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.

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 1992 Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project.

1991 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 46th 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 1991:

This is for the “Senior Era”, 

*Bold indicates they have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Class of 1991.

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 1991.

About the 1991 Inductees:

John Hannah, G, NWE 1973-85: Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1991 on his 1st Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991.

John Hannah studied his craft under the tutelage of Paul “Bear” Bryant at the University of Alabama, where he would become a two-time All-American.  He was coveted by all of the NFL teams, and the New England Patriots would select him with the fourth overall pick in 1973.

Hannah never played for any other professional team, and he would start all 183 games for the Patriots.  Hannah played at Left Guard and was a Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro in 1976.  In 1978, he was again named to the Pro Bowl and repeated the honor every year until he retired in 1985.  In seven of those years, he was a First Team All-Pro.   

Through the bulk of his tenure, whether the Patriots were contenders or not, Hannah was regarded as one of the top Offensive Linemen in the game. There was no weak part of his game, and he was an immediate leader not only on the line but of the entire team. When he was paired with Leon Gray, they were the best left side of the line, and it can be wondered what they would have done had Gray not been dealt to Houston.

Hannah would be named to the 1970s All-Decade, 1980s All-Decade Team, the 75^th Anniversary Team, and the 100^th Anniversary Team. 

Earl Campbell, RB, HOU 1978-84 & NOR 1984-85: Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1991 on his 1st Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991.

After winning the Heisman Trophy in 1977, there was little doubt that the Texas Longhorn would not be the number one pick in the Draft.  The Houston Oilers held that selection, and Campbell remained in the Lone Star State, where he was the top Running Back in football for a few years.

As a rookie, Campbell led the NFL in rushing with 1,450 Yards, and not only was he the best at his position, he was the most physical, preferring to plow through defenders rather than elude them.  Campbell won both the Offensive Rookie of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year, and both the NEA and PFWA named him their MVP.  What do you do for an encore?  Have an even better season.

In 1979, Campbell exceeded his rookie mark with 1,697 Rushing Yards and a career-best 19 Touchdowns, which also led the NFL.  Campbell swept every major award he could win (AP MVP, Bert Bell, NEA MVP, PFWA MVP, and OPOY) and had his second straight Rushing Title.  His 1980 Season saw him again lead the NFL in Rushing with 1,934 Yards and 13 TDs, and his third consecutive OPOY was his.

Those three seasons ended his apex, but he still had two more 1,300/10 TD years as an Oiler (1981 & 1983).  Campbell got off to a poor start in 1984 and was traded to the Saints, but his playing style caught up to him, and he retired shortly after.

Campbell had 10,213 Yards From Scrimmage with 74 Touchdowns.

Lee Roy Selmon, DE-DT, TB 1976-84.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1991 on his 1st Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995.

A beast at the University of Oklahoma, where he won the Outland Trophy and two National Championships, Lee Roy Selmon was the first overall pick in the 1976 Draft, taken by the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and back in those days, despite how great your first pick is, expansion teams were generally very bad. 

Even though Selmon was described as a “man among boys”, the Bucs around him were atrocious, losing their first 26 games, but Selmon was the piece they could build around.  Selmon was the consummate defensive player whose ability to read offenses had no peers.  Quick, powerful, and intelligent, Selmon was constantly double-teamed, especially in the Bucs’ lean years.  Selmon willed Tampa to the 1979 NFC Championship Game, beginning a six-year run of Pro Bowls.

Selmon was later named to the NFL 100th Anniversary Team and was fittingly the first man named to the Buccaneers Ring of Honor.

Roger Wehrli, DB, STL 1969-82.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1991 on his 4th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007.

As Larry Wilson’s career was winding down, the St. Louis Cardinals had another star Defensive Back in Roger Wehrli to take over command of the secondary.

An All-American at Missouri, Wehrli impressed scouts with his speed at the combine, which allegedly propelled him to a late First Round Pick.  Some pundits at the time might have thought it was a reach to take Wehrli, but that was debunked almost immediately, as the Cornerback was the runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year (1969).

Wehrli promptly went on to the following two Pro Bowls and became the top Corner in the middle of the 1970s after struggling for the two years after.  Dubbed a "shutdown corner" by Dallas Quarterback Roger Staubach (which may have been the first time that term was used), Wehrli was named a First Team All-Pro three years in a row (1974-76) while also accumulating a four-year run of Pro Bowls (1973-76). 

Adding a seventh Pro Bowl in 1979, Wehrli slowed down afterward but would leave the game with 40 Interceptions.

Ron Yary, T, MIN 1968-81 & RAM 1982.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1991 on his 4th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.

Guarding the right side of the offensive line for 14 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Ron Yary built a legendary career defined by consistency, toughness, and excellence. Tasked with protecting his quarterback and opening running lanes for his teammates, Yary became one of the most reliable and dominant offensive linemen of his era, anchoring the Vikings’ line throughout their rise as an NFC powerhouse.

The first offensive lineman ever selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, Yary more than justified the honor. He earned six consecutive First Team All-Pro selections and was voted to seven straight Pro Bowls, establishing himself as the premier tackle of his generation. Perhaps most meaningful to Yary, however, was the respect he earned from his peers, as he was named NFLPA NFC Offensive Lineman of the Year three times, a testament to his reputation within the league.

Bill Walsh, Coach, SFO 1979-88.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1991 on his 1st Coach/Contributor Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

Hired from Stanford in 1978, Bill Walsh took over the reins of a San Francisco team that had never won it all.  Walsh would change all of that.

Taking a philosophy, he learned in Cincinnati called the “West Coast Offense”, Walsh and a slew of skill players (Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and Roger Craig) dominated the 1980s, with the 49ers winning three Super Bowls, and Walsh winning two Coach of the Year Awards.  Walsh set up a prominent coaching tree, including such luminaries as George Seifert, Sam Wyche, Dennis Green, Mike Holmgren, and Ray Rhodes. 

Departing to go back to Stanford in 1992, Walsh had an overall NFL Head Coaching record of 92-59-1

A two-time NFL Coach of the Year, Walsh would be named to the 1980s All-Decade Team and the 100^th Anniversary Team.

1991 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 1990.

For “1991,” a Preliminary Vote with nearly 100 players whose playing career ended by 1985. 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.

31 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 1991 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!

1991 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 “1991,” a Preliminary Vote with close to 100 players whose playing career ended by 1990. 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.

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 1991 Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project.

1990 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 1989.

For “1990,” a Preliminary Vote with nearly 100 players whose playing career ended by 1984. 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.

31 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 1990 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!

1990 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 43 years.

For “1990,” a Preliminary Vote with close to 100 players whose playing career ended by 1984. 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. 

34 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.