1988 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 42 years.

For “1988,” a Preliminary Vote with close to 100 players whose playing career ended by 1982. 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.

We also held a vote asking whether those who fall off the Coaches/Contributors Ballot after 20 years should receive a second chance on the Seniors Ballot.  You voted 23 to 8 in favor of giving them a second chance.

Next week, we will announce the Semi-Finalists for the 1988 Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project.

1987 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 5 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 42nd official class. 

Below are the final results of this project based on 35 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 1987:

This is for the “Senior Era”, 

*Bold indicates they have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Class of 1987.

This is for the “Coaches/Contributors”, 

*Bold indicates they have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Class of 1987.

About the 1987 Inductees:

Joe Greene, DT, PIT 1969-81: Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1987 on his 1st Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.

Playing his college ball at North Texas, the Steelers drafted Joe Greene with the number 4 pick, and he was the player around whom the Steel Curtain was built.  You can take it a step further and say that everything changed when Greene and Head Coach Chuck Noll arrived in 1969, as, despite the Steelers' longevity, they had never won a Championship. 

The Steelers had no winning culture, and Greene had said in past interviews that he was not happy to have been drafted by Pittsburgh.  The wins did not come in his rookie year, as Pittsburgh had only one "W," but Greene was a bright spot, named to the Pro Bowl and the Defensive Rookie of the Year.

The Steelers acquired more talent through the draft, and by 1972, they assembled one of the most dominating defensive lines ever.  The Steel Curtain had arrived, and they were now Super Bowl contenders.  Greene won the 1972 Defensive Player of the Year Award, and two years later, he did so again, but it was a far more special year for Mean Joe.

The Steelers lived up to their promise by winning the Super Bowl that year, and they did so again the season after.  The Steelers' defense remained the most vaunted unit in football, and with Greene as their leader, they won two more Super Bowls before the decade closed out.  

Injuries compiled on the Defensive Tackle, and he retired after the 1981 season with 78.5 "unofficial tackles" and 10 Pro Bowl Selections.  Greene led by example, often without saying a word, and it is not without merit to say that, if it were not for Greene, the Steelers wouldn't be the Steelers. 

Greene entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot, and 30 years later was named to the Steelers Hall of Honor.  Greene is also one of two legendary Steelers whose numbers have been retired.

Alan Page, DT, MIN 1967-78 & CHI 1978-81: Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1987 on his 1st Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988.

Alan Page was a National Champion and Consensus All-American at Notre Dame and achieved a level of collegiate success that places him in the top 1%.  He breached the same level as an NFL Player.

The Minnesota Vikings chose Page with the 15^th Overall Pick in 1967, and the Defensive Tackle began a nine-year run of Pro Bowls as a sophomore.  Page became the heart of the Vikings’ “Purple People Eaters” Defense and their top pass rusher.  Leading his team to four Super Bowl appearances, Page was a six-time First Team All-Pro, and in 1971, he made history as the first defensive player to win the MVP.  He also led the NFL in Approximate Value three years in a row (1969-71).

Page would close his career with three-and-a-half seasons with the Chicago Bears.

Mick Tingelhoff, C, MIN 1962-78.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1987 on his 4th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.

Undrafted in 1962 from Nebraska, Tingelhoff took over as the Vikings' starting center and never missed a game in 240 contests, starting every one.  The former Cornhusker began a six-year streak of Pro Bowls in 1964, with five of them earning him a First Team All-Pro Selection.  With Tingelhoff anchoring the Vikings' line, Minnesota won ten Division Titles and made it to four Super Bowls

Minnesota retired his number 53 and named him to their Ring of Honor.

Gene Upshaw, G, OAK, 1967-81.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1987 on his 1st Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.

One of the greatest Offensive Guards in Football history, Gene Upshaw, was the first player in football history to appear in Super Bowls in three different decades.

A First Round Pick from Texas A&M in 1967, Upshaw immediately became the Raiders' starting Left Guard, and he remained so until he retired after the 1981 Season.  Upshaw was a dominating presence in the Raiders’ Offensive Line, starting a whopping 207 Games, and for a decade-plus in the conversation for the NFL’s best blocker.  The Raiders went to three Super Bowls with Upshaw, winning two (XI & XV), and the lineman won five First Team All-Pro honors.

Nick Buoniconti, TE, DET 1968-77.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1987 on his 6th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.

Very few Linebackers owned Nick Buoniconti’s combination of intensity, instinct, and football I-Q, and it was all completed in an undersized 5-foot-11, 220 Pound package.

Drafted by the Boston Patriots in the 13th round of the 1962 AFL draft. During his seven seasons with the Patriots, he quickly became a star, earning six AFL All-Star selections and recording 24 interceptions. He was traded to the Miami Dolphins in 1969, where he became the captain and emotional leader of the legendary "No-Name Defense." Buoniconti anchored the Dolphins' defense during their dominant run, which included three consecutive Super Bowl appearances and the NFL's only perfect 17-0 season in 1972. He retired in 1976 as an eight-time Pro Bowler and a two-time Super Bowl champion.

George Allen, Coach, RAM 1966-70 & WAS 1971-77.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1987 on his 8th Coach/Contributor Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.

George Allen was a transformative NFL head coach best known for his ability to immediately turn struggling franchises into contenders through his "The Future Is Now" philosophy, which prioritized trading draft picks for experienced veterans. Over a 12-season head coaching career with the Los Angeles Rams (1966–1970) and Washington Redskins (1971–1977), Allen never suffered a losing season, compiling a formidable regular-season record of 116–47–5. His intense, detail-oriented approach—which included a defensive background and pioneering emphasis on special teams—led Washington to an appearance in Super Bowl VI.

1987 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 42 years.

For “1987,” a Preliminary Vote with close to 100 players whose playing career ended by 1981. 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. 

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 1987 Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project.

1986 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 rhetorical question: What if the PFHOF began 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 we asked each voter to select 25 names as their semi-finalists and 5 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 41st 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 1986:

This is for the “Senior Era”, 

*Bold indicates they have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Class of 1986.

This is for the “Coaches/Contributors”, 

*Bold indicates they have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Class of 1986.

About the 1986 Inductees:

Gene Hickerson, G, CLE 1958-73: Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1986 on his 8th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007. 

From Ole Miss, Gene Hickerson was chosen in the Seventh Round in the 1957 Draft, where Cleveland Browns Head Coach Paul Brown liked his speed and moved him to the Right Tackle position, where he became their starter in his second season.  As Hickerson improved, his 1961 Season was cut short due to a broken leg, but he returned the following season as a greater asset, protecting Jim Brown and company.

Hickerson helped Cleveland win the 1964 NFL Championship, and as he turned 30, he defied time, growing into one of the top Guards in football.  From 1965 to 1970, Hickerson put forth an Approximate Value of at least 11, peaking with 18 in 1968.  In all of those six years, Hickerson went to the Pro Bowl and was a First Team All-Pro from 1967 to 1969.  Hickerson played until the end of the 1973 Season, and he retired with the team he started with, finishing with 202 Games Played.  

Hickerson was part of the first Browns Ring of Honor class.  Notably, he was also named to the 1960s All-Decade Team.

Carl Eller, DE, MIN 1964-78 & SEA 1979: Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1986 on his 2nd Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

Carl Eller, nicknamed "Moose," is a legendary defensive end best known for his dominant career with the Minnesota Vikings. Drafted sixth overall in the 1964 NFL Draft from the University of Minnesota, Eller quickly became a crucial part of the Vikings' ferocious defensive line, famously known as the "Purple People Eaters," alongside Alan Page, Jim Marshall, and Gary Larsen. Eller was a force off the edge, renowned for his exceptional speed, power, and agility. During his 15 seasons with the Vikings (1964–1978), the team enjoyed tremendous success, winning the 1969 NFL championship and appearing in four Super Bowls. He finished his career with the Seattle Seahawks in 1979, amassing a total of 133.5 career sacks (an unofficial statistic at the time) and recovering 23 opponents' fumbles.

Paul Krause, DB, WAS 1964-67 & MIN 1968-79.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1986 on his 2nd Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998.

Paul Krause is widely recognized as one of the greatest safeties in NFL history, primarily known for his exceptional ball-hawking ability. Drafted in the second round by the Washington Redskins in 1964, he immediately made an impact by leading the entire NFL in interceptions with 12 during his rookie season, which earned him a First-Team All-Pro selection. In 1968, he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings, where he played the majority of his 16-season career (1964–1979). Krause holds the all-time NFL record for career interceptions with 81, accumulated across 226 games. He was a cornerstone of the Vikings' formidable defense, playing in all four of their Super Bowl appearances (IV, VIII, IX, and XI) and missing only two games due to injury throughout his career.

Charley Taylor, WR-SE-RB, WAS, 1964-77.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1986 on his 4th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1984.

One of the best college players at Arizona State, Charlie Taylor was a star baseball and football star as a Sun Devil.  On the gridiron, Taylor was the Third Overall Pick in 1963, which would transcend into a Hall of Fame career in Professional Football.

Taylor’s first four years were all Pro Bowl years, with the latter two leading the National Football League in Receptions. The Receiver/End had a 1,000 Receiving Yard plus year in 1966, and the season after he was a First Team All-Pro. 

Taylor remained with Washington for his entire career (until 1977), and he had another four-year run of Pro Bowls from 1972 to 1975. With Washington, Taylor put forth 9,110 Receiving Yards with 70 Touchdowns, which were great numbers for his era.

Charlie Sanders, TE, DET 1968-77.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1986 on his 4th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007.

Charlie Sanders might very well be the greatest Tight End in Detroit Lions history, especially when it comes to blocking.  As great as he was at blocking, he was equally adept as a receiver. Sanders was named to seven Pro Bowls and three First Team All-Pros and was close to 5,000 Yards Receiving.  Sanders was part of Detroit's first Pride of the Lions Class in 2009. 

Emmitt Thomas, DB, KAN 1966-78.  Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1986 on his 4th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

Emmitt Thomas is the franchise leader in Interceptions (58, one more than Johnny Robinson) and was a two-time league leader in that statistic (1969 & 1974).  Making a case as the greatest Cornerback in Chiefs history, Thomas played thirteen of his NFL seasons with Kansas City, and he was named to the AFL All-Star Team once (1968) and was a four-time Pro Bowl Selection (1971, 1972, 1974 & 1975), the last of which was First Team All-Pro worthy.  In that season, his league-leading 12 Interceptions were matched by a league-high 214 Interception Return Yards.  Thomas was a member of the Super Bowl IV-winning team and was also an AFL Champion in 1966.

Thomas would win two more Super Bowl rings as a Wide Receivers/Defensive Backs Coach with the Washington Redskins, and he was elected to the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1986.  This has been quite a career for an undrafted player from Bishop College.

Hank Stram, Coach, DTX/KC 1960-74 & HOU 1973-74.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1986 on his 7th Coach/Contributor Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

Hank Stram is best known for his influential 15-year tenure as the head coach of the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL), beginning with the Texans' inaugural season in 1960.  Lamar Hunt hired him and immediately found success, leading the Texans to the 1962 AFL championship. After the team moved to Kansas City and became the Chiefs, Stram continued to build a powerhouse, winning two more AFL championships in 1966 and 1969. This success led his teams to two Super Bowl appearances; they lost Super Bowl I but defeated the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV, a victory that gave the entire AFL credibility. Over his 15 seasons with the franchise, he compiled a regular-season record of 124-76-10.

1986 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 1985.

For “1986,” a Preliminary Vote with nearly 100 players whose playing career ended by 1980. 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 1986 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!

1986 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 41 years thus far.

For “1986,” a Preliminary Vote with close to 100 players whose playing career ended by 1980. We are also following the structure, where 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. 

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 1986 Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project.

1985 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 rhetorical question: What if the PFHOF began 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 we asked each voter to select 25 names as their semi-finalists and 5 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 40th 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 1985:

This is for the “Senior Era”, 

*Bold indicates they have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Class of 1985.

This is for the “Coaches/Contributors”, 

*Bold indicates they have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Class of 1985.

About the 1985 Inductees:

Roger Staubach, QB, DAL 1969-79: Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1985 on his 1st Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.

Roger Staubach was the 1963 Heisman Trophy winner, but as he was enrolled at the Naval Academy, he had to fulfill a military obligation before he would play football.  As such, he was a 27-year-old rookie in 1969, but despite the late start, Staubach would go on to have a Hall of Fame career.

Arguably, it was an even later start, as he did not take over as the team’s starting Quarterback in 1971, succeeding a slumping Craig Morton.  He won all 10 of his starts that year, and would finish first in Passer Rating (104.8), go to his first Pro Bowl, and take Dallas to their first Super Bowl Championship. 

A separated shoulder kept him on the shelf for most of 1972, and after two above-average years, Staubach went on a five-year streak of Pro Bowl Selections (1975-79).  This run saw Staubach lead the NFL twice in Passer Rating and win another Super Bowl Championship in the 1977 season.  In his last season, Staubach would have career-highs in Passing Yards (3,586) and Touchdown Passes (27), and he clearly could have kept playing had he so desired.

The QB retired with 22,700 Passing Yards and 153 Touchdown Passes, and was a first ballot inductee.

O.J. Simpson, RB, BUF 1969-77 & SFO 1978-79: Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1985 on his 1st Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.

While the first three years of O.J. Simpson’s professional career were basically average, he would explode the next five seasons, where he would explode for five consecutive First Team All-Pro nods as well as four Rushing Titles.   One of those titles included becoming the first Running Back in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season. 

The Buffalo Bills may not have had that much to cheer about during the 1970s, but Bills fans always had a reason to pack the stadium, knowing that they would likely see the “Juice” rush for over 100 Yards a game.  Simpson no longer holds the Bills' rushing record, but in his prime, he was one of the most explosive Running Backs in NFL history.  Simpson entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. 

Jim Tyrer, T, DTX 1961-62, KAN 1963-73 & WAS 1974.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1985 on his 6th Ballot.  Was never inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Jim Tyrer was definitely the top Offensive Lineman for the Kansas City Chiefs throughout the 1960s, and there is a case to be made that he was among the top tier in the AFL.  Tyrer was a First Team AFL All-Pro five times (and also a First Team All-Pro twice) and a vital part of the O-Line that protected Len Dawson for years.   Notably, he was a seven-time AFL All-Star, a two-time Pro Bowl winner, and part of three AFL Championship teams and the Super Bowl IV win.

We do have to mention, however, when discussing Tyrer, that while he could be considered an (actual) Hall of Fame snub, he killed his wife and himself after a bout of depression, which is now largely considered to be CTE.  He is a member of the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame, inducted in 1977.

Buck Buchanan, WR, OAK, 1963-75.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1985 on his 5th Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

Buck Buchanan was a proven force at Grambling; so much so that the Kansas City Chiefs made him the first overall draft pick in the 1963 AFL Draft, the first time a black player was chosen at that spot.

It was definitely the right call, as Buchanan would blossom into the leader of the Chiefs' front four.  Blessed with incredible speed, Buchanan seemed to improve annually throughout the 1960s.  Buchanan was named an AFL All-Star in 1964 and continued collecting that honor until 1969, when it was no longer offered and replaced by the Pro Bowl following the merger.  Not surprisingly, Buchanan went to the first two Pro Bowls that he was eligible for.

Where Buchanan excelled was breaking up plays before they even started.  The star Defensive Tackle had a breathtaking 16 batted balls in the 1967 season, and his overall ability helped the Chiefs win two AFL Titles and Super Bowl IV.

Joe Namath, QB, NYJ 1965-76 & RAM 1977.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1985 on his 3rd Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.

When you talk about any Hall of Fame, often the word that gets forgotten is the most important one: “Fame”.  There are few football players or athletes, for that matter, who achieved more fame than Joe Namath. 

Namath was the first overall pick in the AFL Draft, joining the New York Jets in 1965.  He became the face of the franchise and then the league, and he would lead the AFL in Passing Yards in 1966 and 1967.  In the first two Super Bowls, the AFL representatives were handily defeated by the Green Bay Packers, and with the Jets winning the AFL Title going into Super Bowl III, few thought they would beat the Baltimore Colts.  Namath disagreed and guaranteed that New York would prevail.  He was right, and Namath became the most popular player in football.

Namath played with the Jets until 1976, with a final year with the Los Angeles Rams.  The Quarterback’s stats look tame compared to the modern era and even against some of his peers, but Namath had no equals in terms of recognition.

Sid Gillman, Coach, RAM 1955-59, LAC 1960, SDG 1961-71 & HOU 1973-74.  Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project in 1985 on his 1st Coach/Contributor Ballot.  Inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983.

Sid Gillman was one of the first coaches to understand the value of the passing game, and his peers considered him one of the quickest thinkers in Football.

Gillman first coached on the pro level with the Los Angeles Rams in 1955, but his merit was proven far greater with the Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers of the AFL, the team he ran from 1960 to 1971.  Taking the Chargers to the playoffs five times, Gillman’s squad won the AFL Title in 1963, primarily due to Gillman’s innovation.  It is no stretch to say that Gillman’s work with the Chargers helped keep the league afloat.

He retired with a record of 122-99-7.

1985 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 1984.

For “1985,” a Preliminary Vote with nearly 100 players whose playing career ended by 1979. We are also following the structure, where 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 pick five from the remaining 15. We will continue this process every week until we catch up to the current year.

31 Votes took place, with the top fifteen 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 1985 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!

1985 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 40 years thus far.

For “1985,” a Preliminary Vote with close to 100 players whose playing career ended by 1979. We are also following the structure, where 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. 

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.

Please note that four voted for “None of the Above.”

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 1984 Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project.

1984 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 rhetorical question: What if the PFHOF began 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 we asked each voter to select 25 names as their semi-finalists and 5 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 39th 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 1984: