As one of the men who used to eagerly wait for the final undefeated team to lose every NFL season, Bob Kuechenberg was a staple on the famed Miami Dolphins O-Line.
As part of the Dolphins' two consecutive Super Bowl champions, Kuechenberg actually enjoyed better individual seasons after. Although he looked like a reject from the Longest Yard Prison Team (the original movie); Kuechenberg would enter into six Pro Bowl seasons. What he lacked in ability, he made up for in guile, technique and mistake-free football.
Kuechenberg was a finalist for eight years in a row, but in 2010, he failed to even make the Semi-Finals on the Hall of Fame ballot. Many from that legendary 72 Dolphins team are in the Hall (including a fellow lineman), and this may now work against him as it may be felt that that group has been sufficiently recognized. Throw in the fact that he was not the most liked man by sports media, his omission seems a little more clear.
Maxie Baughan had a successful eleven-year career in professional football, making the Pro Bowl for nine of those years. Despite this, he has not received the recognition he deserves from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Baughan started his career at Georgia Tech and played for the Philadelphia Eagles.
He was a key player in their championship-winning season in 1960, and his skills as a linebacker made him the team's best defender. He was named to the Pro Bowl five times and was a First Team All-Pro while playing for the Eagles. However, as the team's fortunes declined, Baughan was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in 1966.
Baughan continued to play well for the Rams, earning four consecutive Pro Bowl selections and four Second Team All-Pros from 1966 to 1970. He was a great fit for the team's Head Coach, George Allen, who knew how to make the most of Baughan's skills. After an injury-plagued 1970 season, Baughan retired but later rejoined Allen as a player-coach in 1974.
Baughan's acrimonious departure from the Eagles likely delayed his induction into their franchise Hall of Honor until 2015. It's unclear when he will be recognized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame.