Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I am surprised to see no discussion of Bryant Young, who is a finalist for this year's Hall of Fame class.
Does no one consider him worthy of enshrinement? Or even discussion?!

Young was a four time pro-bowler, one time All-Pro (at least, depending on how you count it), one-time Super Bowl Champion and was selected to the NFL's 1990's decade team. For the unsung defensive tackle position that is a decent amount of honors.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... unBr00.htm

A search of the PFJ site reveals some interesting articles involving BY:
https://nflfootballjournal.blogspot.com ... ungdo.html
https://nflfootballjournal.blogspot.com ... lines.html
https://nflfootballjournal.blogspot.com ... -fame.html

Young was also the Comeback Player of the Year in 1999, 3x second-team all-pro, and the ROY in 1994.

I think he surely has the credentials for the PFHOF.

89.5 sacks too.

would bet money he is in FInal 10.

After that?

Anyone's guess. Could sneak in---

I have the 1998 Sporting News magazine yearbook where they evaluated the 1994 NFL Draft, and said (back then) that if that Draft was going to be done again after four seasons, Young should have been the first overall pick (ahead of Marshall Faulk and Larry Allen, among others).

Personally, I would choose Young over Richard Seymour but Seymour, like Dan Hampton and Joe Klecko, was a much respected, versatile lineman who played everywhere and had to be accounted for.
Besides, with the incredible winning success of the Patriots during the 2001-2010 decade, the team deserves another defender making the HOF besides Ty Law. Rodney Harrison and Willie McGinest have strong cases as well but are also considered borderline due to light accolades. On offense, OT Matt Light is in the same boat as those two ...

Brian wolf wrote:Personally, I would choose Young over Richard Seymour but Seymour, like Dan Hampton and Joe Klecko, was a much respected, versatile lineman who played everywhere and had to be accounted for.
Besides, with the incredible winning success of the Patriots during the 2001-2010 decade, the team deserves another defender making the HOF besides Ty Law. Rodney Harrison and Willie McGinest have strong cases as well but are also considered borderline due to light accolades. On offense, OT Matt Light is in the same boat as those two ...

I can agree with Seymour being inducted. I think he was superior to others during his time like Jared Allen, Dwight Freeney, Justin Smith, John Abraham, etc.

The thing about the Patriots defenses from that era... they did not have one or two superior players. It was a unit of guys who were good that played really well together. They weren't the 1969 KC Chiefs or '70s Steelers who had a bunch of HOFers.

Once Seymour gets elected, it may shut the door on other cases like Harrison, McGinest, Light and Bruschi but McGinest was perhaps the most versatile LB/DE I have seen other than Seau. He was second all-time in postseason sacks to Harvey Martin but officially first. In his first AFC Championship game he had his way with 2022 HOF-elect Tony Boselli ...

^It may be a matter of time for Seymour, just like it was for Faneca, Hutchinson, etc.

But I don't see any of those other players you named - Harrison, Light, McGinest - as HOF players. Maybe HOVG. I also don't think Bruschi or Mike Vrabel were either.

Wow Sluggermatt15 ... not even Harrison ? I felt Harrison was the MVP of the 2004/05 SB

Brian wolf wrote:Wow Sluggermatt15 ... not even Harrison ? I felt Harrison was the MVP of the 2004/05 SB

No I do not. A Super Bowl MVP does not equal HOF. Hines Ward was a Super Bowl MVP and he is not in the PFHOF. So was Julian Edelman. He is nowhere near it.

Harrison is maybe HOVG.