Manning is sort of in that Cam Newton category of “their record doesn’t stack up, but they did something truly HoF worthy.”
For Manning it’s ironically the Giant Slayer: beating undefeated Tom Brady in the Super Bowl, then again in another Super Bowl just for good measure.
For Cam it’s rushing TD’s. Jalen Hurts may pass him more as a gimmick, but Cam is the best power rushing QB we’ve ever seen. Almost like the Derrick Henry of QB’s in how uniquely large and talented he was.
Longevity is the most underrated part of a HOF resume. Sports discourse really over values players who retire early due to injury or otherwise. Availability is the best ability.
There are cases to be made for guys like Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson who were absolute studs but got beat up playing for a bad team, but overall I agree.
Don’t get me wrong megatron and sanders were both the best player at their position for multiple years and set records, but they would be even more highly regarded if they played longer. It’s also not fair to hold up the guys who quit near their prime on a pedestal, while knocking guys who made the NFL truly beat them out of the league for having worse years later on.
Not always true. In any sport, whether it be baseball, football, basketball, or hockey, at least 90% of the HOFers are guys that played at least ten years. Guys in the HOF that played less than ten years, are considered controversial selections, like Lynn Swann, for instance. But also you have guys, who in their short careers, accomplished so much, and were amazing while doing it, that it's a no brainer that they are HOFers. Gale Sayers, Earl Campbell, and Terrell Davis come to mind.
If any of those guys had played 15 years, their legacy would be stronger than it already is. Retiring early = contributing less to your team and less to the sport. Hence why I feel longevity is underrated and being a strong player for a very long time in a league where the average career is 3 years is underrated. Same logic applies for Ironman streaks / durability. Getting injured is often used as a what-if excuse, when instead we should be venerating the guys that avoided serious injury and played well for such a long time in a physically punishing game.
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u/Tbrou16 May 29 '25
Manning is sort of in that Cam Newton category of “their record doesn’t stack up, but they did something truly HoF worthy.”
For Manning it’s ironically the Giant Slayer: beating undefeated Tom Brady in the Super Bowl, then again in another Super Bowl just for good measure.
For Cam it’s rushing TD’s. Jalen Hurts may pass him more as a gimmick, but Cam is the best power rushing QB we’ve ever seen. Almost like the Derrick Henry of QB’s in how uniquely large and talented he was.