CB Darrell Green is eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the first time this year. He is one of the 17 finalists, joining other former Skins WR Art Monk and OL Russ Grimm.
Green is a first ballot Hall of Famer. Anything less is unacceptable. He had 19 straight seasons with and INT, 54 total INTs, 6 of those for TDs over 20 his seasons. He was a member of the 1990s All-Decade team. He was a 7-time Pro Bowler. He was ranked #81 on the Sporting News List of Football's 100 Greatest Players, while he was still an active player. He's also in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Bottom line: he was wicked good.
As I'm sure SP will tell you, Art Monk should be in the Hall of Fame. He was a member of the 1980s All-Decade team. He was a 3-time Pro Bowler. He was ranked #91 on the same Sporting News List of Football's 100 Greatest Players. When he retired, he was the only WR over 900 receptions (940), he held the single season record for receptions (106), and held the record for most consecuative games with a catch (183). He is still top 10 in receptions and the 183 game streak is the 2nd longest in NFL history.
Despite all that, if I was a betting man, I'd say he won't get into the Hall. Again. Which is sad.
Stats never tell you how good an offensive lineman really is. Russ Grimm is one of the Hogs. If there's ever been a more famous offensive line, I'd ask the readers to chime in. Grimm was also a 4 time Pro Bowler and a member of the 1980's All-Decade team. He, as well as Green and Monk, is a member of the 70 Greatest Redskins.
It amazes me that not a single member of the Hogs is in the Hall. It amazes me that of the 3 Super Bowl teams of the 1st Gibbs era, only Gibbs and John Riggins are in the Hall. Green will get in, but the other 2 won't. Not this year. They deserve it more than some of the other finalists, but that doesn't matter.
I'm happy for Green. Its just that the hall doesn't impress me anymore.