So I was having a conversation with a friend the other day and this topic came up. Is frank Gore a Hall of famer? I honestly can't tell the guy has had a long productive career but he really has had only one really great season so far in his ten year career. I would say no at this point but I think its closer call then some would think. He is 20th right now on the all time rushing list.

The Inconvenient Truth: I voted no. But he is first ballot nickname hall of fame.

Voted no. Decent career, but not quite HOF caliber. But I'm sure someone will dig up some statistics and show me why I am wrong.

(07-21-2015, 03:37 AM)J24 Wrote: So I was having a conversation with a friend the other day and this topic came up. Is frank Gore a Hall of famer? I honestly can't tell the guy has had a long productive career but he really has had only one really great season so far in his ten year career. I would say no at this point but I think its closer call then. Some would think. He is 20th right now on the all time rushing list right now.

I went with Yes, he's done a lot for his team and currently ranks 20th on the all time rushing yards leaderboard. If he stays healthy for the next two years, he could easily finish in the top 10 (1,100 more yards over 2 years shouldn't be hard for him to get, considering that he got 1,100 last year).

(07-21-2015, 11:31 AM)Tiger Teeth Wrote: Voted no.  Decent career, but not quite HOF caliber.  But I'm sure someone will dig up some statistics and show me why I am wrong.

Not saying you're wrong but he's comparable to Corey Dillon. Granted, Dillon has him pretty easily in TDs and he did it on those bad Bengals teams. Gore has been the better receiver. 

No, but he's getting close to some necessary milestones. If he puts up 1000+ yards this season, he'd eclipse 12k rush yards for his career.

Winning a ring with Indy would also help.

Fwiw, I think Dillon would be in the HOF had he eclipsed that 12k yard mark.

No way. He has had a nice career but he hasn't been elite.

(07-21-2015, 03:05 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: No way.   He has had a nice career but he hasn't been elite.

True, but Bettis wasn't elite either, outside of a couple seasons.

He is also 29th in yards from scrimmage for a career.

(07-21-2015, 03:15 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: True, but Bettis wasn't elite either, outside of a couple seasons.

But Bettis had a ring. That makes a world of difference with HoF.

In a perfect world, Kenny Anderson would be in the Hall of Fame. Had the Bengals won that first Super Bowl, he would have been. No doubt.

I need to compare him to modern HOFers to get an idea:

Current HOFers were retired in the last 15 years

Jerome Bettis: 13 seasons, 8 1000+ seasons (1100 x 1, 1300 x 1, 1400 x 2, 1600 x1) average of 1051 yards a season. 91 rushing TDs, 3 receiving TDs.

Curtis Martin: 11 seasons, 10 1000+ seasons (1100 x 2, 1200 x 2, 1300 x 1, 1400 x 2, 1500 x 1, 1600 x 1) average of 1282 yards a season. 90 rushing TDs, 10 receiving TDs.

Thurmon Thomas: 13 seasons, 8 1000+ seasons (1200 x 2, 1300 x 1, 1400 x 2) average of 929 yards a season. 85 rushing TDs, 13 receiving. (his last two seasons were not full season and he only rushed for a hundred yards or so in each of those. Remove those and it's an average of 1071 a season)

Emmitt Smith: 15 seasons, 11 1000+ seasons (1200 x 2, 1300 x 2, 1400 x, 1500 x, 1700 x2) average of 1334 yards a season. 164 rushing TDs and 11 receiving TDs.

Barry Sanders: 10 seasons, 9 1000+ seasons and 1 2000+ season (1100 x 1, 1300 x 2, 1400 x2, 1500 x 3, 1800 x 1) average of 1527 yards a season. 99 rushing TDs, 66 receiving TDs

Marshall Faulk: 12 seasons, 7 1000+ yard seasons (1200 x 1, 1300 x 4) average of 1023 a season. 100 rushing TDs, 36 receiving TDs

So you need to be better than Faulk, Thomas, or Bettis to be sure.

If we look at two players who are HOF candidates for sure:

Adrian Peterson and LT

AP: 7 seasons (won't count his one game injury season last year), 5 1000+ yard seasons and 1 2000+ yard season. (1200 x 2, 1300 x 2, 1700 x 1) an average of 1445 yards a season. 85 rushing TDs and 5 receiving TDs. His one season with 970 yards only had 12 games because of an injury.

LT: 11 season, 8 1000+ yard seasons (1100 x 1, 1200 x 1, 1300 x 1, 1400 x 2, 1600 x 2, 1800 x 1) an average of 1244 a season. 145 rushing TDs, 17 receiving TDs




So now Gore: 10 seasons, 8 1000+ yard seasons (1100 x 4, 1200 x 2, 1600 x 1) average of 1107 yards a season. 64 rushing TDs and 11 receiving TDs.


His numbers hold up compared to some who have made the HOF in the last decade. I say he could, but it depends on when.

(07-21-2015, 05:15 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote:  I say he could, but it depends on when.

Pretty much my stand. He may have a long wait but it's possible.

(07-21-2015, 05:53 PM)Stormborn Wrote: Pretty much my stand. He may have a long wait but it's possible.

Yea, he won't be first ballot. The only members of the 20 all time rushers not in the HOF are:

LT - not eligible yet but will be (top 5 yards and top 2 for TDs)
Edgerrin James- was a semi finalist last year and will eventually make it. He may be the most comparable of these to Gore.
Fred Taylor- eligible this year (injury filled career and those last two seasons doing nothing in NE might hurt him)
Corey Dillon- was already covered here

Steven Jackson and Frank Gore- still playing.

(07-21-2015, 05:15 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: If we look at two players who are HOF candidates for sure:

Adrian Peterson and LT

AP: 7 seasons (won't count his one game injury season last year), 5 1000+ yard seasons and 1 2000+ yard season. (1200 x 2, 1300 x 2, 1700 x 1) an average of 1445 yards a season. 85 rushing TDs and 5 receiving TDs.  His one season with 970 yards only had 12 games because of an injury.

LT: 11 season, 8 1000+ yard seasons (1100 x 1, 1200 x 1, 1300 x 1, 1400 x 2, 1600 x 2, 1800 x 1) an average of 1244 a season. 145 rushing TDs, 17 receiving TDs




So now Gore:  10 seasons, 8 1000+ yard seasons (1100 x 4, 1200 x 2, 1600 x 1) average of 1107 yards a season. 64 rushing TDs and 11 receiving TDs.


His numbers hold up compared to some who have made the HOF in the last decade. I say he could, but it depends on when.

The TD numbers will be what holds Gore back.

(07-21-2015, 08:58 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: The TD numbers will be what holds Gore back.

I'd agree with this.  He does need a ring and a few more high productive years and he'd be in.

(07-21-2015, 04:50 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: But Bettis had a ring. That makes a world of difference with HoF.

That's why I said this in my previous post:

(07-21-2015, 02:49 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: No, but he's getting close to some necessary milestones. If he puts up 1000+ yards this season, he'd eclipse 12k rush yards for his career.

Winning a ring with Indy would also help.

That said, a ring isn't necessary if you hit certain milestones. Ask Tim Brown or Curtis Martin. The current mark for HOF RB's seems to be 12-13k rush yards.

1-2k more yards would put Gore in the conversation. 1-2k more yards + ring would make him a near lock.

(07-21-2015, 05:15 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: If we look at two players who are HOF candidates for sure:

Adrian Peterson and LT

AP: 7 seasons (won't count his one game injury season last year), 5 1000+ yard seasons and 1 2000+ yard season. (1200 x 2, 1300 x 2, 1700 x 1) an average of 1445 yards a season. 85 rushing TDs and 5 receiving TDs.  His one season with 970 yards only had 12 games because of an injury.

LT: 11 season, 8 1000+ yard seasons (1100 x 1, 1200 x 1, 1300 x 1, 1400 x 2, 1600 x 2, 1800 x 1) an average of 1244 a season. 145 rushing TDs, 17 receiving TDs




So now Gore:  10 seasons, 8 1000+ yard seasons (1100 x 4, 1200 x 2, 1600 x 1) average of 1107 yards a season. 64 rushing TDs and 11 receiving TDs.


His numbers hold up compared to some who have made the HOF in the last decade. I say he could, but it depends on when.

His stats are a little better than I expected, honestly. Unfortunately, the voters look for more than just stats. He has the same amount of Probowls as LT, but LT has 5 straight, showing his peak was probably higher. Peterson already has more. 

The big difference is that LT and AP have a ton of 1st and 2nd team All-Pros. Gore just has a single 2nd team. He never really was the best at his position and I think that will hold him back. They both have MVPs, and that is huge for running backs. 

Only once has he finished in the top 5 for yards and YPC. He never has finished in the top 5 for TDs.

I generally favor the guys with a beast peak over solid guys with longevity. Obviously, I see the value in that, but it harder for me to want them in the hall. Some voters feel different I'm sure and longevity should never be overlooked, but if you have practically zero top 5 seasons at your position, I'm not sure how worthy you are.

(07-21-2015, 11:28 PM)MrRager Wrote: He never really was the best at his position and I think that will hold him back.

Yea, he was really good in an era with even better backs.

(07-21-2015, 11:57 AM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote:  (1,100 more yards over 2 years shouldn't be hard for him to get, considering that he got 1,100 last year).

Actually it is very rare for a guy his age to gain that many yards.

In the history of the NFL only 3 RBs have gained over 1100 yards in their 11th season or later.  Walter Payton and John Riggins did it twice while Emmit Smith did it once.

If Gore can do that then he would have good shot at the Hall of Fame, but I am betting he doesn't.