The next batch of inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame aren’t set to be announced until next Thursday, but the results are already leaking out.
News broke this week that former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick did get into the Hall of Fame on his first ballot despite having more Super Bowls than any other coach and more wins than all but two coaches in Canton.
It’s a decision that has sparked a lot of outrage amongst everyone, which does lead one to wonder how many voters are lying right now? Frankly it doesn’t matter. The people who didn’t vote for Belichick (and there’s at least 11) will come to light soon enough.
Another bit of Hall of Fame news that shouldn’t have been leaked, but did was that former Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning did not get into the Hall of Fame on his second attempt.
Manning’s snub has drawn a lot less of a reaction because unlike Belichick, there’s an actual debate about Manning’s candidacy.
A two-time Super Bowl MVP, Manning had a 16-year career with plenty of memorable moments. His Giants beat the Patriots in both Super Bowls and Manning threw a combined 15 touchdowns in those games.
He has the third-longest streak of consecutive games started with 210 and threw for 57,023 yards and 366 touchdowns. But he also has 244 interceptions, a record of 117-117, led the NFL in interceptions multiple times, never made an All-Pro team and was never a serious contender for NFL MVP.
NFL Story with or without Manning?
Last year, ESPN’s Adam Schefter made the argument for Manning to be a first-ballot hall of famer with this argument.
“Can you tell the history of the NFL without Eli Manning? You can’t. That’s why he should be a Hall of Famer.”
Actually, you can. The Giants’ 2007 Super Bowl win that kept the Patriots from going 19-0 was more because of the defensive line play. Manning had a more prominent role in the next Super Bowl, but that wasn’t the historic upset like the first one was.
What someone should’ve asked Schefter is if you could tell the story of the NFL without Trent Dilfer? What about Joe Flacco? Or Larry Brown?
One of those three was the quarterback on a team with one of the greatest defenses of all time. The other two are Super Bowl MVPs. It’s hard to tell the story of the NFL without mentioning their accomplishments. Should they be in the Hall of Fame?
No. So, Schefter’s argument doesn’t make sense to this writer.
Will Manning be in the Hall of Fame one day?
Yes because of the two Super Bowl MVPs, beating the 2007 Patriots, finished 11th in career passing yards and touchdowns and has more road playoff wins than his own brother.
But he’ll have to wait a while.
