1995 PRELIMINARY RESULTS:

Thank you to all who participated in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project. If you are still determining what that is, we treated the PFHOF as having its first class in January 1946.

We have completed the first 49 years.

For “1995,” a Preliminary Vote with over 100 players whose playing career ended by 1989. We also follow the structure in which players have 20 years of eligibility, and if they do not make it into the Hall, they are relegated to the Senior Pool.

Each voter was asked to select 25 names from the preliminary list, and the top 25 vote-getters were named Semi-Finalists.

A week later, voters will be asked to select 15 names from the 25 Semi-Finalists, then choose five from the remaining 15. We will continue this process every week until we catch up to the current year.

Please note that a significant change occurred “years ago,” allowing voters to submit fewer than the allotted spots. 

30 Votes took place.

This is for the “Modern Era”

Bold indicates they advanced to the Semi-Finals:

*Indicates they have been removed from future ballots

This is for the Senior Era

Bold indicates they advanced to the Semi-Finals:

*Indicates that they will be removed from the ballot permanently.

This is for the “Coaches/Contributors”

Bold indicates they advanced to the Semi-Finals:

*Indicates that they will be removed from the ballot permanently.

Next week, we will announce the Semi-Finalists for the 1995 Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project.

1994 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 49th official class. 

Below are the final results of this project based on 32 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 1994:

This is for the “Senior Era”, 

*Bold indicates they have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Class of 1994.

This is for the “Coaches/Contributors”, 

*Bold indicates they have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Class of 1994.

About the 1994 Inductees:

Randy White, DT, DAL 1975-88: Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1994 on his 1st Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.

Randy White was a superstar at the University of Maryland, where in 1974 he won the Lombardi Trophy and was the ACC Player of the Year.  The Cowboys took notice, and they would select him with the second overall pick.

White was eased into greatness as a backup Linebacker, but in his third year he became the starting Right Defensive Tackle, which was his natural fit.  That was the year that White broke out and established himself among the best in the game.  White went on a 10-year Pro-Bowl streak, with seven of those years seeing him ascend to First Team All-Pro honors.  It was also especially sweet, as in that first year, White would win Super Bowl XII, sharing the game MVP with a fellow defensive teammate, Harvey Martin.

White was an exceptional pass rusher who had only 52 official Sacks (the stat was not recorded until 1982).  He missed only one game, and he was one of the most popular players in team history.  White would be named to the 1980s All-Decade Team and the Cowboys Ring of Honor in 1994.

Tony Dorsett, RB, DAL 1977-87 & DEN 1988: Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1994 on his 1st Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.

A stud Running Back at the University of Pittsburgh, Tony Dorsett had an immediate impact with the Dallas Cowboys, who drafted him second overall in the 1977 Draft.  That year, Dorsett won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award with 1,007 Rushing Yards and four postseason touchdowns on the way to a Super Bowl win.  Not a bad rookie year!

Dorsett never won another Super Bowl, but he remained a superstar and one of the elite rushers over the next eight seasons.  He had eight 1,000-yard years, with all of those seasons seeing him finish in the top nine in that category.  He was a dual threat in that era with his receiving skills and was also perennially in the top nine in Yards from Scrimmage, appearing on that list from 1977 to 1985.

After the 1987 season, the Running Back would sign with the Denver Broncos for one final season. Dorsett would have 12,739 Rushing Yards, 3,554 Receiving Yards, and 90 Touchdowns. 

Joe DeLamielleure, G, BUF 1973-79 & 1985 & CLE 1980-84.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1994 on his 4th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.

Joe DaLamielleure had the best years of his NFL career with the Buffalo Bills and was adept at opening holes for O.J. Simpson to plow through.  DeLamielleure had five of his six Pro Bowls as a Bill and was a three-time First Team All-Pro.  It was also noted how well the Offensive Guard handled Pittsburgh Steeler Defensive End, Joe Greene, one of the few players who got the better of “Mean Joe”.

DeLamielleure spent the second half of his career with the Cleveland Browns, though he returned for a final season with Buffalo in 1985.  In 2003, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  Six years prior, DeLamielleure was chosen for the Bills Wall of Fame.  His run with the Cleveland Browns was also stellar.

John Riggins, RB, NYJ 1971-75 & WAS 1976-79 & 1981-85.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1994 on his 4th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992.

While everyone (and rightfully so) thinks of John Riggins in a Redskins uniform.  That wasn’t where he started, as the former Kansas Jayhawk was a New York Jet for the first five years of his career.  While wearing the green, the 1971 First Rounder was a Pro Bowl Selection and cracked over 1,000 Yards rushing in 1975, which was his last season with the Jets.

Riggins signed with Washington as a Free Agent afterward, but his first two seasons were poor, and a knee injury marred his second year. He powered back in 1978 with 1,014 Rushing Yards, and 1,153 in 1979.  Riggins was finally the Running Back they needed, but they would not have him in 1980, as a contract dispute kept him out for the entire year.  

The Redskins saw Riggins return, and while the 1981 and 1982 regular seasons were average, his '82 playoffs were phenomenal.  Riggins rushed for 166 Yards (a then-record) in Washington's Super Bowl XVII Championship, and he also had 610 Rushing Yards overall in the playoffs.  The Running Back was on a roll, and in 1983, Riggins had rushed for 1,347 Yards and a league-leading 24 Touchdowns.  Riggins was a First Team All-Pro and the Bert Bell Award winner that season, and he again led the NFL in Rushing Touchdowns with 14 the season after.  Without his run from '82 to '84, there was no way that Riggins would get into Canton!

He played one more year before retiring, and he accumulated 13,442 Yards From Scrimmage with 116 Touchdowns.

Lynn Swann, WR, PIT 1974-82.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1994 on his 7th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.

One of the most recognized players of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Super Bowl era in the 1970s, Lynn Swann, was part of all four of their titles during their dynastic run.

Swann was the player with whom Pittsburgh used their First Round Pick in 1974 (24^th overall), and in his rookie season, he was mostly used as a Punt Returner, where he excelled, leading the NFL in Punt Return Yards.  Swann and the Steelers won their first Super Bowl that year, and the following season, he was a far more integral cog in the Pittsburgh offense. 

Swann's 1975 season would see him lead the NFL in Receiving Touchdowns (11), and in Super Bowl X, Swann had 161 Receiving Yards and a TD, impressive considering he was not expected to play due to injury.  Arguably, this was the performance that earned him a spot in Canton.

The Wide Receiver, who was a Pro Bowl in 1975, would be again in 1977 and 1978, with the latter season earning a First Team All-Pro.  Swann helped them win two more Super Bowls, and in the 16 postseason games he played, he had 907 yards and 9 TDs.  

Swann would later be inducted into the Steelers Hall of Honor in 2017.

Pete Retzlaff, TE-E-FL, PHI 1956-66.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1994 on his 20th Senior Ballot.  Was never inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In this era of sports specialization, it is hard to imagine that football players used to change 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 were sure-handed.  He continued to post impressive stats and received the Bert Bell Award in 1965.

Retzlaff was not the best blocker, which may limit his overall performance in the Tight End slot.  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.

Chuck Noll, Head Coach, PIT 1969-91.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1994 on his 1st Coach/Contributor Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

Chuck Noll played seven years in the NFL, all for Cleveland under Paul Brown.  Much like Brown, Noll would become an iconic figure in a blue-collar town and achieve similar success.

After establishing himself as a Defensive Coordinator with the San Diego Chargers and Baltimore Colts, Noll was named Head Coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1969, inheriting a team that had never won anything of note.  Under Noll, the Steelers became a league juggernaut, winning four Super Bowls in the 1970s.  He kept the team as contenders throughout his 22 Years in that capacity, and under him, the culture completely changed to where Pittsburgh remains one of the most high-profile teams in the NFL.

Noll retired after the 1991 Season with a record of 194-148-1.

As a Coach, Noll would be named to the 1970s All-Decade Team, the 1980s All-Decade Team, and the 100^th Anniversary Team.

1994 SEMI-FINAL RESULTS:

Thank you for your participation in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project. If you are unaware of what that is, we acted like the PFHOF had its first class in January 1946.

We have completed the years up to 1993.

For “1994,” a Preliminary Vote with nearly 100 players whose playing career ended by 1988. We also follow the structure in which players have 20 years of eligibility, and if they do not make it into the Hall, they are relegated to the Senior Pool.

Each voter was asked to select 25 names from the preliminary list, and the top 25 vote-getters were named Semi-Finalists.

A week later, the voters were asked to pick 15 names from the 25 Semi-Finalists, and next week, they will choose five from the remaining 15. We will continue this process every week until we catch up to the current year.

32 votes were cast, with the top 15 advancing.

This is for the “Modern Era”

Bold indicates they advanced to the Finals: 

This is for the “Senior Era”

*Bold indicates they advanced to the Finals:

This is for the “Coaches/Contributors Era”

*Bold indicates they advanced to the Finals:

We will post the Class of 1994 Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project next Saturday.

Thank you to all who contributed. If you want to be part of this project, please let us know!

1994 PRELIMINARY RESULTS:

Thank you to all who participated in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project. If you are still determining what that is, we treated the PFHOF as having its first class in January 1946.

We have completed the first 48 years.

For “1994,” a Preliminary Vote with over 100 players whose playing career ended by 1988. We also follow the structure in which players have 20 years of eligibility, and if they do not make it into the Hall, they are relegated to the Senior Pool.

Each voter was asked to select 25 names from the preliminary list, and the top 25 vote-getters were named Semi-Finalists.

A week later, voters will be asked to select 15 names from the 25 Semi-Finalists, then choose five from the remaining 15. We will continue this process every week until we catch up to the current year.

Please note that a significant change occurred “years ago,” allowing voters to submit fewer than the allotted spots. 

30 Votes took place.

This is for the “Modern Era”

Bold indicates they advanced to the Semi-Finals:

*Indicates they have been removed from future ballots

This is for the Senior Era

Bold indicates they advanced to the Semi-Finals:

*Indicates that they will be removed from the ballot permanently.

This is for the “Coaches/Contributors”

Bold indicates they advanced to the Semi-Finals:

*Indicates that they will be removed from the ballot permanently.

Next week, we will announce the Semi-Finalists for the 1994 Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project.

1993 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 48th official class. 

Below are the final results of this project based on 32 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 1993:

This is for the “Senior Era”, 

*Bold indicates they have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Class of 1993.

This is for the “Coaches/Contributors”, 

*Bold indicates they have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Class of 1993.

About the 1993 Inductees:

Walter Payton, RB, CHI 1975-87: Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1993 on his 1st Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

A Chicago Bear for his entire professional playing career, Walter Payton would be the one to eclipse Jim Brown’s rushing record, and for a time, he was the all-time leader in rushing yards (16,726) and all-purpose yards (21,264).

Payton would rush for at least 1,200 yards nine times, making both the 1970s and 1980s All-Decade Teams. A beloved player, Payton was always giving back to the community, winning the Man of the Year Award in 1977, the same season he won MVP.

He died young at 45, falling victim to a rare liver disease. The NFL would rename an accolade he once won, the Man of the Year Award, the Walter Payton Man of the Year.

Perhaps the best way to describe Payton is a quote from his former coach, Mike Ditka, who told him, "the greatest player he had ever seen, but even greater as a human being."

Kellen Winslow, TE, SDG 1979-87: Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1993 on his 1st Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995.

The San Diego Chargers used their first-round pick in 1979 to obtain Kellen Winslow, a Tight End from Missouri.  Injuries held him to seven Games that year, but over the next four years, he was easily the best Tight End in the National Football League.

From 1980 to 1983, Winslow was named to the Pro Bowl and was a First Team All-Pro in the first three years of that window.  He exceeded 1,000 Receiving Yards in three of those seasons and would have had the fourth had it not been for the 1982 strike. Winslow was ahead of his time, as he set a single-season receiving record for Tight Ends (1,290 in 1980) that held until Rob Gronkowski broke it in 2011.  In San Diego, he will always be known for his playoff game against the Miami Dolphins in 1981 with a 166-yard, one-touchdown performance, and a block of a Field Goal to send the game into overtime.  San Diego's Head Coach, Don Coryell, expertly used Winslow, lining him up in unique positions to create mismatches all over the field. 

Injuries began to pile up in 1984, and following his last Pro Bowl year in 1987, knee problems caused him to retire.  The two-time leader in Receptions had 6,741 Yards for 45 Touchdowns, which were phenomenal stats for a Tight End of his day.

Dan Fouts, QB, SDG 1973-87.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1993 on his 1st Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

Dan Fouts played his entire pro career with the San Diego Chargers, and his arm was the basis of the passing mantra of Don “Air” Coryell.

Fouts arrived as a third-rounder in 1973, and his first five seasons in the NFL were neither terrible nor impressive. This changed in 1978 when the Chargers named Don Coryell as their Head Coach.  Coryell believed in a high-octane, long-pass system, which enabled Fouts to use his full skill set.   

From 1979 to 1982, Fouts was the NFL’s most prolific passer, and he led the NFL in Passing Yards in all of those seasons. Fouts was the first player to throw for over 4,000 Yards in three straight seasons, and he was first in Passing Yards per Game in six different years.  The Quarterback would take the Chargers to the AFC Championship Game, and he was named to the Pro Bowl in five consecutive seasons (1979-83) and was twice a First-Team All-Pro.  Fouts was the 1982 NEA MVP, PFWA MVP, and the Offensive Player of the Year, and that was his second straight year leading the NFL in Approximate Value.  It was especially impressive considering he had an AV of 22, in what was only a nine-game year due to the strike!  Fouts retired after the 1987 season and was considered one of the best QBs of his era. 

While Philip Rivers passed many of Fouts' franchise passing records, Fouts was putting up numbers that few could at the time, and when he retired, only Fran Tarkenton had more Passing Yards than Fouts, who retired with 43,040. 

Dwight Stephenson, C, MIA 1980-87.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1993 on his 1st Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998.

Dwight Stephenson played mostly on Special Teams in his first two seasons in the NFL after being chosen from Alabama in the second round of the 1980 draft, but by 1982, he was ready to become one of the best Centers in the game.

Stephenson would go to the Pro Bowl in 1983 and continued that honor over the next four seasons.  In 1983, Quarterback Dan Marino was drafted, and as he became a megastar, Stephenson led the Offensive Line that would protect one of the most exceptional passers of all time.  From 1984 to 1987, Stephenson was a perennial First Team All-Pro, and there were few, if any, defensive players who could get past him, and if they did, it rarely happened again.  He was also known for his philanthropic work, and he won the Man of the Year Award in 1985.

A knee injury cut short his 1987 season, and he elected to retire afterward. 

Robert Brazile, LB, HOU 1975-84.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1993 on his 4th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

With the imposing nickname of "Dr. Doom," Robert Brazile was one of the first players from an HBCU to be a high First Round selection when the Houston Oilers took the Jackson State star sixth in 1975.

Brazile instantly won the starting Right Outside Linebacker job for the Oilers and was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year.  A devastating tackler, Brazile was one of the few Linebackers who could stop the run at the same high level that he could pass rush, and his leadership on defense helped take Houston to back-to-back AFC Championship Games in the late 70s.

The seven-time Pro Bowler played all of his career with Houston, retiring after the 1984 season following the death of his wife, Cookie, in a car crash.  

Brazile entered the Titans Ring of Honor in 2018.

Marshall Goldberg, FB-HB, CRD 1939–43 & 1946-48.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1993 on his 20th Senior Ballot.  Was never inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Marshall Goldberg was a major star at the University of Pittsburgh, and he would ply his trade well for the Chicago Cardinals.  Goldberg did it all in the early 1940s, especially in the 1941 season, where he rushed for 427 Yards, received passes for 313 yards, and was the top finisher in Kick Return Yards (290), earning him the league lead in All-Purpose Yards (1,236) and a Pro Bowl Selection.  He would finish fifth in All-Purpose Yards in 1942.

Like many NFL players, he served his country in World War II, and when he came back, he would rejoin the Cards and help them win the NFL Championship in 1947.  Historically, Goldberg was one of the first Jewish stars in the NFL.

Tex Schramm, President/General Manager, DAL 1960-88.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1993 on his 14th Coach/Contributor Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991.

Tex Schramm was an executive for the Los Angeles Rams from 1947 to 1956, but when your birth name is "Texas" (although he was born in California), you assume you will arrive in the Lone Star State. When it became clear that the NFL was going to expand in Dallas, Schramm lobbied to become their general manager. Through his connections, he got his wish, and the Dallas Cowboys were better because of it.

Two of Schramm's early hires were head coach Tom Landry and chief scout Gil Brandt. Both Landry and Brandt became Hall of Famers, but Schramm had his own contributions to make.

Schramm had a vision not just for the Dallas Cowboys but for the NFL as a whole. The Cowboys became "America's Team" and went to five Super Bowls, winning two while Schramm was their top executive. Schramm was a major figure in labor negotiations across the league, and he advocated cosmetic changes to the sport, such as instant replay, referees’ microphones, and the 30-second clock between plays. 

You can argue that much of the “look” of the NFL came from Schramm.

1993 SEMI-FINAL RESULTS:

Thank you for your participation in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project. If you are unaware of what that is, we acted like the PFHOF had its first class in January 1946.

We have completed the years up to 1992.

For “1993,” a Preliminary Vote with nearly 100 players whose playing career ended by 1986. We also follow the structure in which players have 20 years of eligibility, and if they do not make it into the Hall, they are relegated to the Senior Pool.

Each voter was asked to select 25 names from the preliminary list, and the top 25 vote-getters were named Semi-Finalists.

A week later, the voters were asked to pick 15 names from the 25 Semi-Finalists, and next week, they will choose five from the remaining 15. We will continue this process every week until we catch up to the current year.

32 votes were cast, with the top 15 advancing.

This is for the “Modern Era”

Bold indicates they advanced to the Finals: 

This is for the “Senior Era”

*Bold indicates they advanced to the Finals:

This is for the “Coaches/Contributors Era”

*Bold indicates they advanced to the Finals:

We will post the Class of 1993 Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project next Saturday.

Thank you to all who contributed. If you want to be part of this project, please let us know!

1993 PRELIMINARY RESULTS:

Thank you to all who participated in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project. If you are still determining what that is, we treated the PFHOF as having its first class in January 1946.

We have completed the first 47 years.

For “1993,” a Preliminary Vote with over 100 players whose playing career ended by 1987. We also follow the structure in which players have 20 years of eligibility, and if they do not make it into the Hall, they are relegated to the Senior Pool.

Each voter was asked to select 25 names from the preliminary list, and the top 25 vote-getters were named Semi-Finalists.

A week later, voters will be asked to select 15 names from the 25 Semi-Finalists, then choose five from the remaining 15. We will continue this process every week until we catch up to the current year.

Please note that a significant change occurred “years ago,” allowing voters to submit fewer than the allotted spots. 

31 Votes took place.

This is for the “Modern Era”

Bold indicates they advanced to the Semi-Finals:

*Indicates they have been removed from future ballots

This is for the Senior Era

Bold indicates they advanced to the Semi-Finals:

*Indicates that they will be removed from the ballot permanently.

This is for the “Coaches/Contributors”

Bold indicates they advanced to the Semi-Finals:

*Indicates that they will be removed from the ballot permanently.

Next week, we will announce the Semi-Finalists for the 1993 Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project.

1992 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 47th 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 1992:

This is for the “Senior Era”, 

*Bold indicates they have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Class of 1992.

Does this mean we have inducted None of the Above?

This is for the “Coaches/Contributors”, 

*Bold indicates they have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Class of 1992.

About the 1992 Inductees:

Tom Mack, G, RAM 1966-78: Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1992 on his 9th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

Selected second overall in the 1966 NFL Draft out of the University of Michigan, Tom Mack would become the team’s starting Left Guard midway through the 1966 season, and in his sophomore season, he would be named to the Pro Bowl.   That year would be the first of eleven trips to the annual game, showcasing the best players in the National Football League.  Without question, for over a decade, the Los Angeles Rams never had to worry about Left Guard, as Mack was clearly among the elite in that role.  He would appear in 184 straight games for L.A., the only team he ever played professionally for.

Randy Gradishar, LB, DEN 1974-84: Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1992 on his 4th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024.

Tackles were not kept track of when Randy Gradishar played in the NFL, but if they were, Gradishar would be statistically proven as one of the most magnificent tackling machines in the history of Professional Football.

Called by Woody Hayes, the greatest Linebacker that he ever coached, Gradishar would become a starter late in his rookie season (1974) and a Pro Bowl Selection in his second.  He would become the leader of the famed “Orange Crush” defense that transformed the Broncos into a league power after years as a laughingstock.  He would become the team's leading tackler, and while again this was not an official stat, it has been speculated that he is the all-time leader, which, considering he only played ten seasons, makes this one incredible fact.

The Orange Crush took the Broncos to their first Super Bowl (SBXII), and though they lost, Gradishar was a First Team All-Pro; he would be named again in 1978, this time as the consensus Defensive Player of the Year.  The former Ohio State Buckeye played five more years, four of which were deemed worthy of Pro Bowl honors.

With seven Pro Bowls, a Defensive POY, and the reputation of being one of the game’s most prolific tacklers, he is considered one of Canton’s biggest snubs. The Broncos chose Gradishar for their Ring of Fame in 1989.

Dave Casper, TE, OAK 1974-80, HOU, 1980-93, MIN 1983 & RAI 1984.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1992 on his 3rd Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.

Playing Tight End at the height of the Oakland Raiders' outlaw era, Dave Casper had the quadruple-threat combination of size, speed, blocking, and sure hands.  A five-time Pro Bowl and four-time First Team All-Pro, Casper’s biggest moments were synonymous with Oakland football, namely his 42-yard over-the-shoulder catch against Baltimore in the 1977 Playoffs (Ghost to the Post), and being the last player to touch the ball (the Holy Roller play) in the controversial win against San Diego.

The former Notre Dame star played a huge part in the Raiders’ Super Bowl XI win, and he accumulated 5,216 Yards with 52 TDs.

Dave Wilcox, LB, SFO 1964-74.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1992 on his 13th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.

Drafted from the University of Oregon in the Third Round in 1964, Dave Wilcox won the Left Linebacker role during his rookie season, and he would hold on to it until he retired after the 1974 Season.

Wilcox went to his first Pro Bowl in 1966 and would begin a six-year streak of that honor in 1968.  Twice a First Team All-Pro, Wilcox used his freakish strength to repel blockers and get to his intended target.  Wilcox was a devastating tackler and had good hands, as shown by his 14 career Interceptions.

Elvin Bethea, DE, HOU 1968-83.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1992 on his 4th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

Taken in the Third Round in 1968, Elvin Bethea generated colossal value for the Houston Oilers, the only team that the star from North Carolina A&T ever played for in his 210 Games as a pro.

The powerful Defensive End would prove to be one of the top players at his position in the 1970s, going to eight Pro Bowls and recording 105 (unofficial) Sacks for his team.  As good as Bethea was as a pass-rusher, he was also a certifiable run stuffer, and thanks to his durability, he often did.  Bethea did not miss a game until his tenth season (due to a broken arm), and his leadership on and off the field was also widely known.  

The Oilers retired his number in 1983, the year he retired, and, along with George Blanda, he was part of the first class of the Titans Ring of Honor in 1999.

Joe Fortunato, LB, CHI 1955-66.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1992 on his 1st Ballot.  Was never inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Joe Fortunato played his entire career with the Chicago Bears, the team that drafted him in the 7^th Round in 1952. 

While the Linebacker was chosen for the 1950's All-Decade Team, many of his accolades took place in the 1960s.  Four of his five Pro Bowls came in the '60s, as did all three of his First Team All-Pro Selections.  Regarding his team accomplishments, Fortunato was a vital part of the 1963 Bears Championship Team.  He would record 16 Interceptions and recover 22 Fumbles over his career, the latter of which was a record when he retired.   Not too bad for a guy who looked undersized for his position!

Tom Landry, Coach, SFO 1960-88.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1992 on his 2nd Coach/Contributor Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

After six years in pro football, Tom Landry's transition to coaching brought us one of the most technical minds ever to grace the defensive side of the game.

While still playing for the New York Giants, Landry was already developing defensive schemes that the G-Men incorporated. Officially an assistant coach in 1954, Landry's playing career ended a year later, and along with offensive guru Vince Lombardi, the Giants had two future Hall of Fame coaches on their hands.

Landry’s mind came up with the 4-3 defense, a staple now of all NFL teams but utterly foreign at the time. When the NFL expanded to Dallas, Landry was tapped as their first head coach, and he brought unique defensive schemes there, such as the flex defense, which focused on space rather than on an opponent. 

Under Landry, the Dallas Cowboys became "America's Team," going to five Super Bowls and winning two (VI & XII). Landry and his signature fedora became a part of the national fabric like any coach in sports.

Landry, who was the Cowboys’ first head coach, was relieved of duty by the new owner, Jerry Jones, in 1988, ending his career with an even 250 wins. It was an abrupt departure and unbecoming of a man of Landry's status, but fences were mended, and he was enshrined in their Ring of Honor in 1993.

1992 SEMI-FINAL RESULTS:

Thank you for your participation in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project. If you are unaware of what that is, we acted like the PFHOF had its first class in January 1946.

We have completed the years up to 1991.

For “1992,” a Preliminary Vote with nearly 100 players whose playing career ended by 1986. We also follow the structure in which players have 20 years of eligibility, and if they do not make it into the Hall, they are relegated to the Senior Pool.

Each voter was asked to select 25 names from the preliminary list, and the top 25 vote-getters were named Semi-Finalists.

A week later, the voters were asked to pick 15 names from the 25 Semi-Finalists, and next week, they will choose five from the remaining 15. We will continue this process every week until we catch up to the current year.

32 votes were cast, with the top 15 advancing.

This is for the “Modern Era”

Bold indicates they advanced to the Finals: 

This is for the “Senior Era”

*Bold indicates they advanced to the Finals:

This is for the “Coaches/Contributors Era”

*Bold indicates they advanced to the Finals:

We will post the Class of 1992 Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project next Saturday.

Thank you to all who contributed. If you want to be part of this project, please let us know!

1992 PRELIMINARY RESULTS:

Thank you to all who participated in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project. If you are still determining what that is, we acted like the PFHOF had its first class in January 1946.

We have completed the first 46 years.

For “1992,” a Preliminary Vote with close to 100 players whose playing career ended by 1991. We also follow the structure in which players have 20 years of eligibility, and if they do not make it into the Hall, they are relegated to the Senior Pool.

Each voter was asked to select 25 names from the preliminary list, and the top 25 vote-getters were named Semi-Finalists.

A week later, the voters will be asked to select 15 names from the 25 Semi-Finalists and then choose five from the remaining 15. We will continue this process every week until we catch up to the current year.

Please note that a significant change occurred “years ago,” allowing voters to submit fewer than the allotted spots. 

31 Votes took place.

This is for the “Modern Era”

Bold indicates they advanced to the Semi-Finals:

*Indicates they have been removed from future ballots

This is for the Senior Era

Bold indicates they advanced to the Semi-Finals:

*Indicates that they will be removed from the ballot permanently.