2021 Bengals HOF Candidates

[jfkbengals]

The 2021 modern nominees have been released.

Six former Bengals made the list:

Corey Dillon
Chad Johnson
Willie Anderson
Justin Smith
Takeo Spikes
Lorenzo Neal

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/09/16/14-first-year-eligible-players-among-modern-era-nominees-for-hall-of-fame/

Maybe this will be the class to get our representation up to 2 or more!

[PDub80]

(09-16-2020, 09:11 PM)jfkbengals Wrote: The 2021 modern nominees have been released.

Five former Bengals made the list:

Corey Dillon
Chad Johnson
Willie Anderson
Justin Smith
Takeo Spikes

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/09/16/14-first-year-eligible-players-among-modern-era-nominees-for-hall-of-fame/

Maybe this will be the class to get our representation up to 2 or more!

If I were voting...

Dillon & Anderson are definite YES. 

Chad is a strong maybe. (Not an indictment against Chad, but there are quite a few WRs coming through)

Smith & Spikes are pretty strong NO.

[jfkbengals]

(09-16-2020, 09:21 PM)PDub80 Wrote: If I were voting...

Dillon & Anderson are definite YES. 

Chad is a strong maybe. (Not an indictment against Chad, but there are quite a few WRs coming through)

Smith & Spikes are pretty strong NO.

My $.02, all are a definite YES on their merits.

I think Anderson and Dillon are the only two with a shot in this class though.

I would suspect Megatron should be a first ballot guy, and Manning is an absolute lock.  With Manning going in, I would not be surprised to see them send in any mix of his teammates of Jeff Saturday, Dallas Clark, or Reggie Wayne.

I will edit my original post, as I just realized it is actually 6 former Bengals, with Lorenzo Neal also on the list...

[SunsetBengal]

I'd say Dillon has the strongest chances, due to his SB ring with the Pats, then Willie on overall prowress at the time he played, followed by Chad. Smith and Spikes, I'm thinking the chances are really slim.

[George Cantstandya]

Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne were finalists last year so Chad is probably out. There are no RBs that were finalists last year so maybe this is the year Dillon gets in. But the list is fairly loaded:

(17): Shaun Alexander, Mike Alstott (FB), Tiki Barber, Earnest Byner, Larry Centers, Corey Dillon, Warrick Dunn, Eddie George, Priest Holmes, Steven Jackson, Jamal Lewis, Eric Metcalf (also WR/KR/PR), Glyn Milburn (also WR/KR/PR), Lorenzo Neal (FB), Fred Taylor, Herschel Walker (also KR), Ricky Watters

O-line also has 2 finalists from last year. * is a finalist.

(20) Willie Anderson (T), Matt Birk ©, *Tony Boselli (T), Lomas Brown (T), Ruben Brown (G), *Alan Faneca (G), D’Brickashaw Ferguson (T), Kevin Glover (C/G), Jordan Gross (T), Kent Hull ©, Olin Kreutz ©, Logan Mankins (G), Tom Nalen ©, Chris Samuels (T), Jeff Saturday ©, Chris Snee (G), Brian Waters (G), Richmond Webb (T), Erik Williams (T), Steve Wisniewski (G)

So given the popularity of some of those other names I'm guessing the Bengals players get shunned again. But Dillon probably has the best chance if they don't go for Steven Jackson or Fred Taylor. Funny thing is all 3 ended their careers on the Patriots.

[Destro]

I say, within the next 5 years, none of them are in. HOF is huge a very limited. None reach that level that voters look for.

[Nicomo Cosca]

Dillon is probably the only one with a shot.

[Bengal Dude]

I think Dillon has the best shot at getting in for 2021. Willie should go in, but I can see him becoming another Ken Anderson/Ken Riley constant snub/underappreciated by the committee. Chad will go in eventually.


I could see Justin Smith going in as a senior committee pick when that day comes, however I see him getting more recognition with the 49ers than the Bengals.

[Truck_1_0_1_]

Chad, Corey and Willie deserve in 100%; Dillion is still 20th all-time in rushing yards and with RBs being used less and less as time goes on, it should help him out a bit.

Smith always had HoF ability, but it's hard for 3-4 DEs to make it in, since their numbers are never gawdy (outside of Watt).

Spikes I don't think deserves it, as his numbers are not HoF-worthy.

Neal is arguably the most overrated player of the past 20 years, so I personally wish for him to not even be close to any ballot.

[*SHRacerX*]

(09-16-2020, 09:11 PM)jfkbengals Wrote: The 2021 modern nominees have been released.

Six former Bengals made the list:

Corey Dillon
Chad Johnson
Willie Anderson
Justin Smith
Takeo Spikes
Lorenzo Neal

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/09/16/14-first-year-eligible-players-among-modern-era-nominees-for-hall-of-fame/

Maybe this will be the class to get our representation up to 2 or more!

Yes to Dillon, Johnson, and Anderson.  Unfortunately, you have to be all worldly to get in the HoF from Cincinnati.  

[*bfine32*]

I think the same argument used to "explain" why Bengals such as the 2 Kens didn't make it; actually works in Chad's favor.

It's the Hall Of Fame, not the Hall of Great Players. No one was more famous than Chad during his run.

[CKwi88]

Dillon and Willie deserve it, not sure about first ballot though.

Chad will probably have to wait a little bit if he gets in at all.

[Wes Mantooth]

Dillon and Willie 100% deserve to be in.

I really don't understand how Corey isn't already in. He's 20th in yards, and he only played in 10 seasons. If you look at a lot of the guys ahead of him, they all played in 12+.

Not to mention the fact that he spent the majority of his career on bad teams, with bad lines. What he accomplished here from '97-'02 is simply remarkable, given the talent around him.

Not only are his rushing yards elite, so are his TD's. They're actually even higher, as he ranks 18th. So it's not like he's got a lopsided stat line. And again, the fact he was able to score so much, on some downright awful teams, is a bigger testament to just how good he was.

Add to all of this, he won a ring. I would think that would have squashed any doubt that he's worthy. He should've been in years ago.

Willie definitely deserves to be in as well. The problem for him, which is entirely unfair, is that he played in an era with the most talent at the position probably ever. So he gets overlooked. Primariy because he played in a small market, for a team that was bad for a lot of years, that never won anything.

Should that matter? No. But that's the issue he's faced with. But yeah, he's worthy. Easily one of the best tackles of the last 30 years.

Chad? Not a chance. He sits at 36 in career yardage. And because of the way the game is played now, and because of the number being put up, he's going to get leap frogged a lot over the next few years.

If he just could have produced a couple more decent seasons, and added around 2k to his totals, it probably would have gotten him over the hump. But with no rings, and being way down the career totals lists, I don't see it happening.

It's a shame. He's proably my favorite Bengal ever. And what he did from '02-'07 is one of the greatest stretches you'll ever see from the position.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(09-16-2020, 10:50 PM)Destro Wrote: I say, within the next 5 years, none of them are in. HOF is huge a very limited. None reach that level that voters look for.

Very limited = Did you play for the Cowboys or Steelers? If so, you can be their 8th best player at the time and make it in.

It's mind blowing to me some of people who got in for those franchises while guys for other teams haven't made it.

[BengalFanInNJ]

Does Dillon go in as a Bengal or Patriot?

We all know Willie Anderson won't get in even though he deserves it.

[Destro]

(09-17-2020, 01:01 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Very limited = Did you play for the Cowboys or Steelers? If so, you can be their 8th best player at the time and make it in.

It's mind blowing to me some of people who got in for those franchises while guys for other teams haven't made it.

Well we all know it unfairly includes players as well as excludes them. While more extreme, it is like the Pro Bowl as far a popularity, and sometimes politics. Micheal Irvin, who was a Cowboy, should have been first ballot, but wasn't. 70's Steelers did well, but didn't have numbers, but had national recognition. 

People know Chad for antics; people in Cincy know his production, as well. He had a monster stretch, but nothing to show for it. With the log jam at receiver, and as more and more numbers inflate and player retire, he is lost in the shuffle. Chad won't get in, neither will AJ.  

Dillion had a rushing record..."had." Then replaced with someone who might not get a free ticket to tour the HOF. Never just took over the league as you get with the other backs. Got a ring with NE, but that's almost just standard if you join the Pats. No matter what, some voters say Pats SB wins are Belchick and Brady and everyone else is along for the ride. He is isn't going to happen.

Willie was an all time great, but when you look at the competition in the O-Line, he is top ten.  Add in they are only second to kickers in positions no one cares about, few will make it each year, more will retire and he will slide around inside that top ten and not make it.

Smith, Spikes and Neal are just plain no where near elite. 

[BacknDaDey]

If Ken Anderson, Ken Riley, Anthony Munoz and Isaac Curtis can't get in, then, none of these other guys are getting in.

[Earendil]

(09-17-2020, 03:40 PM)BacknDaDey Wrote: If Ken Anderson, Ken Riley, Anthony Munoz and Isaac Curtis can't get in, then, none of these other guys are getting in.

One of these four is not like the others...

[BacknDaDey]

(09-17-2020, 03:44 PM)Earendil Wrote: One of these four is not like the others...

Whoops...I meant Max Montoya!!!

[Earendil]

(09-17-2020, 03:46 PM)BacknDaDey Wrote: Whoops...I meant Max Montoya!!!

No worries. And you're right, Max should be there too.