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Sunday, February 2, 2020

Safety Dance—Since 2017 Nine Safeties Have Been Inducted Into the Pro Football Hall of Fame

LOOKING BACK
By John Turney
Men Without Hats
From the initial class of 1963 though 2016 there were only eight safeties voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (53 classes). Since 2017 nine have been voted in (four classes plus the 2020 Centennial Class).

The Hall of Fame Selection Committee and the 2020 Centennial Class Blue Ribbon Committee do deserve congratulations for upping the numbers of safeties in the Hall of Fame. It was an issue some of them wrote about and over the past four years and they have addressed it.

Yes, having Brian Dawkins, Ed Reed, and Troy Polamalu becoming eligible was a big boost. Those three combined for 15 All-Pro seasons, 26 Pro Bowls, two Defensive Player of the Year Awards and three rings. Nonetheless, the others were overlooked types like Donnie Shell and Cliff Harris.

So fair is fair, while hundreds of fans of players thought to be snubbed are "m-fing" the selection committees we think they deserve some praise for their good work addressing this discrepancy.

 Here is a list of all the modern safeties in the Hall of Fame sorted by First-team All-Pro selections.
(click to enlarge)
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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 3, 2020 at 3:10 PM

    Admit it brah, you just hate Broncos, just a Bronco playa hata.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Brian wolfFebruary 3, 2020 at 9:28 PM

    Speaking of Broncos, I think Dennis Smith and Bill Thompson still don't get the credit they deserve.

    Though playing in different eras, I thought Smith had as much impact, and made as many big plays as Polamalu. He certainly had more tackles, but those numbers are skewed, without the hype.
    Championships may have vaulted him into the Hall.

    Hopefully, with two seniors next year ?
    Gradishar gets his chance.

    ReplyDelete