronze bust in Canton. He outplayed Edelman every step along the way.

Like Edelman, a last-second draft pick out of Kent State, Colston made a career from humble roots: his alma mater, Hofstra, doesn’t even have a football team any more. Edelman endeared himself to Patriots faithful by earning a roster spot for his work on special teams, trying out at a few different positions before carving out a role in the slot. It’s easy to see why they were each so well-respected.

But the comparison falls apart when you consider what they did with their careers. Colston averaged more receptions and yards per game (4.9 and 66.8) than Edelman did (4.5 and 49.8), while catching twice as many touchdown passes (72 against 36) in just nine more regular season games played.

Edelman has been rightfully lauded for his playoffs success — his juggling, almost-kissing-the-turf catch in Super Bowl 51’s historic comeback win against the Atlanta Falcons is as memorable as it gets — but the numbers are comparable even if you consider them. Edelman appeared in 19 postseason games, averaging 6.2 receptions and 75.9 receiving yards per outing. Colston logged 10 playoff appearances, with an average of 5.8 catches and 78.8 yards per game.

Maybe they’re weighed differently considering the playoff stakes, but the same is true given Colston played in a more competitive division and conference the whole time.

Let’s lump everything together: regular season and postseason games. That puts Colston with 156 total games played, catching 769 passes to gain 10,547 yards and score 76 touchdowns. Edelman, meanwhile, would match Colston with 156 combined games played while trailing in each category: 738 receptions, 8,264 receiving yards, and 41 touchdowns scored. In per-game numbers, that’s 4.9 receptions and 67.6 receiving yards per game for Colston against 4.7 catches and 52.9 yards per game for Edelman.

Now for a counterargument. Maybe we shouldn’t put these great players up against each other like this. Neither of them ever received a Pro Bowl nod. They both beat the odds stacked against them and their draft status to set the standard future players would be compared against. They’re each cherished by their teams’ fan bases, and for plenty of great reasons.

Neither of them might get into the Hall of Fame, instead joining great talents like Hines Ward (the Pittsburgh Steelers legend averaged 4.6 receptions for 56.4 receiving yards, with 95 touchdowns scored in his 235-game career, including the playoffs) and Jimmy Smith (the Jacksonville Jaguars icon who clocked 4.8 receptions for 68.4 receiving yards per game, with 74 touchdowns scored in his 189-game career, including the postseason, for Duval) in the “Hall of Very Good.” Here’s how they each compare in per-game stats — again, including the playoffs:

  • Marques Colston: 4.9 receptions for 67.6 receiving yards, 0.49 TD per game
  • Julian Edelman: 4.7 receptions for 52.9 receiving yards, 0.26 TD per game
  • Hines Ward: 4.6 receptions for 56.4 receiving yards, 0.40 TD per game
  • Jimmy Smith: 4.8 receptions for 68.4 receiving yards, 0.39 TD per game

It would be terrific to see them all get their time in the spotlight. But with the Hall of Fame becoming increasingly crowded and voters remaining stingy, that recognition might be a long time coming.

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Cameron Jordan selected for the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame

New Orleans Saints DE Cameron Jordan added a new career accomplishment, joining the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame in its class of 2021.

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The Senior Bowl announced its Hall of Fame class of 2021 on Thursday, with one prominent member of the Saints earning big recognition: defensive end Cameron Jordan. Jordan joined New Orleans native Reggie Wayne and other NFL greats like Patrick Surtain, Joe Staley, and Fred Taylor in the Senior Bowl’s Hall of Fame.

Jordan, 31, is one of many players to participate in the annual all-star game and end up joining the Saints, who selected him with the 24th overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft. He’s gone on to climb the team record books as one of its best-ever defenders; Jordan currently ranks second-best in Saints history with 94.5 career sacks, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Rickey Jackson (115.0).

A six-time Pro Bowler who earned a All-Pro first team nod in 2017, Jordan is also the only active player in this year’s Senior Bowl Hall of Fame class. He shared a statement in a press release announcing the news, saying:

“I had teammates that were older than me at Cal like Tyson Alualu and Alex Mack go to the Senior Bowl and watching those guys ahead of me become first-rounders was proof of how important the Senior Bowl really was.  Getting the invite to the Senior Bowl was checking off the list of being acknowledged as one of the nation’s best.  When I got the Senior Bowl it allowed me to prove myself and eliminate any self-doubt versus the nation’s best players.  Playing in the Senior Bowl reinforced what I should’ve already known — that I was fully prepared to go to the NFL.”

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Cowboys News: Wednesday is safety day at The Star, Broaddus’ pet cats revealed

Checking the latest mock draft picks and power rankings, L.P. Ladouceur’s next move, and two linemen stand up for a local bullying victim.

The secondary is still the primary story in Dallas. Continuing a week that started with safety Keanu Neal being brought into the Cowboys fold, the team sent two representatives to Tuscaloosa for (ostensibly) an up-close look at one of the hottest cornerback prospects in next month’s draft. And, oh yeah, two more free agent safeties arrive in Dallas on Wednesday for their one-on-one meetings. Will the club sign one of them? Could they sign both of them?

All the defensive rebuilding forces one outlet to ask whether it’s necessary, given the offense’s firepower. Two of the big road-graders play hero to a local bullying victim, a former Cowboys special teams star wants to keep shining in a new NFL city, and Dallas is making moves- albeit microscopic ones- in the latest set of power rankings. All that, plus exploring a sack master’s chances at being a first-ballot Hall of Famer, the league reveals plans for draft day festivities, and we’re talking pet cats and mocks. Here’s the News and Notes.

Drew Brees announces his retirement after 20-year NFL career

New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees announced his retirement after a storied 20-year NFL career that puts him on the road to the Hall of Fame.

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What’s been anticipated is now official: New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees confirmed that he is retiring from the NFL after appearing in 305 games over the last 20 years, including the playoffs and the start to his career with the then-San Diego Chargers back in 2001. He made the announcement on the fifteenth anniversary of his signing with New Orleans.

His accomplishments have put him on track to reach the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Brees owns the all-time record for career passing yards (80,358) and ranks second-best in league history in touchdown passes (571) and completion percentage (67.7%). He’s been nominated to the annual Pro Bowl 13 times while earning five placements on the Associated Press All-Pro teams. Oh, and he was also named Most Valuable Player after winning Super Bowl XLIV for New Orleans.

The impact Brees left on the Saints is, well, historic. It’s something Saints fans have recognized for years, but it might take those outside New Orleans some time to truly appreciate. Here’s hoping he enjoys a well-earned retirement and second career in broadcasting. Go get ’em, No. 9.

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6 reasons why Chris Bosh absolutely deserves a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame

Bosh deserves this.

Chris Bosh might be a Hall of Famer soon. He was selected as a Hall of Fame finalist for 2021 along with Paul Pierce, Lakers star Michael Cooper, 3-time WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson, and a slew of other worthy names.

The Miami Heat start felt like he was snubbed last year. He thought he should’ve made the hall last season along with Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan.

Look, it’s hard to call any Hall of Fame selection a snub. These names are all worthy of being selected — it’s the pinnacle of basketball. They’re there for a reason.

We’ll find out whether Bosh makes the cut this time later in May. But whether he makes it or not this year, Bosh totally deserves to go in despite his career being cut short due to blood clot issues. Here’s why.

Where do Matt Ryan and Julio Jones rank on PFR’s Hall of Fame metric?

The Atlanta Falcons are one of the few NFL teams who can say they have a legitimate Hall of Fame duo at quarterback and wide receiver.

The Atlanta Falcons are one of the few NFL teams that can say they have a legitimate Hall of Fame duo at quarterback and wide receiver.

In 2019, Pro Football Reference created their own Hall of Fame metric that was “designed to estimate a player’s chances of making the Pro Football Hall of Fame using AV, Pro Bowls, All-Pros, championships, and various stat milestones.”

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has posted a score 97.4 and is the third-highest active quarterback behind Tom Brady (250.9) and Aaron Rodgers (163.7). While Ryan’s score may be well below his colleagues, he is not too far off from the average Hall of Fame score of 104.

Critics of Ryan often point out his lack of a Super Bowl title. However, PFR doesn’t value winning a Super Bowl like people are led to believe because it’s considered a team stat. Ryan’s 2016 Super Bowl performance shows just how true that statement is. Yes, having a Super Bowl title helps the case of a player, but it’s not the key factor in deciding who is or isn’t a Hall of Famer.

The area that has hurt Ryan the most is a lack of Pro Bowl selections. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016. Ryan also managed to win the league’s Most Valuable Player award in 2016 and was named a first-team All-Pro. Despite having comparable numbers to his MVP season, Ryan was left out of the Pro Bowl in 2018.

Philip Rivers, who has a metric score of 97.6, has played two more seasons than Ryan while having four more Pro Bowl selections. Now let’s turn our attention to Julio Jones and where he sits on the Hall of Fame metric.

With a career score of 100.8, Larry Fitzgerald (140.9) is the only active receiver higher than Jones. While Jones may be just under the average Hall of Fame metric score of 105, he has more Pro Bowl selections than the average inductee.

One area that could be problematic for Jones is his lack of touchdown receptions. His career total of 60 is less than Wes Welker, Dez Bryant, Jordy Nelson, Anthony Miller and Demaryius Thomas. The average Hall of Famer has posted a career total of 90 touchdowns through 12 seasons.

While both Ryan and Jones are near the top of their respective position groups, both players have more to do before they can solidify a spot in the NFL’s most elite club. This season, for the first time in their careers, this duo will have an offensive-minded head coach.

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Cowboys-Steelers 2021 Hall of Fame matchup now official

The Cowboys and Steelers will host the league’s first exhibition game since before the 2019 season.

The Cowboys and Steelers will host the league’s first exhibition game since before the 2019 season.

As expected, the Dallas Cowboys have been awarded a fifth exhibition game to front end the 2021 regular season. If this sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the exact same introduction this outlet used in March 2020 to announce what was supposed to be last year’s exhibition tilt.

 

Thanks to Cowboys legends Jimmy Johnson and Cliff Harris being inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Dallas was chosen as one of two teams to play the Thursday before the ceremony. Now, they’ll also be joined by WR Drew Pearson after the latter was part of the 2021 class announced the Saturday prior to Super Bowl LV.

Both classes will be part of the same ceremony to receive their gold jackets after the coronavirus pandemic took away the original date and as such, the game was cancelled as well.

Now there is renewed hope in an expansion of in-person attendance for the coming sports seasons and the league and the Pro Football Hall of Fame will try again. Dallas and head coach Mike McCarthy will take on their longtime rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, on August 5 in the Hall of Fame Game.

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Cowboys’ original Big Cat: Rayfield Wright’s winding road to Canton and beyond

The only offensive lineman in the Cowboys Ring of Honor took quite a journey to get there, a journey he now has trouble remembering.

Fans don’t know the offensive linemen, the saying goes, unless they screw up.

Sometimes the best offensive linemen in the sport’s history don’t really register with the average fan. Even in the world of professional football, in the very buildings where they ply their punishing trade, they can be easily overlooked while the teammates they protect and block for get all the glory.

The Dallas Cowboys have boasted some legendary offensive linemen in their six-decade history. Superstars like Staubach, Aikman, Romo, Prescott, Dorsett, Smith, and Elliott might not be what they are without their big beefeaters up front. Despite a roster packed with playmakers, for example, the Cowboys of the ’90s don’t win three Super Bowls in four years without the front five who made up “The Great Wall of Dallas.”

Twenty-two names are forever immortalized in AT&T Stadium’s Ring of Honor. But even here, where the history of O-line play is as rich and storied as anyplace in the league, only one offensive lineman resides next to those other legends. And while he played in an era when few of today’s fans got the chance to see him, there is only one Rayfield Wright.