Kurt Suzuki's journey from being a standout player at Cal State Fullerton, leading them to consecutive College World Series victories, to making his debut for the Oakland Athletics in 2007 is a testament to his hard work and dedication. His time with the Athletics marked his peak in baseball, with his best seasons both offensively and defensively. From 2008 to 2010, he consistently delivered at least 120 Hits and a Defensive bWAR of 1.5.  Suzuki’s defensive work trailed off after, but he still had decent offensive years ahead of him.

Suzuki dealt with injuries over the rest of his career and bounced around the Majors after he was traded to Washington in 2012. He would later play in Oakland a second time, Minnesota, Atlanta, Washington, and the Los Angeles Angels. He had some significant highlights, making his only All-Star in 2014 as a Twin and winning a World Series Ring with Washington in 2019.

He retired with 1,421 Hits and 143 Home Runs over 16 Seasons.

A Second Round Pick from Notre Dame in 2011, Tight End, Kyle Rudolph was one of the most consistent figures for the Minnesota Vikings through the 2010s.

An All-Rookie Selection, Rudolph went to his first Pro Bowl as a sophomore with career highs in Touchdowns (9) with 493 Yards; though injuries held him to only half seasons over the next two years, he was healthy afterward, delivering his best statistical year in 2016 with career-highs in (Yards (840) and First Downs (50) while reaching the end zone seven times.  Rudolph went to his second Pro Bowl in 2017 (532 Yards and 8 TDs) but slowed down after the season in terms of Yards.  He remained with the Vikings until 2020 and would pay two more years in the NFL, one with the New York Giants and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Over his career, Rudolph compiled 50 Touchdowns with 4,773 Yards.

Kevin Huber was a two-time All-American Punter at the University of Cincinnati and was so good that he was one of the few Punters who was drafted (5^th Round).  Even better, the team that drafted him was his hometown Bengals, where he played all of his 14 NFL seasons. 

A Pro Bowl Selection in 2014, Huber played in 216 Games, punting for 45,766 Yards.  He finished in the top ten in Punting Yards six times and Yards per Punt three times, and at the time of his retirement, he was in the top thirty all-time in Punts, Punting Yards and Yards per Punt.

J.J. Watt.

Here, we have a player in the conversation for the best Defensive End that ever lived, and if you don’t agree with that, you have to acknowledge that he belongs in the conversation.

With the above paragraph, he enters rarified air with this.  He was just as impactful off the gridiron as he was on it.

Have we gushed enough about J.J. Watt?  Let’s gush some more.

Watt was an All-American at Wisconsin, and the Houston Texans were blessed to land him with the 11^th Overall Pick in the 2011 Draft.  Watt was a starting Defensive End in his first year, winning All-Rookie honors, but what he did over the next four seasons was legendary.

From 2012 to 2015, Watt won three Defensive Player of the Year Awards, and in the season, he didn’t win; he was still sixth.  Watt was named a First Team All-Pro in all four seasons, he twice led the NFL in Sacks, and three times in Tackles for Loss.  Not only was he the best Defensive End in Football, he was also the greatest defensive player of that period.  Hell, if you want to say that he was also the best player outright in those four seasons, we would probably agree with you!

It was beautiful to watch.  What couldn’t he do?  He mastered the bullrush, destroying any offensive lineman who had the misfortune of blocking him, and was an expert pass rusher, but he was also an exemplary run blocker.  He was fast, he could juke, and he could overpower you.  Watt was a defensive God!

It could not last forever, and through 2016 and 2017, Watt dealt with back and leg issues that held him to only eight Games over those campaigns.  He was healthy in 2018, and returned to the Pro Bowl, landed his fifth First Team All-Pro, and led the NFL for the first time in Forced Fumbles (7).  Watt was hurt again in 2019 and played only 8 Games, and though he played in all 16 Games in 2019, he had to use his veteran knowledge to remain effective.   He left Houston for Arizona for two final seasons, and while he was not the same, he was still a living legend.

Any story on Watt could not be complete without acknowledging his philanthropic efforts and the money he raised and personally donated to various causes, including Hurricane Harvey victims.  He won the 2017 Walter Payton Man of the Year, and it could be argued that he should have won more than one.

Watt retired with 114.5 Sacks, 195 Tackles for Loss and 317 Quarterback Hits.  If he is not a unanimous First Ballot Hall of Famer, the system is broken.  Thankfully, we won’t have to worry.