Tag: Willie Anderson

Former Chiefs players named finalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025

Former Kansas City #Chiefs players named finalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 | @EdEastonJr

The latest finalists to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 will include two former Kansas City Chiefs defensive standouts. Jared Allen and Terrell Suggs are among the 15 finalists announced for next year’s class on Saturday.

Allen was drafted in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft and spent the first four years of his career in Kansas City. In his final year with the Chiefs, he made the Pro Bowl and became a first-team All-Pro with 15.5 sacks. He would later succeed with the Minnesota Vikings, becoming a three-time first-team All-Pro and a four-time Pro Bowler over the next five seasons.

Suggs was acquired by the Chiefs toward the end of the 2019 season, serving as an additional piece on the journey to Super Bowl LIV. The 37-year-old played a significant role in the postseason, playing in most of the snaps and winning his second title after successful All-Pro seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.

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The other finalists were Eli Manning, Luke Kuechly, Marshal Yanda, Steve Smith, Eric Allen, Antonio Gates, Jahri Evans, Reggie Wayne, Torry Holt, Willie Anderson, Adam Vinatieri, Darren Woodson, and Fred Taylor.

Auburn legend Willie Anderson named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Anderson logged 184 starts over his 13-year NFL career.

Auburn football could soon have its third representative in Canton.

Auburn legend [autotag]Willie Anderson[/autotag] was one of 15 “Modern-Era” players to be nominated for entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. For Anderson, it is his fourth time as a finalist.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame shared a brief look into Anderson’s career, and why he remains a finalist for the 2025 class.

Made an immediate impact as a rookie for the Bengals – named to PFWA’s All-Rookie Team in 1996 … Possessed not only the size a tackle needed to excel, but also the speed, strength and humility, allowing him to dominate at his position … Known as a strong run blocker and resilient pass blocker during the entirety of his 13-year tenure in the NFL … Considered an elite right tackle during his career and successfully held back such NFL sack leaders as Hall of Famers John Randle, Bruce Smith, Michael Strahan and Reggie White … Blocked for nine 1,000-yard rushers, as well as Corey Dillon’s two NFL record-breaking games: 246 yards for the rookie record and 278 yards for the all-time record that both stood for nearly three years … Started in 184 of his 195 career games … First-team All-Pro honors from 2004-06; second-team All-Pro in 2003 … Received All-AFC recognition in 2005 and 2006 … Voted to four consecutive Pro Bowls – the 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 games … Received the Ed Block Courage Award in 2004.

After playing three seasons at Auburn from 1993-95, Anderson went on to play 13 NFL seasons, mostly for the Cincinnati Bengals. Over his career, he started 184 of 195 games, primarily at right tackle. He started every game he participated in a 10-year stretch from 1997-2006 for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played in 14 games during his lone season with the Baltimore Ravens, making 11 starts.

Anderson will learn if he will join fellow Auburn legends Frank “Gunner” Gatski and Kevin Greene in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Feb. 6 during the NFL Honors in New Orleans, Louisiana.

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Bengals great Willie Anderson has interesting take on Hall of Fame

Bengals great Willie Anderson points to an underrated factor about his Hall of Fame candidacy.

Cincinnati Bengals great Willie Anderson has yet to enter the Hall of Fame despite being a finalist for three consecutive years.

Interestingly, Anderson equates some of the issue to the long-running reputation that left tackle is more important than the right side — an idea helped along by “The Blind Side” movie starring Sandra Bullock.

Appearing on “Up & Adams” recently, Anderson talked about this dynamic.

“I think the media had a bias because they didn’t understand the importance of the guys we blocked over there were some of the best rushers of all-time,” Anderson said. “The whole ‘Blind Side’ thing got taken out because of the movie and the right side guys got pushed away.”

Other than a logjam of his fellow offensive linemen actually entering the Hall in recent years, Anderson will continue to benefit from the growing understanding of the right side’s importance now that pass-rushers are so efficient on either side of the line.

Anderson’s full comments:

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Willie Anderson issues statement after latest Hall of Fame snub

Willie Anderson with a message for Bengals fans.

Cincinnati Bengals great Willie Anderson seems closer to the Hall of Fame than ever, even after falling short of the 2024 class.

Anderson, addressing the near-miss on social media, asked fans not to go on a massive campaign as a reaction to the latest class: “Bengals fans and my supporters. I ask you a favor. Please let’s not start this Twitter campaign about me being Snubbed. Only 5 men can go . Every last man who got in into tonight deserves it. Please let’s not harass anyone and endless tweeting I was snubbed.”

A finalist for the third straight year, Anderson said in an interview after the unveiling of the class that he doesn’t get too up or down about the process now.

“I kind of told myself after the first year, when I saw that 330 phone call, I don’t want to get too up or too down,” Anderson said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “They called me this year and told me I didn’t make it and I kind of had the same feeling. You can say you get used to it, but you’re always wondering how it’s going to be. It dwindles down to 25 to 15 and we sit and wait.

Barring a stunner, the Bengals Ring of Honor member, first-team All-Pro three times with four Pro Bowls will be in the mix again this time next year.

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Bengals great Willie Anderson misses on Hall of Fame again

Willie Anderson will have to wait another year.

Former Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Willie Anderson will have to wait another year to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Anderson, a finalist once more, misses out on the 2024 class:

— Dwight Freeney
— Devin Hester
— Andre Johnson
— Julius Peppers
— Patrick Willis
— Randy Gradishar (senior)
— Steve McMichael (senior)

Anderson, the 10th overall pick from 1996 was a first-team All-Pro three times with four Pro Bowls, allowing 16 sacks over 195 games and blocking for some historic Corey Dillon rushing outputs. He is a member of the team’s Ring of Honor and was in his 11th year of eligibility and a finalist for the third consecutive year.

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Willie Anderson named as finalist for 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame class

Former Auburn Tiger Willie Anderson has been named a finalist for the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class.

Former Auburn Tiger offensive lineman Willie Anderson has been named a finalist for the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class.

The Auburn alum spent his entire 13-year career in the NFL as one of the premier offensive tackles in the sport.

Anderson was fantastic for the entirety of his career, but he began receiving All-Pro accolades shortly after the Bengals drafted franchise quarterback Carson Palmer.

Along with Palmer, Anderson helped lead the Bengals to a relevance in the early 2000s The right captured first-team All-Pro honors for the first time in 2004, a year after being voted on the second team for the first time in 2003.

The 1996 first-round selection cemented himself as an All-Pro from there, as he helped the Bengals capture an AFC North title in 2005 before being named to the first-team over the next three seasons.

In total, Anderson appeared in 199 games for Cincinnati and the Baltimore Ravens. Four of those 199 were in the playoffs.

A member of the Bengals “Ring of Honor”, Anderson joins the likes of legends Reggie Wayne, Devin Hester, Antonio Gates, Rodney Harrison, and Dwight Freeney on the 2024 finalist list.

We will find out whether Anderson or the other names on the list find their way into Canton, OH on February 8th at the NFL Honors Awards.

 

Willie Anderson named Hall of Fame finalist for third straight time

Is this finally the year Willie Anderson gets in the Hall?

Former Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Willie Anderson is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the third consecutive year.

With just one other offensive lineman making the finals this year (former All-Pro guard Jahri Evans), it feels like the third time will indeed be the charm for the Bengals great.

One of the best overall tackles of his era, Anderson is in his 11th year of eligibility for the Hall and only three players have been finalists more than him.

Anderson wrote the following on social media: “Thank you so much to all our fans who have kept my name alive these last 15 years of retirement. Also others who are not Bengals fans who have kept this push to the finals for me last 3 years! I am truly appreciative of you. Wouldn’t be at this point without you #Whodey!”

The selection committee will pick the 2024 class next month, with the announcement happening at the NFL Honors during the week of the Super Bowl.

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Willie Anderson named Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist

Is this the year for Willie Anderson?

Former Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Willie Anderson has been named as a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the fourth straight year. He is included in a list of 25 players that only includes one other offensive lineman.

Anderson is already in the Bengals Ring of Honor but is still chasing being enshrined in Canton. If he advances to the finals, it would be the third straight year he would make it that far, and the final vote is in mid-January.

Anderson was drafted 10th overall in 1996 by the Bengals, playing 12 seasons in Cincinnati before moving on to Baltimore in 2008.

The late Ken Riley was inducted into the Hall of Fame earlier this year after being eligible for years. He was the second Cincinnati player to be selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame after Anthony Munoz.

Notable Bengals that didn’t make the semifinals this year were all-time leading rusher Corey Dillon, all-time leading receiver Chad Johnson, linebacker Takeo Spikes and Justin Smith.

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Willie Anderson: Giants RT Evan Neal ‘has the it factor’

Former NFL All-Pro Willie Anderson believes New York Giants RT Evan Neal has “the it factor” and will turn a corner in 2023.

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New York Giants right tackle Evan Neal spent a portion of his offseason training with retired NFL All-Pro Willie Anderson. During that time, Neal adjusted his stance with sights set on improving in 2023.

Neal and Anderson remain in contact via social media and the four-time Pro Bowler has become a believer in the 22-year-old.

“He admitted that he had a rough rookie year in some spots: Name me the offensive lineman who didn’t,” Anderson told the New York Post. “He has the ‘it’ factor in that he wants to figure out how to get over the hump. Every good lineman I’ve known who’s struggled but has the will to want to be good, they figure it out. He has self-pride inside him.”

Although Neal won’t make any excuses, a shift from the left side to the right side stunted his growth a bit as a rookie. Injuries didn’t help, either.

“I’ve seen Hall of Famers go from left tackle to right tackle and get their [expletive] whooped,” Anderson said. “It’s not because they are terrible players. When you change from left to right, you change the part of your brain that commands you to be stronger on your dominant leg and your inside arm. It throws guys off because it doesn’t feel stable.

“He was so staggered. I said, ‘Let’s try to get you comfortable — not a low stance, but a loaded stance where we can get that big body exploding but being balanced on contact.’ A lot of big, tall guys get too wide. I think he spent his whole rookie year trying to figure out how to change his dominant leg to the right side.”

Anderson doesn’t expect Neal to leave the gate on fire this coming season but believes that by the middle of the year, he’ll be dominating defenders like he had at Alabama.

“I’m looking forward to the middle of the season and the end of the season for the light to really come on,” Anderson said. “Him being a big cat mauling people. We saw it at Alabama the last two years because he was playing confidently. When that switch turns on, it’s hard to turn off.”

The Giants desperately need that switch to turn on and Neal knows that. He’s well aware of his importance to the team and is working his tail off to get things corrected.

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Giants’ Evan Neal explains why he changed his stance

New York Giants RT Evan Neal opens up about working with Willie Anderson this offseason, his stance change and his desire to improve.

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New York Giants right tackle Evan Neal struggled as a rookie but he’s not interested in making any excuses. Despite being hampered by a knee injury that undoubtedly impacted him in a number of areas, Neal insists his poor play wasn’t a result of that.

“It wasn’t a factor. A lot of guys get dinged up, banged up. I wasn’t the only one out there dealing with stuff,” Neal told reporters on Wednesday.

Neal was allowed to heal this offseason and that afforded him the opportunity to train with retired All-Pro tackle Willie Anderson. The two initially linked up via Instagram and then got together to work on Neal’s stance.

“Working with Willie was cool,” Neal said. “Just gaining a lot of his knowledge, him being a Pro Bowl player, we were playing around with my stance, seeing what’s comfortable, seeing what’s not comfortable. The stance that I can be functional out of and explode out of and stuff like that.

“Whether I’m widening out my base or narrowing it or just seeing what’s comfortable. You’ve got to be able to be functional in your stance and be able to move efficiently out of your stance. That’s what we were trying to find, find a place that I’m quick out of, that’s comfortable for me, a stance that I can get in and repeat rep after rep after rep.”

Although Neal felt comfortable with his stance a season ago, he acknowledges that adaptation is required in the NFL. There’s constant development and evolution, so he’s aiming to find what works best.

“I’m open to change. In this league, you’ve got to be able to adapt. I’ve done a lot of things that work for me in the past. I’ve done things that haven’t worked so well. This is just another one of those things, me trying something new, just seeing how I can get better,” he said.

“Like with anything you want to refine it to the point where you get better results out of it. It wasn’t the fact that I was uncomfortable. I was analyzing my game and I was like, okay, maybe if I tweak this part of my stance maybe I’ll be able to get to my pass set quicker or maybe I’ll be more balanced whenever I take my pass sets. Really, it’s just a refining type of thing.”

Neal is one of the most important players on the Giants headed into the 2023 season. The team needs him to make Andrew Thomas-like strides and he’s certainly working towards that.

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