In this era of sports specialization, it is hard to imagine football players changing positions regularly.  Pete Retzlaff played various offensive positions, but he could always be counted on to catch the ball. 

On five different occasions, Pete Retzlaff had seasons of 50 or more receptions.  Considering the era in which he played, that tally becomes even more impressive.  His best offensive seasons occurred after he moved to Tight End, where he was one of the few at that position who was sure-handed.  He continued to put up impressive stats and received the Bert Bell Award in 1965.

Retzlaff was not the best blocker, which may have limited his overall performance at tight end.  Still, with the numbers he could put up at a time when it was not common, the fact that he was not the League’s best blocker could be forgiven somewhat.

Does longevity mean more than greatness?  We ask this question about Jim Marshall, who had a solid 20-year career but made the Pro Bowl only twice.

Jim Marshall was truly the model of consistency.  For nineteen of his twenty-year career, he patrolled the Minnesota Vikings defense in a time period that seemed to last forever.  Marshall set longevity records by setting the consecutive starts record for a Defensive End and the most Fumbles recovered.  Although he wasn't dominant, he was very good, and the NFL doesn’t allow a player to last twenty years just for charitable reasons.  Marshall recovered 30 fumbles over his career, which is also a record for Defensive Ends.

Again, Jim Marshall was a great player for Minnesota, but without a dominating period, it is difficult to see how Marshall can get into the Hall of Fame.  With only one year as a finalist, it seems that the Hall committee thinks the same, especially considering he was not on the Centennial Slate Finalists in 2020.  Nevertheless, when fans talk about Hall of Fame snubs among Defensive Ends, the voices for Jim Marshall extend well beyond the borders of Minnesota.

Before the Dallas Cowboys truly became “America’s Team”, they had to establish themselves as a true force in the National Football League.  A big part of that emergence was their defense, in which linebacker Lee Roy Jordan played a key role.

Lee Roy Jordan was an elite linebacker and a tackling machine.  Playing his entire fourteen-year career with the Cowboys, Jordan was a hard-hitting defender who always seemed to know how to strip opponents of the ball.  For a Linebacker, he had many interceptions and had multiple fumble recoveries in his career.  He was a serious contender for the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1973 and reached the Pro Bowl five times.

Jordan was a Hall of Fame finalist in 1988, but that was as close as he ever got.  He is only eligible as a senior candidate now, but it appears the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor recipient will make the leap to Canton.

For so long, the AFL was considered the ugly stepchild of Football.  This officially changed when the Jets won Super Bowl III, and many people reevaluated their position on American Football League talent.  One such person was Dave Grayson who was a pick machine.

Grayson came a long way, as he went undrafted out of Oregon.  Upon making the Dallas Texans roster, he immediately made an impact with his defensive acumen and kick return ability.  Grayson was an AFL All-Star six times and is the all-time interception leader in the league. 

Joining the Oakland Raiders in 1965, he remained an elite Cornerback, but he switched to Safety in his last four seasons, where, like he was at Corner, he was a multi-time AFL All-Star in his second position.  He led the AFL in picks in 1968 (10) and had 48 overall.