Pro Football HOF Class of '22 Finalists [no Tasker]

[NewEra]

4 hours ago, Wizard said:

There are great players on this list, but there is not one player that I think "hall of fame" when thinking of the very best.

 

Boselli, Ware, Hester, Andre Johnson, Jared Allen and Patrick Willis (for short periods of time) were among the best at their positions, so these would be the players I would most consider.

 

Still, I don't think any of these players were significantly more important individually to their position or team's success than Tasker.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Demarcus Ware makes me think HoF 💯 

Dude was a monster. 

 

https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-career-sacks-per-game-by-a-player-with-at-least-16-games

[RyanC883]

5 hours ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

With Devin Hester a near lock, I gotta think it’s a tough year for Tasker to try and get 2 ST guys through 

 

well if Hester gets in, Tasker deserves to be in.  ST players should make it.  

[Buffalo_Stampede]

5 hours ago, RyanC883 said:

 

well if Hester gets in, Tasker deserves to be in.  ST players should make it.  

Different. Tasker was one of the best ever kick coverage guys but he has no special teams records.

 

Hester is going to be the 1st special teams player to get in. 

 

There's more players like Tasker then Hester. His record of return TD'S will never be broken.

[GunnerBill]

I am pro Jared Allen going in. He played for 12 years and had double digit sacks in 8 of them including a 22 sack season in Minnesota. He was an elite player in the NFL he just wasn't flashy. His numbers are almost identical to Demarcus Ware's. Ware just made more noise doing it. Allen played for Kansas City, Minnesota and Carolina who were all (at least at the time) teams that were not media darlings whereas Ware played for the Cowboys and then Manning's Broncos who were both on TV all the time. 

 

Now there is a question as to whether either are in the absolute elite of the elite all time and so the people who think the Hall should be smaller might have a point. But it isn't. Compared to others in this class and some guys in previous classes Ware and Allen are slam dunk HOFers to me.

[DCOrange]

12 hours ago, auburnbillsbacker said:

How many 7 time All Pros are not in the Hall of Fame?  Only Tasker and current semi finalists?

The answer is possibly none, but it’s hard to say because Pro Football Reference only tracks the Associated Press all pro teams, so according to them, Tasker never actually made an All Pro Team (I don’t think the AP began including a special teamer until like 2015).

[SirAndrew]

I see a lot of people are disappointed by the mediocrity of the players on this list. There’s actually a lot of incredible players on the ballot. It’s just really difficult to separate them from one another. I think the emphasis on the QB position in the modern game has a lot to do with it. We probably aren’t going to see guys like LT, or the 85 Bears defense. Those teams and players were legendary because they often carried their team to victory.
 

In the modern pass happy NFL all credit goes to the QB, and it doesn’t seem like guys playing other positions carry their teams as often. I think of guys like Dwight Freeney, an incredible player, but the Colts success became solely a Manning thing in the memory of fans. Think of all the HOF’ers Brady has played with. The QB is such a big deal, it over shadows everyone else, giving us the illusion the ballot is filled with mediocre players. 

[Mr. WEO]

15 hours ago, FLFan said:

Tasker completely changed the role of special teams in the NFL and how teams played kick and punt coverage.  He should be recognized for that.  There was not a reserved special teams player role on the pro bowl squad before Tasker. He won games for the Bills on numerous occasions.  He was dominant.  Should have been recognized years ago.  Putting Hester in before him would be shear ignorance.  

 

15 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

You can't tell the game off football without mentioning the contributions from Steve Tasker 

 

He's a HoFr and changed the game

 

The likely issue for the HOF voters is for a guy who "changed the game" for only a handful of plays per week---and as a gunner, not a returner.  Tackling a guy returning a punt or a kick doesn't leave a lasting impression.  It's not tangible.

[GunnerBill]

6 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

 

The likely issue for the HOF voters is for a guy who "changed the game" for only a handful of plays per week---and as a gunner, not a returner.  Tackling a guy returning a punt or a kick doesn't leave a lasting impression.  It's not tangible.

 

Tasker will get in as a vet contributor I reckon once he passes into that category. I think as a balloted guy in the normal way he suffers from exactly the issue you identify.  

[Brand J]

To me, it’s a list of “Hall of Very Good.” I’m not sure any of those players deserve to be immortalized with a bust in Canton. I do see the argument for Hester though, flashy gets attention. Is there a required number of selections each year? Or could they just as easily only select 2 from the list? 

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

Tasker would pave the way for Mathew Slater to get in down the road too I would think. 

[BigDingus]

Damn, I forgot Tony Boselli really didn't play that long... But he was just so noticeably great, and at a position that's hard to stick out playing, he made the NFL's All-Decade team for the 90's (only drafted in 1995).

 

I know Boselli played Tackle, but you know what other great linemen was drafted in 1995? Bills Guard Ruben Brown! 

Both 1st round picks, both Pro Bowlers (5 x Boselli / 9 x Brown)  & both All-Pro's (though Boselli was 1st team All-Pro). Just wanted to give my yearly Ruben Brown appreciation reminder! 👍

 

 

[MJS]

This is the worst finalist list I have ever seen.

[auburnbillsbacker]

15 hours ago, BRH said:

 

Ruben Brown says hello.

 

Which says a lot more about Pro Bowl balloting than it does about Tasker.

 

I was arguing with a Dolphin fan earlier about Zach Thomas.  He said "Zach Thomas changed games."  I was like, maybe so, but Steve Tasker also changed games... and he changed THE GAME.

 

This group of finalists, except for Hester, doesn't have a single guy I would consider top 5 at his position, or actually even top 10.  Tasker was the very best ever at what he did.  It drives me nuts, especially since this was really his best shot.  I bet he gets in via the Seniors committee someday.

All Pro is different than Pro Bowl.  Getting a spot in the Pro Bowl is easy.  Getting on the All Pro team is hard. 

[Nextmanup]

1 hour ago, JayBaller10 said:

To me, it’s a list of “Hall of Very Good.” I’m not sure any of those players deserve to be immortalized with a bust in Canton. I do see the argument for Hester though, flashy gets attention. Is there a required number of selections each year? Or could they just as easily only select 2 from the list? 

The list of finalists this year is as thin as I have ever seen it.

 

It's not exactly a list of the greats of the game, which it kind of is supposed to be.

The one exception I see this year is Boselli, who was a dominating standout during his career.

 

But if Tasker can't get in amongst these names, he never will.

 

 

 

 

[Chicken Boo]

Ricky Watters should have gotten in before Bettis.  

 

HOF makes me sick sometimes. 

[Buffalo716]

3 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

 

The likely issue for the HOF voters is for a guy who "changed the game" for only a handful of plays per week---and as a gunner, not a returner.  Tackling a guy returning a punt or a kick doesn't leave a lasting impression.  It's not tangible.

When Tasker was a human missile flying down the field blowing guys up

 

I bet that left a lasting impression on the guys that he destroyed

[Mr. WEO]

8 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

When Tasker was a human missile flying down the field blowing guys up

 

I bet that left a lasting impression on the guys that he destroyed

no doubt.  But how many are voters?