Tag: NFL Hall of Fame

Ken Anderson unbelievably snubbed by Hall of Fame again

The NFL Hall of Fame gets it wrong again.

When the NFL announced its special Centennial Slate for 2020 it seemed like Cincinnati Bengals legend Ken Anderson would finally get his time in the spotlight.

Or not.

In the most egregious overlooking of Anderson yet, the “Blue Ribbon Panel” didn’t even include Anderson in the list of finalists. This list of finalists, by the way, is aimed at and includes more than a handful of people from his generation of the game. It also, by the way, doesn’t include quarterbacks at all despite its standing as the most important position in the sport.

Anderson, who has been a finalist twice but oddly skipped over, has 32,838 passing yards, 197 touchdowns and 160 interceptions to his name. Over 16 years, he won an MVP and went to the Super Bowl, was a three-time All-Pro, led the NFL in passer rating four times, passing yards twice, went to four Pro Bowls and led the league in interception percentage and completion percentage three times.

Five of the passers in the Hall right now never won an MVP. Six never led the league in passing yardage. Ten of 15 won a Super Bowl, yet few were in as unique of a position as Anderson, who alongside Bill Walsh, helped pioneer what was eventually called the West Coast offense (it’d be junk to paint this as a negative for Hall candidacy because it was ahead of its time). He was also an excellent running quarterback. His contributions to the game didn’t stop there for what it’s worth, as he went on to coach from 1993-2009.

And yet, while naming nearly 40 finalists, the NFL Hall of Fame has managed to overlook Anderson again, leaving the Bengals with a lone player in the Hall of Fame.

Don’t forget Ken Riley either — he’s still fifth in NFL history in interceptions right next to Charles Woodson.

The Bengals have always seemed underrepresented on the national stage for plenty of reasons. But it’s a shame this latest omission once again features Anderson front and center, blatantly disregarding his career while emphasizing the need for a complete overhaul of the current system.

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Former Ravens owner Art Modell finalist for Hall of Fame

Former Ravens owner Art Modell will have his third chance to enter the NFL Hall of Fame thanks to a special Centennial Slate Finalists vote

Because of his contributions to the sport and the league, former Baltimore Ravens owner Art Modell is among 38 finalists eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame. Listed as a contributor in the Centennial Slate finalists, Modell has another chance to get into the Hall of Fame for a prolific and important career in the NFL — his third time as a finalist.

First and foremost, the Ravens wouldn’t exist if not for Modell, who moved the team from Cleveland in 1996. But Modell’s contributions to the game go well beyond the cities of Cleveland and Baltimore.

Modell, who passed away in 2012, was involved in the negotiations with the league’s television contracts. He helped bring about the start of Monday Night Football and NFL Films. Simply put, the league reached a far wider audience largely thanks to the work Modell put in behind the scenes.

However, with the controversy surrounding relocating the team from Cleveland to Baltimore, Modell has faced fierce opposition from being enshrined regardless of his accomplishments.

Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images

But with this being the NFL’s 100th anniversary season, there’s an increase in the number of people that will be enshrined. So there’s hope that Modell can finally push beyond the hate from some and rightfully get his place in Canton.

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