The path from an unheralded, undrafted free agent to the absolute standard-bearer of an NFL franchise is rarely traveled, but Jim Hart walked it for nearly two decades. Arriving out of Southern Illinois in 1966, Hart signed with the St. Louis Cardinals without a shred of fanfare. What followed was an eighteen-year demonstration of sheer durability, quiet toughness, and relentless aerial volume that fundamentally anchored the franchise's identity through the peak of the 1970s.

Hart did not have the aristocratic draft pedigree or the flashy athletic fame of his urban peers, but he had a powerful, fearless arm and sharp diagnostic skills. Playing behind a legendary offensive line led by Dan Dierdorf, he thrived as a pocket passer willing to take deep risks, trusting his quick processing to challenge defenses downfield. His most notable quality was his relentless durability; despite enduring physical punishment in the late 1960s, he consistently remained the starting quarterback, often absorbing hits to make crucial throws down the seam.

Hart’s career soared to new heights after head coach Don Coryell joined in 1973. With Coryell’s dynamic "Air Coryell" passing system, Hart became the perfect signal-caller for one of football’s most exciting offenses. Their partnership quickly proved successful in 1974, as Hart led several dramatic fourth-quarter comebacks, earning the team the nickname: the "Cardiac Cards.” That season, Hart threw for 2,411 yards and 20 touchdowns, helping the Cardinals achieve a 10-4 record and their first division title in nearly thirty years. His outstanding performance earned him the NFC Offensive Player of the Year award from UPI and his first of four straight Pro Bowl selections (1974–1977). From 1974 to 1976, Hart guided the Cardinals through three consecutive seasons with ten or more wins, including two NFC East titles, and orchestrated ten game-winning drives in the fourth quarter.

He maintained a stellar peak through the mid-1970s, guiding the franchise to an 11-3 record in 1975 and a 10-4 record in 1976. Although the postseason saw early, painful losses to NFC giants like Minnesota and Los Angeles, Hart’s status as a top-tier passer was undisputed. Even as the team aged and records declined later in the decade, Hart stayed the consistent force, achieving a career-high 3,121 passing yards in 1978.

By the time he ceded the starting job to Neil Lomax in the early 1980s, Hart had established numbers that shattered every passing threshold in franchise history. Over his 18 seasons in St. Louis (1966–1983), he threw for 34,639 yards and 209 touchdowns—marks that still stand as the absolute zenith of Cardinals passing records.

In 2017, Hart was selected to join the Cardinals Ring of Honor in 2017.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022/23 revision of our top 50 Atlanta Hawks.

As for all of our top 50 players in basketball we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Basketball Association.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, Atlanta continued their middle-of-the-road performance, neither dazzling nor toiling in the basement.  There were no new entrants but there were three elevations.

As always, we present our top five, which was not affected by the last season:

1. Bob Pettit

2. Dominique Wilkins

3. Cliff Hagan

4. John Drew

5. Mookie Blaylock

You can find the entire list here.

Two-Time All-Star, Trae Young, advanced to #15 from #21.

Power Forward, John Collins, who is now with Utah, climbed one spot to #24.

Rebounding machine, Clint Capela, advanced from #41 to #30.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

Few nicknames in football history evoke as much fear and respect as "Night Train." Before he played in the NFL, Richard Lane’s unconventional journey to greatness defied typical scouting expectations. After four years in the U.S. Army and working on assembly lines at a Los Angeles aircraft factory, he confidently approached the Los Angeles Rams in 1952 for a tryout. Not only did he earn a spot as an undrafted rookie, but he also set a league record with 14 interceptions in a 12-game season—a record that remains unbroken today. Two years later, the Chicago Cardinals orchestrated a three-team trade to acquire this standout defender, securing him as a key part of their secondary for the next six seasons.

Lane had exceptional vertical leap, smooth hip movement, and a quick closing burst that turned minor quarterback errors into defensive touchdowns. Besides his sharp pass coverage skills, he was arguably the most intimidating, hard-hitting tackler in the league—known for his brutal clothesline tackles called "Night Train Necktie,” which led the NFL to change its rules on neck and facemask contact. His overwhelming athletic ability even led the Cardinals to occasionally use him on offense; notably, in a 1955 game against Pittsburgh, he caught a 98-yard touchdown pass, one of the longest in NFL history at that time.

His first campaign in 1954 while wearing a Chicago uniform immediately highlighted his exceptional ability to intercept the ball. Leading the NFL with 10 interceptions, Lane secured his second career interception title and received his first of four Pro Bowl invites in Chicago. He maintained this high level of performance during his time in the Windy City, leading a tough defense and earning AP First-Team All-Pro recognition in 1956 after making 7 interceptions and returning one for a touchdown.

Between 1954 and 1959, Lane served as the premier perimeter anchor for the Cardinals, collecting four Pro Bowl invitations (1954, 1955, 1956, 1958) while amassing 30 interceptions and 628 return yards in just 68 games. Despite the organization’s overall roster struggles during the decade, Lane was universally recognized as an unassailable star who erased elite split ends across the circuit.

Believing his high-mileage career was nearing its decline, Chicago traded the veteran defensive back to the Detroit Lions prior to the 1960 season. Lane rapidly proved the Cardinals wrong, putting together six more stellar seasons in Detroit—earning three additional First-Team All-Pro nods and bringing his final career tally to 68 interceptions, which ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still stands fourth all-time.

Lane received the Pro Football Hall of Fame call in 1974 and was named to the NFL 50^th, 75^th, and 100^th Anniversary Teams.  In 2006, the Cardinals enshrined Lane in their first Ring of Honor Class.

The origins of modern professional football record books can be traced back to the rough sandlots and cold fields of the 1920s. Ernie Nevers, a legendary "triple-threat" back and a consensus All-American under Glenn "Pop" Warner at Stanford, was one of America's most sought-after football stars. After excelling as a tough player-coach for the itinerant Duluth Eskimos in 1926 and 1927, Nevers briefly left playing to become a coach at Stanford. However, the era's competitive spirit was too strong to resist, leading him to return to the field in 1929 with the Chicago Cardinals, where he launched one of the most outstanding individual offensive seasons in football history.

Nevers was a relentless and high-volume power back, known for his bruising, low-center-of-gravity running style. As a versatile "triple-threat" player, he had a strong arm for passing and also excelled as a drop-kicker and placekicker. His aggressive approach required high snap counts; he consistently touched the ball on almost every play and would quickly switch to linebacker to anchor the defense, willingly enduring tough physical hits each series.

Nevers’s 1929 debut in Chicago marked the most legendary individual offensive game in NFL history. During a cold Thanksgiving game at Comiskey Park against George Halas and the Chicago Bears, he delivered an extraordinary performance. As a solo force, he scored six rushing touchdowns and kicked four extra points, totaling all 40 points in a 40–6 victory. His six rushing touchdowns set a league record, still tied but never surpassed, and his 40 points in one game remain the oldest untouched NFL record. Nevers finished his remarkable 1929 season by earning consensus First-Team All-Pro honors.

During his last two active seasons in 1930 and 1931, Nevers took on the additional role of player-head coach for the Cardinals, increasing his workload significantly. Despite intense physical defenses dedicated to stopping him, he maintained his individual dominance on the field. He earned consensus First-Team All-Pro honors in both years, leading the team in rushing, passing, and kicking, all while calling plays from the backfield.

Nevers, the top fullback and a dominant force in the game, finally reached his physical limit after the 1931 season due to relentless pounding. Aware of the intense toll on his body, he retired permanently, leaving a brief but impactful legacy with 5 First-Team All-Pro selections over five NFL seasons—two with Duluth and three with Chicago.

Nevers was selected to the NFL 1920s All-Decade Team, and in 1963, he earned the ultimate honor when he was enshrined as a charter member of the inaugural Pro Football Hall of Fame class.  He would later be an inaugural member of the Cardinals Ring of Honor in 2006.