1990 Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project Class.

Here we are!  Again!!

If you have been following our Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project, you know we have asked the question: What if the PFHOF had begun in January 1946?

After soliciting and obtaining a passionate group of football fans and historians, we sent out a ballot for a Preliminary Vote, in which each voter selected 25 names as their semi-finalists and five names for the Senior Pool. We then asked the group to vote for their 15 Finalists in the Modern Era and 3 in the Senior Category. The final stage was to vote for their five Modern Era inductee and one Senior inductee.

This is the result of the 45th official class. 

Below are the final results of this project based on 31 votes.

Remember that we have reverted back to the top five candidates entering the Hall in the Modern Era

This is for the “Modern Era”

*Bold indicates they have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Class of 1990:

This is for the “Senior Era”, 

*Bold indicates they have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Class of 1990.

This is for the “Coaches/Contributors”, 

*Bold indicates they have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Class of 1990.

About the 1990 Inductees:

Jack Lambert, LB, PIT 1974-84: Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1990 on his 1st Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

The Steelers had already put together a powerful defensive corps before they used their Second Round Pick in 1974 to take Jack Lambert, the MAC Defensive Player of the Year two years before.

Lambert became the Steelers’ starting Middle Linebacker early in his rookie season, and he was so impressive that he was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year.  Lambert was arguably the final piece of the puzzle to create the Steelers dynasty, as Lambert, Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw, and Franco Harris would win the Super Bowl that year.  As we know, that would be the first of four Super Bowls of the decade, and Lambert was at the heart of all of them. 

Lambert would become known as one of the hardest and most feared hitters in the National Football League.  Lambert won the AP Defensive Player of the Year in 1976, and with all due respect to Greene, Lambert was now the top dog of the Steel Curtain.  The Linebacker was a perennial Pro Bowl Selection from 1975 to 1983, and in addition to his 1976 First Team All-Pro, he had five more from 1979 to 1983.

Had Lambert not suffered from severe turf toe in 1984 (causing him to retire that year), it is conceivable he could have continued to pile on accolades.  Lambert left the game with a sick rate of 136 Approximate Value to 146 Games, one of the best ratios of its kind at his position.

Jack Youngblood, DE, RAM 1971-84: Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1990 on his 1st Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.

Jack Youngblood came from the University of Florida, and the 1st Round Pick would be asked to fill the shoes of possibly the most iconic defensive force in Rams history, Deacon Jones.  Considering the pressure he had to feel that he was under, it is more than safe to say that he did one hell of a job!

In his third season in the NFL (1973), Youngblood was named to his first of seven consecutive Pro Bowls, five of which earned him First Team All-Pro honors.  Although the Quarterback Sack was not an official statistic when he played, Youngblood is believed to have recorded 151.5 sacks over his career. 

In a tough sport, Youngblood was one of the toughest and most durable players, missing only one game in his 14 seasons, and is best remembered by Rams fans for playing with a broken fibula in both the NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl XIV against the Steelers.  Although the Rams lost, the legend of Jack Youngblood grew to even greater heights in those two games.

Ken Houston, DB, HOU 1967-72 & WAS 1973-80.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1990 on his 5th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.

From Prairie View A&M, Ken Houston was taken way back in the 9^th Round of the 1967 Draft, and it could have been the biggest steal of that year's draft.  Ironically, the Oilers would make the worst trade in franchise history when they sent him to Washington years later.

The Safety was a starter as a rookie, starting nine of his 14 Games, and he made the Pro Bowl the following year and again over the next four seasons.  Houston was easily one of the top Safeties in the AFL/AFC when he competed as an Oiler, and he picked off 25 passes, returning nine for Touchdowns.  

The Oilers had a superstar in their defensive back corps, but they made a tactical error; as though they were struggling, they traded him to Washington for five players.  None of the players that Houston acquired would be decent

Houston continued his streak of Pro Bowls, adding six more to have a twelve-year streak.  Unlike while wearing the oil derrick, Houston was a First Team All-Pro in two of his seasons (1975 & 1978), and he had 24 Interceptions as a Redskin.  Houston was also regarded as one of the game’s most punishing tacklers, and he was one of the fastest players on the field.  He retired after the 1980 season, the year after his run of consecutive Pro Bowls ended.

Bob Hayes, SE-WR, DAL 1965-74 & SFO 1975.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1990 on his 10th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

A two-sport athlete at Florida A&M, “Bullet” Bob Hayes starred in the 1964 Olympics, winning two Gold Medals (100m and 4x100m relay).  The Dallas Cowboys drafted him in the 7th Round, but he was not yet a refined football player, and it was widely assumed he would be a work in progress.  It did not take long to make it work!

Hayes’ explosive speed caused havoc for defenses and forced opponents to adopt zone schemes and bump-and-run to limit his advantage.  He led the NFL in Touchdown Receptions in his first two years, and later propelled the Cowboys to their first Super Bowl.

He compiled 7,414 Rushing Yards with 71 TDs, and is arguably the reason why General Managers look at 40-yard times! 

Franco Harris, RB, PIT 1972-83 & SEA 1984.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1990 on his 1st Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

With all due respect to the many great Running Backs that the Pittsburgh Steelers had, they are all in line behind Franco Harris, who is still the team’s all-time leading rusher.

Harris debuted in the professional ranks in 1972 for the Steelers, a team he didn’t have to travel far from, as he was a star at Penn State.  The Running Back won the Offensive Rookie of the Year, going to the Pro Bowl and rushing for 1,055 Yards and 10 Touchdowns.  This was the year Harris benefited from the "Immaculate Reception," a still-debated play in which the Steelers beat the Raiders in the playoffs.  Pittsburgh didn't win it all that year, but they had a Running Back in tow who could help them.

Harris was one of the best Running Backs of the decade, going to the Pro Bowl every season from 1972 to 1980.  Harris was a First Team All-Pro in 1977 (1,162 Rushing Yards and 11 TDs), but he arguably was better the season before with a league-leading 14 TDs and 1,128 Rushing Yards.  Harris helped propel the Steelers to four Super Bowl titles, earning MVP honors in the first.  Over 19 Playoff Games, Harris had 2,060 Yards From Scrimmage with 17 Touchdowns, an incredible number over intense situations.

Harris was with the Steelers until 1983, playing one final year in Seattle before retiring.  Overall, Harris would accumulate 14,234 Yards From Scrimmage with an even 100 Touchdowns. 

Gene Lipscomb, DT, RAM 1953-55, BAL 1956-60 & PIT 1961-62.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1990 on his 3rd Senior Ballot.  Was never inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Gene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb enlisted in the military and played football at USMC Camp Pendleton, so if you think the teams of the NFL lightly recruited him, you would be right!

The 300-pound Lipscomb would, however, sign with the Los Angeles Rams in 1952 and would win the starting Right Defensive Tackle job in 1953, but went on to greater success when he was traded to the Baltimore Colts.  "Big Daddy" would help anchor the Colts to the 1958 and 1959 NFL Championships, and not so coincidentally, he was named a First Team All-Pro for his efforts.  Lipscomb went to Pittsburgh in 1961 and went to his third Pro Bowl in 1962, but that would be his final year in Pro Football, as sadly, his career ended when he died of a heroin overdose in May of 1963. 

Don Coryell, Coach, STL 1973-77 & SDG 1978-86.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1990 on his 2nd Coach/Contributor Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023.

Coryell was dubbed “Air Coryell” for placing a premium on the passing game and for creating a unique rhythm, forcing defenses to cover all parts of the field.  Tight Ends, Running Backs would go in motion, Receivers had no set start point, and the ball would be going to the target before the receiver would get there.  Coryell made deep routes a major part of his offense and changed how Tight Ends were played, making them a bigger part of the offensive target mix.  All of this is commonplace today, but it wasn’t happening before Coryell literally changed the way the game was played.

He would begin this revolution with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he would win two consecutive division titles, but it was in San Diego that he had the Quarterback he wanted (Dan Fouts), where he was really able to bring his vision to light.  His Chargers won the division three times and led the National Football League in passing for six consecutive seasons, a record that still stands today.

Coryell took his teams to the playoffs often, though he never made it to the Super Bowl; his offensive mindset changed the game.   That is a Hall of Fame worthy!

While most of the sporting world is looking toward the Super Bowl, the NFL Honors has always been our primary focus, as it features the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Class.  This year, we learned that five new entrants, Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly, Adam Vinatieri, and Roger Craig (Senior), will be Canton-bound.

Drew Brees: SDG 2001-05 & NOR 2006-20.  After five years in San Diego, Brees ascended to superstar status in New Orleans.  Brees led the Saints to their first and only Super Bowl win, was a two-time Offensive Player of the Year, and was selected to 13 Pro Bowls.  He threw for 80,358 Yards and 571 Touchdowns, and is a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee on his first attempt.

Larry Fitzgerald:  ARI 2004-20.  Fitzgerald had a stellar career, earning 11 Pro Bowls, one First Team All-Pro selection, and was named the 2016 Walter Payton Man of the Year.  Twice leading the league in Receptions as well as Touchdown Passes, Fitzgerald had 1,432 Receptions (Second all-time), 17,492 Yards (second all-time), and 121 Touchdowns (sixth all-time).  Like Brees, Fitzgerald only needed one year of eligibility to enter the Hall.

Luke Kuechly: CAR 2012-19.   Kuechly was a strong contender to enter Canton on his first year of eligibility, as he is a former Defensive Rookie of the Year (2012) and Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.  A two-time leader in Combined Tackles, Kuechly was a seven-time Pro Bowl and five-time First Team All-Pro.  He enters the Hall in his second year of the ballot.

Adam Vinatieri: NWE 1996-2005 & IND 2006-19.  Entering his first year on the ballot, Vinatieri was a clutch performer who won four Super Bowls and was a three-time First Team All-Pro.  He is the all-time leader in Points Scored (2,673) and Field Goals Made (599).  Like Kuechly, he is a second-year inductee.

Roger Craig:  Running Back, SFO 1983-90, RAI 1991 & MIN 1992-93.  The first player to accumulate 1,000 Yards Rushing and Receiving, Craig won three Super Bowls, was the Offensive Player of the Year, earned four Pro Bowls, and was a First Team All-Pro.  From Scrimmage, he had 73 Touchdowns and 13,100 Yards.  Craig was a Modern Finalist in 2010 and a Senior Finalist in 2020, and is the only candidate to enter via the Seniors/Coaches/Contributor section.

Thanks to Clark Judge, who posted his roundup on Jack Silverstein’s WordPress site (take a look at this, as it is worth the read, and while you are there, read Jack’s other articles!), we have additional information about the cuts.

Jahri Evans, Torry Holt, Eli Manning, Reggie Wayne, and Kevin Williams were cut from 15 to 10, with Holt’s first cut being the biggest surprise, as he was a top-seven finisher last year.  Holt still has time, but this is a significant step backward.

Frank Gore, Jason Witten, and Darren Woodson were then cut from 10 to 7, and Willie Anderson, Marshal Yanda, and Terrell Suggs made it to the final seven before failing to make the vote.  As such, Anderson, Suggs, and Yanda are automatic finalists for 2027.

In late March, we will begin work on revising our Notinhalloffame list of those to consider for the PFHOF.  This will reflect the removal of the five who were elected, the addition of the big names who are eligible, and changes to existing players based on your votes and comments.

We here at Notinhalloffame would like to congratulate the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

At UFC 324, Dominick Cruz was selected to the UFC Hall of Fame, which stands as a powerful tribute to one of the greatest bantamweights in mixed martial arts history. Throughout his remarkable career, Cruz combined elite athleticism, unmatched movement, and tactical brilliance to dominate a division and leave a lasting mark on the sport.

Cruz first rose to prominence in the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) organization, where he captured the bantamweight title in 2010 with a dominant victory over Brian Bowles. When the UFC absorbed the WEC later that year, Cruz became the promotion’s first UFC bantamweight champion. He immediately proved he belonged at the highest level, defending his title against some of the division’s most dangerous contenders.

One of Cruz’s most defining rivalries was with Urijah Faber. After losing to Faber early in his career, Cruz went on to defeat him twice in high-profile title fights, using superior footwork and wrestling to neutralize Faber’s aggression. These victories cemented Cruz as the division’s standard-bearer.

Cruz continued his reign with impressive performances against elite opponents such as Demetrious Johnson, whom he defeated by decision in 2011, and Joseph Benavidez, whom he beat twice. His ability to outmaneuver and outthink world-class fighters made him nearly impossible to solve. With constant lateral movement, rapid stance switches, and precise striking, Cruz created a style unlike anything seen before in MMA.

Injuries, however, nearly derailed his career. Multiple knee surgeries forced Cruz to spend years on the sidelines, stripping him of his title and raising doubts about his future. Many believed he would never return to championship form. Yet in one of the most remarkable comebacks in UFC history, Cruz returned in 2016 and defeated TJ Dillashaw by split decision to reclaim the bantamweight belt. The victory showcased his resilience, experience, and enduring skill.

Later in his career, Cruz continued to compete at a high level, earning notable wins over fighters such as Takeya Mizugaki and Pedro Munhoz.  Following his retirement, he became an analyst for the sport.

We here at Notinhalloffame would like to congratulate Dominick Cruz for this impending accolade.

It is nice to hear about someone getting IN TO the Hall of Fame for a change.

According to Raj Mathai, multiple sources have confirmed that former San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig will be chosen for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.   

Craig played eleven seasons in the NFL (1983-90 with SF, 1991 with the Raiders, and 1992-93 with Minnesota), and rushed for 8,189 Yards and accumulated 4,991 Receiving Yards with 66 Touchdowns.  A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Craig played a huge role in three of San Francisco’s Super Bowl wins.  Craig made history in the 1985 season when he became the first player in league history to rush for 1,000 yards and receive another 1,000.   Three years later, Craig led the NFL in Yards from Scrimmage and won the coveted Offensive Player of the Year Award.

Craig had been a Finalist twice before for the PFHOF in 2010 and 2020, and was ranked #15 on our list of those to consider for the Hall.  In March, we will remove Craig and the others chosen from the Notinhalloffame Football List and begin revising it.

We here at Notinhalloffame would like to congratulate Roger Craig for this incredible honor.