It may be called the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but for all intents and purposes, it only focuses on accomplishments from the NFL and to a lesser extent the AFL. This is too bad for
Herschel Walker who chalked up monster totals in his first three years of Pro Football but did so as a member of the New Jersey Generals of the upstart United States Football League.
Walker would go to the Dallas Cowboys and would forever try to live up to the Play Station like numbers he put up in College and in the USFL. Walker was still very good and put up good numbers for Dallas in both receiving and running the ball. He was however the focal point of one of the more lopsided trades in NFL history where the Vikings sent five players and a multitude of draft picks (three of which were Emmitt Smith, Alvin Harper, and Darren Woodson). Dallas would use this to build a dynasty of the ’90s, and Minnesota coaches took there frustration out on Walker who was not used to the best of his ability while as a Viking. Herschel was still good, but his stock dramatically went down.
That lopsided trade took away from his legacy, but Herschel Walker should be remembered as a great Running Back who contributed in pass and kick return situations. If he were a rookie today coming out of Georgia, where this is no USFL would he have had a shot to shatter NFL rushing records?
Should Herschel Walker be in the Hall of Fame?
Definitely put him in! - 80%
Maybe, but others deserve it first. - 7%
Probably not, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. - 4.7%
Comments
Herschel could read blocks; just look at the pro highlights on some of his runs. The problem was that the two teams that he went to that could have been Super Bowl winners (Minnesota, Philly) not only did not use Walker as they should (like the Cowboys used E Smith) but also were gutted by injuries to their Ds when Walker arrived or shortly afterwards And Walker got the blame, despite not having anything to do with that and despite only getting something like 10-12 touches a game (and if you get that few touches, you're not going to affect the outcome much). Walker in particular was a back that wore down Ds in the 2nd half but if your D now giving up 4 1st half TDs instead of being a previously dominating D and you have to throw any RB is going to be less effective.
So much of Walker's not being in the HOF is just bad luck. Every team he went to was either already on the downslide (Dallas) or was gutted by injuries or defections on D which took potential Super Bowl contenders and turned them into playoff also-rans. But Walker got the blame unfairly.
He mad when the Olympic bobsled team one is the 5 greatest athletes of all time Bo Deion Walker Charlie Ward a few others
…retired second all-time in all-purpose yards, besting all 15 HOF RB's from the 60's, 70's, 80's, & 90's.
…Walker's 8225 NFL rushing yards were more than 4 HOF RB's and nearly as many as 3 others.
…his 4859 NFL receiving yards were more than all but two RB's and more than 16 HOF RB's, including Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, and Emmitt Smith.
…who has more NFL kickoff return yards than Herschel's 5084? Probably no one - certainly no HOF RB.
…only player in NFL history to gain more than 4000 yards rushing, receiving, and returning.
…first player in NFL history to record TDs of 90 yards or longer rushing, receiving, and returning in the same year.
…only player in NFL history to record an 84+ yard rushing TD and an 84+ yard receiving TD in the same game.
Not only are Herschel's NFL accomplishme nts HOF worthy, he also deserved to be higher than 39th on your list!
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