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Hall of Fame: Championships

Angel Eyes : 2/21/2021 6:11 pm
How much does winning a championship impact one's chances for getting into the Hall of Fame? Case in point: Dan Fouts only won two more games than he lost and never reached the Super Bowl, yet he was voted up in his first year of eligibility. To contrast, many of the great Vikings players of the 1960s and 1970s had to wait at least a year (Alan Page) or three (Fran Tarkenton), or 25 if you're Carl Eller.
Just the way I think of  
pjcas18 : 2/21/2021 6:22 pm : link
HOF credentials and how I'd consider it if I were a voter is players need to fill 3 areas:

1. Stats
2. Accolades
3. Titles

You can make it without having solid resumes for all three, but if you don't have one, the other two need to overwhelming.

Which is why players like Marino (obvious) and Fouts (6 x pro bowl 2 x all-pro, lead the league in many categeories by year and overall when he was done) made it easily.

Some argue that if a player doesn’t make it in his first year, then he  
Ivan15 : 2/21/2021 7:09 pm : link
Is not HOF worthy. That would be true if there was an unlimited number of potential votes and limitations on the ballot. That’s not the case in the NFL or in MLB.

There is the additional tendency to not vote for too many players at the same position.

I say that the guy who makes it after 2 years, 5 years or 10 years is just as qualified as a first year electee.

Championships do count for something, especially with QBs but it shouldn’t be the E-ticket.
I think it helps when you are a player on the bubble  
Matt M. : 2/21/2021 7:29 pm : link
But, also looking at guys in relation to their peers. Fouts, for example, played in a very QB unfriendly era. But, he was consistently in the top 5 of the league. To me, he passes the eye test easily. I view him similarly to Marino, although a notch below.

That said, I still believe a guy like Simms should be viewed more favorably, especially when considering the era. He has 2 SB rings. I know he only played in 1. But, the 1990 Giants started 10-0 with Simms at the helm and were 11-2 when he got hurt. He was a big reason they were in the position they were. His playoff run in 1986 was just as impressive as either of Eli's, in my opinion. I admit, 100% though, to being biased on Simms.
Championships are huge to have on your resume.  
truebluelarry : 2/22/2021 7:02 am : link
A few years ago a historian (wish I could remember his name) compiled the careers of the player in the HoF (Pro Bowls, All Pro years, All Decade Teams, etc) and something like 75% of them were on at least one championship team. Then along side that he made a list of players with similar personal accolades that never won a championship and stated the case that they were equally worthy, and I think he was correct in that argument.

Being on a team with a Lombardi trophy certainly does seem to amplify personal accomplishments. There are a lot of deserving players who never won a title on the outside while marginal ones who did win are in.
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