Wilber Marshall

Discuss candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the PFRA's Hall of Very Good
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RyanChristiansen
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Wilber Marshall

Post by RyanChristiansen »

Wilber Marshall, who played outside linebacker, played 12 seasons in the NFL (1984-1995), the first four with the Chicago Bears (1984-1987), the next five with the Washington Redskins (1988-1992), and then one year apiece with the Houston Oilers (1993), Arizona Cardinals (1994), and New York Jets (1995). Marshall was named to the Pro Bowl three times and was an all-pro twice. He has two Super Bowl rings, including with the 1985 Bears and the 1991 Redskins. According to Pro Football Reference's Approximate Value calculation, only Hall-of-Famer Lawrence Taylor had more approximate value than Marshall during the span of Marshall's career, and Marshall ranked higher than Hall-of-Famers Ricky Jackson and Andre Tippett and also Clay Matthews, who is up for Hall of Very Good consideration this year. See the following link for an explanation of the Approximate Value calculation.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... _value.htm
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ChrisBabcock
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Re: Wilber Marshall

Post by ChrisBabcock »

His career AV is skewed by an otherworldly score of 23 in 1986. :shock:
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GameBeforeTheMoney
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Re: Wilber Marshall

Post by GameBeforeTheMoney »

Can't say enough about Wilber Marshall. I'd put him in the HOF if I could. Huge part of two great Super Bowl-winning defenses. Very impactful player who hit hard. The NFL put in a rule after a hit he put on Troy Aikman. The guy simply made plays and didn't make very many mistakes.

Also -- some of you are old enough to remember this and if you're younger it might be hard to believe -- he was the first NFL player to sign with a new team as a free agent in over 10 years when he signed with Washington before the (I think) 1988 season.
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Gary Najman
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Re: Wilber Marshall

Post by Gary Najman »

GameBeforeTheMoney wrote:Can't say enough about Wilber Marshall. I'd put him in the HOF if I could. Huge part of two great Super Bowl-winning defenses. Very impactful player who hit hard. The NFL put in a rule after a hit he put on Troy Aikman. The guy simply made plays and didn't make very many mistakes.

Also -- some of you are old enough to remember this and if you're younger it might be hard to believe -- he was the first NFL player to sign with a new team as a free agent in over 10 years when he signed with Washington before the (I think) 1988 season.
I agree, he was hurt having Lawrence Taylor playing the same position and gathering most of the the Pro Bowls/All-Pros during that time. I have a 1980 College Football magazine when he was still playing at Astronaut High School in Florida, where he was the top ranked high school player in the country, and he played tight end and placekicker as well.
Brian wolf
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Re: Wilber Marshall

Post by Brian wolf »

Like I said in another thread, Marshall reminds me of Isiah Robertson. They both had great talent but didnt always play up to their ability. Still, both were part of great defenses and linebackers like Taylor, Jackson, Tippett and Swilling got accolades that could have went to Marshall ...
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Bryan
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Re: Wilber Marshall

Post by Bryan »

Brian wolf wrote:Like I said in another thread, Marshall reminds me of Isiah Robertson. They both had great talent but didnt always play up to their ability. Still, both were part of great defenses and linebackers like Taylor, Jackson, Tippett and Swilling got accolades that could have went to Marshall ...
I would disagree with that statement. For one, Wilber Marshall was much more of a physical force than Robertson. Earl Campbell wouldn't have trucked Marshall like he did Robertson. As for not always playing up to his ability, I would say that it was more of Marshall switching systems...he always played well in his prime and could do everything well. He wasn't an edge rusher (although he was very good when allowed) so he didn't ring up the sacks/pro bowls of other linebackers. It's funny to me that Marshall was the most dynamic player on that 1985 Bears defense for that 1985 season...yet he didn't even go to the pro bowl (thank you EJ Junior & Jim Collins)!

I think if Marshall had played for the Bears his entire career, he might have had a better shot at having a HOF resume because he was able to freelance more. He didn't have the longevity due in part to his physical style, and I think that really hurts him when it comes to the HOF, but I think Marshall definitely was a HOF-talent at OLB.
Brian wolf
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Re: Wilber Marshall

Post by Brian wolf »

It was funny listening to Jim Brown watching that great Campbell highlight play against Robertson, who I have seen crunch offensive players as well but Brown didnt hesitate comparing Campbell to Dorsett ...

Whats your take on the elections of Riley and Klecko, Bryan ? I know how you feel about Riley but whats your take on this year's senior process ?
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Bryan
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Re: Wilber Marshall

Post by Bryan »

Brian wolf wrote:It was funny listening to Jim Brown watching that great Campbell highlight play against Robertson, who I have seen crunch offensive players as well but Brown didnt hesitate comparing Campbell to Dorsett ...

Whats your take on the elections of Riley and Klecko, Bryan ? I know how you feel about Riley but whats your take on this year's senior process ?
Klecko is tricky, because I know Dr. Z would always go to bat for the guy, but IMO Dr. Z's analysis on players was almost always spot-on except for the guys who played for the Jets. Dr. Z tended to be over-the-top in either his praise or criticism of Jet players. I don't really remember Klecko as being a standout player...he was more like the "glue guy" that held things together. Gastineau was the standout, IMO. I wouldn't have put Klecko (or Riley) in the HOF, but I would be open to arguments on Klecko.
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Re: Wilber Marshall

Post by JuggernautJ »

Bryan wrote:
Brian wolf wrote:It was funny listening to Jim Brown watching that great Campbell highlight play against Robertson, who I have seen crunch offensive players as well but Brown didnt hesitate comparing Campbell to Dorsett ...

Whats your take on the elections of Riley and Klecko, Bryan ? I know how you feel about Riley but whats your take on this year's senior process ?
Klecko is tricky, because I know Dr. Z would always go to bat for the guy, but IMO Dr. Z's analysis on players was almost always spot-on except for the guys who played for the Jets. Dr. Z tended to be over-the-top in either his praise or criticism of Jet players. I don't really remember Klecko as being a standout player...he was more like the "glue guy" that held things together. Gastineau was the standout, IMO. I wouldn't have put Klecko (or Riley) in the HOF, but I would be open to arguments on Klecko.
There are some who might opine that Gastineau looked like the standout because Klecko, the "glue guy", was doing the dirty work in the trenches and freeing up Gastineau to make the highlight reel plays.
JWL
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Re: Wilber Marshall

Post by JWL »

JuggernautJ wrote:
Bryan wrote:
Brian wolf wrote:It was funny listening to Jim Brown watching that great Campbell highlight play against Robertson, who I have seen crunch offensive players as well but Brown didnt hesitate comparing Campbell to Dorsett ...

Whats your take on the elections of Riley and Klecko, Bryan ? I know how you feel about Riley but whats your take on this year's senior process ?
Klecko is tricky, because I know Dr. Z would always go to bat for the guy, but IMO Dr. Z's analysis on players was almost always spot-on except for the guys who played for the Jets. Dr. Z tended to be over-the-top in either his praise or criticism of Jet players. I don't really remember Klecko as being a standout player...he was more like the "glue guy" that held things together. Gastineau was the standout, IMO. I wouldn't have put Klecko (or Riley) in the HOF, but I would be open to arguments on Klecko.
There are some who might opine that Gastineau looked like the standout because Klecko, the "glue guy", was doing the dirty work in the trenches and freeing up Gastineau to make the highlight reel plays.
As a young Jets fan, I experienced Klecko's last few years. My father loved Klecko and found him better than Gastineau. As an older fan now and after watching games and reading comments written about these two players I do believe Klecko was better and more deserving of the Jets Ring of Honor and potentially the PFHoF.
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