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SPTO · 03-09-2015, 12:24 PM

Close but no cigar IMO.

ThreeKing · 03-09-2015, 04:14 PM

Lance Briggs??

ProfessaPackMan · 03-09-2015, 05:05 PM

Jimmy Graham ain't changing the TE position man, stop with that. Gates and Gonzalez were doing that well before Gronk and Graham "revolutionized" the position.

55 · 03-09-2015, 05:16 PM

Willis - yes. Just not on the first ballot or two. He was the absolute best at his position for more than half a decade. The only reason it won't be on the first ballot is due to retiring too soon.

Briggs - no. He's close, but he only had two truly great seasons and was still not as good as 55 was at the same position.

bigbob · 03-09-2015, 05:26 PM

If Willis played for 10-years, he'd be a first ballot Hall-of-Famer. He's one of the best, IMO, to ever play the position. However, the lack of years, he won't be a first ballot but I do believe he's an eventual Hall-of-Famer.

ggsimmonds · 03-09-2015, 05:27 PM

Came here to see what folks were saying about Willis.

I'm conflicted on this one.

On one hand, one of my requirements is that a player was considered among the very best at his position for a length of time. I think Willis meets that requirement. He was 6x all-pro. Other guys in the HOF did not reach that.

Lets look at this years class and all-pro accolades*.
Bettis: 3x
Brown: 1x
Haley: 2x
Seau: 10x (first ballot)
Shields: 7x

* Not making a distinction between 1st team and 2nd*
I know it will be said that all-pro is not the end all criteria, but for me it may be one of the most important.

Basically Willis has been voted as a top ILB since coming into the league. That counts for something.

On the other hand, you do need more than that. He was never defensive player of the year (not even sure what the highest he finished was), never really put up a historical type season, and his career stats will not measure up.

Will we remember him 20 years from now? I'm not so sure.

wwharton · 03-09-2015, 05:28 PM

Really need to give up on the Lynch thing, man. You came in here to basically argue with everybody else while searching for any glimmer of him possibly being considered. This isn't the NBA. In the NFL, he has not done enough to be in the HOF.

LowerWolf · 03-09-2015, 05:38 PM

Willis is my favorite Niner after the Montana-Lott-Rice-Young glory days, so I'm biased.

My initial reaction was he needed a few more years to get in. But he's so well respected, I think he eventually gets in, despite the abbreviated career.

Without looking it up, I think Witten has the numbers to get in as well.

03-09-2015, 12:24 PM	#257
SPTO binging OVR: 53 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: The 905 Posts: 68,062 Blog Entries: 46	Re: Is (Insert Player Here) A Hall of Famer? Close but no cigar IMO. __________________ Member of the Official OS Bills Backers Club "Baseball is the most important thing that doesn't matter at all" - Robert B. Parker

03-09-2015, 04:14 PM	#258
ThreeKing Banned OVR: 27 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Chicago, IL. Posts: 5,855	Re: Is (Insert Player Here) A Hall of Famer? Lance Briggs??

03-09-2015, 05:05 PM	#259
ProfessaPackMan Bamma OVR: 36 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: DC/MD Posts: 63,869 Blog Entries: 3	Re: Is (Insert Player Here) A Hall of Famer? Jimmy Graham ain't changing the TE position man, stop with that. Gates and Gonzalez were doing that well before Gronk and Graham "revolutionized" the position. __________________ #RespectTheCulture

03-09-2015, 05:16 PM	#260
55 Banned OVR: 55 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 20,877	Re: Is (Insert Player Here) A Hall of Famer? Willis - yes. Just not on the first ballot or two. He was the absolute best at his position for more than half a decade. The only reason it won't be on the first ballot is due to retiring too soon. Briggs - no. He's close, but he only had two truly great seasons and was still not as good as 55 was at the same position. bigbob likes this.

03-09-2015, 05:26 PM	#261
bigbob MVP OVR: 28 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Inwood, West Virginia Posts: 10,474	Re: Is (Insert Player Here) A Hall of Famer? If Willis played for 10-years, he'd be a first ballot Hall-of-Famer. He's one of the best, IMO, to ever play the position. However, the lack of years, he won't be a first ballot but I do believe he's an eventual Hall-of-Famer. 55 likes this. __________________ -- Have you ever wanted to coach or play basketball at the next level, but something prevented you from achieving that dream? Fret no more. Ask me about SimWorld Hoops to see how you can create your virtual self, and follow your path from the prep-level to the pros. *#SeeTheGameBeTheGame*

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03-09-2015, 05:27 PM	#262
ggsimmonds Hall Of Fame OVR: 7 Join Date: Jan 2009	Re: Is (Insert Player Here) A Hall of Famer? Came here to see what folks were saying about Willis. I'm conflicted on this one. On one hand, one of my requirements is that a player was considered among the very best at his position for a length of time. I think Willis meets that requirement. He was 6x all-pro. Other guys in the HOF did not reach that. Lets look at this years class and all-pro accolades. Bettis: 3x Brown: 1x Haley: 2x Seau: 10x (first ballot) Shields: 7x Not making a distinction between 1st team and 2nd* I know it will be said that all-pro is not the end all criteria, but for me it may be one of the most important. Basically Willis has been voted as a top ILB since coming into the league. That counts for something. On the other hand, you do need more than that. He was never defensive player of the year (not even sure what the highest he finished was), never really put up a historical type season, and his career stats will not measure up. Will we remember him 20 years from now? I'm not so sure.

03-09-2015, 05:28 PM	#263
wwharton ll Str OVR: 28 Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 26,978	Re: Is (Insert Player Here) A Hall of Famer? Really need to give up on the Lynch thing, man. You came in here to basically argue with everybody else while searching for any glimmer of him possibly being considered. This isn't the NBA. In the NFL, he has not done enough to be in the HOF. bigbob and 55 like this.

03-09-2015, 05:38 PM	#264
LowerWolf Hall Of Fame OVR: 19 Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 12,260	Re: Is (Insert Player Here) A Hall of Famer? Willis is my favorite Niner after the Montana-Lott-Rice-Young glory days, so I'm biased. My initial reaction was he needed a few more years to get in. But he's so well respected, I think he eventually gets in, despite the abbreviated career. Without looking it up, I think Witten has the numbers to get in as well.

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