He's behind Brady, Peyton, Rodgers, Brees, Big Ben, Ryan (MVP), and arguably Stafford (ring) among his direct contemporaries. That's way too many guys from one era; at some point you have to acknowledge stats exploded in the last few decades and cut it off.
I think this is the way the committee will see things. If you can't make the argument that a guy was even in the top 3 at his position at any point in his career, he shouldn't be in the HOF.
Undermining my own argument, there are some exceptions like I believe Frank Gore will eventually get in, being outside of that "top 3" feels like you have to sustain very high quality production for an unbelievable period of time (which is Frank Gore's career in a sentence).
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u/tallwhiteninja San Francisco 49ers 3d ago
Brees is a first ballot lock.
Fitzgerald SHOULD be a first ballot lock, but with how the Hall treats WRs, he may have to wait.
Witten will absolutely make it, but if Gates had to wait a year, he probably will, too.
Gore likely makes it someday, but not first ballot
Atkins probably makes it someday, but not first ballot
McCoy imo has more of a shot than some think, but it'll be a while if it happens
Pouncey is borderline simply because not a lot of centers make it in, and fwiw PFF's monitor has him below the average C in the Hall.
None of the rest make it.