Bespectacled and unassuming, Kent Tekulve was one of the better Relief Pitchers in the National League for years.

Tekulve was in the Pirates organization from 1969 to 1985, debuting for the parent club in 1974.  Having never started a game for Pittsburgh, the submarine-style hurler settled in with the Pirates bullpen, becoming their closer in 1978.  That year, and the year after, Tekulve led the National League in Games Pitched, Games Finished and was fifth in Cy Young balloting.  Tekulve was also instrumental in Pittsburgh's 1979 World Series Championship, saving three games, including the deciding one.

Tekulve continued to be a top reliever in the early 80s but was traded to their in-state rival, Philadelphia, before the 1985 Season.  With the Pirates, Tekulve appeared in 722 Games, saved 158, and finished 470.

Membership into the NFL’s Hall of Fame is arguably the greatest honor any player can receive in the NFL. It is recognition for a fantastic career in the league and suggests a player was one of the best in their position during that spell.

Although there is a lot more work to do for these players, before they can reach for the ultimate NFL accolade, here are three stars who are on course to end their career as Hall of Fame hopefuls.

Patrick Mahomes

Since arriving in the NFL in 2017, Patrick Mahomes has created an incredibly high standard for quarterbacks to follow. In his first full season, he won the MVP award for his performances for the Kansas City Chiefs. Mahomes led his team to the Super Bowl in 2020, though 12 months later, his side was beaten by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Super Bowl LV.

What makes Mahomes so special, and potentially a future Hall of Famer, is that he can produce quality plays that seemingly no other QB in the NFL can do. He passes from all kinds of angles with great accuracy and the 26-year-old is also a great scrambler, hurting defenses just when they think they have got him.

With the way things are headed, it's very likely that Mahomes could be set for another Super Bowl ring this season. As it stands, the Kansas City Chiefs are currently the favorites to win the Super Bowl LVI on DraftKings, one of the most acclaimed online sports betting sites in Iowa, with odds of +120. Other contenders such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are priced at +1000, while the San Francisco 49ers are pegged at +450.

TJ Watt

Outsider linebacker TJ Watt has been in the NFL five years now and in each of those seasons, he has been one of the stand-out defensive players in the league. If it wasn’t for future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald, he would have won at least one NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award by now.

Like his brother JJ, Watt has been so destructive to quarterbacks, regardless of their quality and reputation. He has 72 sacks to his name now since 2017, 22.5 came in 2021 in what was the best year of his career, matching the NFL record which was held by Michael Strahan since 2001.

The Steelers man signed a four-year extension with his franchise last year worth $112 million. $80 million of that money is guaranteed. Steelers are relieved to have locked down their star player for another four years.

Jonathan Taylor

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor quickly made a name for himself in the NFL in his rookie year. He scored 11 touchdowns in 13 games and rushed for over 1,000 yards. 

In his second year, Taylor led the league in rushing yards, finishing the campaign with 1,811 yards. Taylor also broke the franchise record for the most rushing yards in a season. If Taylor continues at the rate he is going, he is set to break many records in the league. The biggest threat to the 23-year-old could be injuries. As Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley have found, the position is tough on the body, and it only takes one tackle to put a player out for a sustained period.

The early signs around Taylor are very good. He is explosive and intelligent. It’s a combination that should lead to him developing into one of the best players in the NFL. There is a long way before the above three players become eligible for the NFL Hall of Fame but their current projections have them on course to get there after they retire.

Bobby Bonilla will always be more known for the contract he signed with the New York Mets, of which he is still getting paid for today, but at his peak, he was a dynamic MVP contender whose best years were in Pittsburgh.

Bonilla was first signed by the Pirates as an Amateur Free Agent in 1981 but would be plucked by the White Sox in the 1986 Rule 5 Draft.  After 75 Games, Bonilla was traded back to the Pirates, and the year after, he entered the season as the starting Third Baseman.  Offensively, Bonilla was solid, earning a Silver Slugger and earning the trip to what would be four straight All-Star Games.  Defensively, he struggled, and he was moved to Rightfield, joining Barry Bonds and Andy Van Slyke as one of the most potent trios in Baseball.

In 1990, Bonilla had 32 Home Runs and 120 RBI, won the Silver Slugger, and was second in MVP voting, coming in behind only Bonds.  Bonilla was third for the MVP in 1991 (18 HR, 100 RBI, .302 BA) and was again a Silver Slugger.  He would leave for the Mets afterward via free agency but would not produce what he did as a Pirate.

With Pittsburgh, Bonilla belted 114 Home Runs with 500 RBI with a .284 Batting Average.

The National Soccer Hall of Fame has announced four new members to their institution, Clint Dempsey, Linda Hamilton, Shannon Boxx and Hope Solo.

Beginning his pro career in MLS with the New England Revolution, Dempsey won the 2004 Rookie of the Year, and would help the team make two MLS Cup Finals.  Europe took notice, and Fulham offered MLS $4 million in transfer fees, a record for any MLS player at the time.  

Dempsey played five years at Fulham, scoring 50 Goals, and becoming the first American to score a hat trick in the EPL.  After a year with Tottenham, Dempsey returned to the United States with the Seattle Sounders, playing from 2013 to 2018.

Internationally, Dempsey represented the United States in 141 Games, scoring 57 Goals.

Hamilton is this year’s veteran inductee.  Playing for NC State, Hamilton represented the U.S. from 1987 to 1995, where the Defenseman won Gold in the 1991 World Cup.

Boxx played collegiately at Notre Dame, and the Midfielder had a long International career with the United States, scoring 27 Goals in 195 Games.  Her accolades include three Olympic Gold Medals (2004, 2008 & 2012), and an Olympic Gold in 2015 World Cup.

Solo is the most successful female goalkeeper in American soccer history.  Solo was the U.S. Goalie in their Gold Medal wins at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and the 2015 World Cup.  A 202-game veteran in international play, Solo was a controversial figure is some circles, her success between the pipes can not be argued.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the newest members of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.