Inductees are listed with a team if they played, or coached, or were an executive, with them for at least 4 seasons.
I have divided moved teams accordingly (i.e., Johnny Unitas never took a snap for the Indianapolis Colts). "Sure future Hall-of-Famers" are not included, because, as we have seen in baseball, there is no such thing anymore. Coaching/executive tenure is only counted if they were elected as such.
Ties in the rankings are broken by more players (as opposed to other categories), and then by time in the league (a team with 3 players in 50 years is ahead of one with 3 players in 80 years).
1. Chicago Bears, 28: George Halas (founder, owner, general manager, head coach, player), John "Paddy" Driscoll, George Trafton, Ed Healey, William "Link" Lyman, Red Grange, Bill Hewitt, Bronko Nagurski, George Musso, Dan Fortmann, Joe Stydahar, Sid Luckman, George McAfee, Clyde "Bulldog" Turner, George Connor, George Blanda, Bill George, Doug Atkins, Stan Jones, Mike Ditka (player & coach), Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers, Walter Payton, Alan Page, Richard Dent, Dan Hampton, Mike Singletary, Jim Finks (executive). I had previously forgotten to include Page, who played the last 4 seasons of his career with the Bears after starring for the Vikings.
2. Green Bay Packers, 24: Earl "Curly" Lambeau (founder, owner, executive, head coach, player), Cal Hubbard, John "Johnny Blood" McNally, Mike Michalske, Arnie Herber, Clarke Hinkle, Don Hutson, Tony Canadeo, Jim Ringo, Bart Starr, Forrest Gregg, Paul Hornung, Jim Taylor, Ray Nitschke, Henry Jordan, Willie Davis, Willie Wood, Herb Adderley, Dave Robinson, James Lofton, Jan Stenerud, Reggie White, Vince Lombardi (coach & executive), Ray Scott (broadcaster, later the main voice on CBS' NFL telecasts). Robinson's 2013 election means that 11 figures from the Lombardi Era, including Lombardi himself, are enshrined in Canton -- not counting Emlen Tunnell, who played the last 3 seasons of his career with the Packers and retired after the first title of the Lombardi Era, 1961.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers, 23: Walt Kiesling (also coach), John "Johnny Blood" McNally, Bill Dudley, Ernie Stautner, Jack Butler, John Henry Johnson, Bobby Layne, Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Mike Webster, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Mel Blount, Rod Woodson, Dermontti Dawson, Art Rooney (founder-owner), Dan Rooney (owner), Bert Bell (coach, later NFL Commissioner), Chuck Noll (coach), Myron Cope (broadcaster). While the Steelers were rarely competitive for their first 40 seasons, they did have a few players who were Hall-worthy, but note that 15 of the 23 were involved with the club during their 1972-79 dynasty.
4. Washington Redskins, 20: Cliff Battles, Turk Edwards (also coach), Wayne Millner, Sammy Baugh, Bobby Mitchell, Sonny Jurgensen, Charley Taylor, Sam Huff, Paul Krause, Chris Hanburger, Ken Houston, John Riggins, Art Monk, Russ Grimm, Darrell Green, Bruce Smith (last 4 years of his career as a Redskin), George Preston Marshall (founder & owner), Ray Flaherty (elected as a Giants player but coached 'Skins to 2 NFL titles so I'm counting him as one of theirs), George Allen (coach), Joe Gibbs (coach). Jurgensen and Huff have also been broadcasters for the team. Grimm is the only one of the "Hogs" yet elected, but Jeff Bostic and Joe Jacoby should also be elected.
5. New York Giants, 20: Ray Flaherty, Benny Friedman, Red Badgro, Mel Hein, Ken Strong, Alphonse "Tuffy" Leemans, Emlen Tunnell, Arnie Weinmeister, Frank Gifford, Roosevelt Brown, Sam Huff, Andy Robustelli, Y.A. Tittle, Fran Tarkenton, Harry Carson, Lawrence Taylor, Tim Mara (founder & owner), Steve Owen (elected as a coach, also a pretty good player for Giants), Wellington Mara (owner), Bill Parcells (coach). Gifford has also been elected as a broadcaster. So has Pat Summerall, but as a CBS & Fox broadcaster, not as a Giants player or broadcaster. Tom Landry was the first great defensive back to be only a defensive back, after the early 1950s shift to two-platoon football, and was the defensive coordinator on the Giants' 1956-63 contenders, but was elected to the Hall based on his coaching for the Cowboys, and thus can't be counted here. George Young, the architect of the Giants' 1986 & '90 NFL Champions, has not yet been elected.
6. Cleveland Browns, 16: Otto Graham, Marion Motley, Lou Groza, Dante Lavelli, Bill Willis, Frank Gatski, Len Ford, Mike McCormack, Jim Brown, Bobby Mitchell, Gene Hickerson, Leroy Kelly, Paul Warfield, Joe DeLamiellure and Ozzie Newsome, Paul Brown (coach-executive). It says something about this franchise that there have been no players who have played so much as a down for them since 1990 that can be called a Browns' HOFer -- and only DeLamielleure and Newsome have played for them since 1977. And yet, look at just what they produced in the 1940s and '50s. And that doesn't include players they let get away, like Doug Atkins, Henry Jordan, Willie Davis, Len Dawson, and (while they both played long enough for the Browns to be counted with them) Mitchell and Warfield. Maybe that's the real reason Art Modell isn't in the Hall: It's not that he moved the original Browns, and screwed the people of Northern Ohio, it's that he was a bad owner. (Though, to be fair, his firing of Paul Brown and installation of Blanton Collier in 1962 did bring the 1964 NFL Championship, Cleveland's last title in any sport.)
7. Dallas Cowboys, 16: Bob Lilly, Mel Renfro, Bob Hayes, Rayfield Wright, Mike Ditka, Roger Staubach, Randy White, Tony Dorsett, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Deion Sanders, Larry Allen, Tom Landry (coach), Bill Parcells (coach), Tex Schramm (executive). Parcells did coach them for 4 seasons, so that counts. Don Meredith was elected as a broadcaster, but was never a broadcaster specifically for the Cowboys. A case can be made that he deserves election as a player.
8. Oakland Raiders, 15: Jim Otto, Fred Biletnikoff, George Blanda, Gene Upshaw, Willie Brown, Art Shell, Dave Casper, Ted Hendricks, Mike Haynes, Howie Long, Marcus Allen, Jerry Rice, Warren Sapp, John Madden (coach), Al Davis (owner-coach). Note that I’m making an exception to my one-city-only rule for the Raiders, treating them as a continuous Oakland franchise, since they did return, even though their Los Angeles edition became a cultural icon (and not for good reasons). Madden has also been elected as a broadcaster. Rice and Sapp were there for 4 seasons, so they count. (I had previously neglected to include Sapp as a Raider.)
9. San Francisco 49ers, 14: Bob St. Clair, Y.A. Tittle, Joe "the Jet" Perry, Leo Nomellini, Hugh McElhenny, John Henry Johnson, Dave Wilcox, Jimmy Johnson, Joe Montana, Fred Dean, Ronnie Lott, Jerry Rice and Steve Young, Bill Walsh (coach). Tittle, Perry, McElhenny and John Henry Johnson are the only entire backfield that all played together to all be elected to the Hall; although they were only all together for one season, 1954, and the Niners didn't make the Playoffs, they were known as the $100,000 Backfield. The Jimmy Johnson listed above was a black cornerback in the 1960s and '70s, and should not be confused with the white coach for the Cowboys -- although this Jimmy Johnson, unlike the coach, was actually born in Dallas. Rickey Jackson only played 2 seasons for the Niners, but he did win his only ring with them. Deion Sanders played only 1 season for them, but got a ring. From their 1980s champions, Dwight Clark, Roger Craig, Randy Cross, Guy McIntyre, Harris Barton, Charles Haley and Ken Norton Jr. have not been elected, but all are worth consideration, and Craig and Haley absolutely should be in.
Los Angeles Rams, 14: Bob Waterfield, Tom Fears, Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch, Norm Van Brocklin, Les Richter, Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen, Tom Mack, Jackie Slater, Jack Youngblood, Eric Dickerson, George Allen (coach), Dan Reeves (owner, not to be confused with the Denver/Atlanta coach), Dick Enberg (broadcaster). Joe Stydahar coached the Rams to their only NFL Championship in Los Angeles, 1951, but was elected as a player, not a coach, and so can't be counted as a Rams' Hall-of-Famer.
10. Kansas City Chiefs, 14: Bobby Bell, Len Dawson, Willie Lanier, Buck Buchanan, Emmitt Thomas, Curley Culp, Jan Stenerud, Derrick Thomas, Marcus Allen, Willie Roaf, Hank Stram (coach), Mary Levy (coach), Lamar Hunt (founder-owner), Charlie Jones (broadcaster, did Dallas Texans/K.C. Chiefs games before becoming the main voice for NBC's AFL and then AFC broadcasts). Dawson has also been elected as a broadcaster.
11. Detroit Lions, 13: Dutch Clark (also coach), Jack Christiansen, Bobby Layne, Doak Walker, Yale Lary, Alex Wojciechowicz, Lou Creekmur, Dick "Night Train" Lane, Joe Schmidt (also coach), Lem Barney, Dick LeBeau, Charlie Sanders and Barry Sanders (no relation to each other). Although he played for their 1935 NFL Champions and coached them to the 1952 and '53 titles, Buddy Parker is not in the Hall. It says something about this franchise that there has been only one player (Barry Sanders) who has played so much as a down for them since 1977 that can be called a Lions' HOFer.
12. Philadelphia Eagles, 12: Steve Van Buren, Alex Wojciechowicz, Pete Pihos, Chuck Bednarik, Sonny Jurgensen, Tommy McDonald, Norm Van Brocklin, Bob Brown, Jim Ringo, Reggie White, Greasy Neale (coach), Bert Bell (founder-owner-coach, later NFL Commissioner). Van Brocklin only played 3 seasons for the Eagles, but he was the quarterback on their last NFL Championship team, 1960, and then he retired, despite being only 34 years old, so I'm bending the rule to count him. It says something about this franchise that there has been only one player (Reggie White) who has played so much as a down for them since 1968 that can be called an Eagles' HOFer -- although Art Monk, James Lofton and Richard Dent briefly played for the team. Irv Cross was elected as a media personality, but, while he made 2 Pro Bowls as an Eagle cornerback, he is not in the Hall as a player.
10. Kansas City Chiefs, 14: Bobby Bell, Len Dawson, Willie Lanier, Buck Buchanan, Emmitt Thomas, Curley Culp, Jan Stenerud, Derrick Thomas, Marcus Allen, Willie Roaf, Hank Stram (coach), Mary Levy (coach), Lamar Hunt (founder-owner), Charlie Jones (broadcaster, did Dallas Texans/K.C. Chiefs games before becoming the main voice for NBC's AFL and then AFC broadcasts). Dawson has also been elected as a broadcaster.
11. Detroit Lions, 13: Dutch Clark (also coach), Jack Christiansen, Bobby Layne, Doak Walker, Yale Lary, Alex Wojciechowicz, Lou Creekmur, Dick "Night Train" Lane, Joe Schmidt (also coach), Lem Barney, Dick LeBeau, Charlie Sanders and Barry Sanders (no relation to each other). Although he played for their 1935 NFL Champions and coached them to the 1952 and '53 titles, Buddy Parker is not in the Hall. It says something about this franchise that there has been only one player (Barry Sanders) who has played so much as a down for them since 1977 that can be called a Lions' HOFer.
12. Philadelphia Eagles, 12: Steve Van Buren, Alex Wojciechowicz, Pete Pihos, Chuck Bednarik, Sonny Jurgensen, Tommy McDonald, Norm Van Brocklin, Bob Brown, Jim Ringo, Reggie White, Greasy Neale (coach), Bert Bell (founder-owner-coach, later NFL Commissioner). Van Brocklin only played 3 seasons for the Eagles, but he was the quarterback on their last NFL Championship team, 1960, and then he retired, despite being only 34 years old, so I'm bending the rule to count him. It says something about this franchise that there has been only one player (Reggie White) who has played so much as a down for them since 1968 that can be called an Eagles' HOFer -- although Art Monk, James Lofton and Richard Dent briefly played for the team. Irv Cross was elected as a media personality, but, while he made 2 Pro Bowls as an Eagle cornerback, he is not in the Hall as a player.
13. Minnesota Vikings, 12: Fran Tarkenton, Carl Eller, Alan Page, Paul Krause, Ron Yary, Chris Doleman, Gary Zimmerman, Randall McDaniel, Cris Carter, John Randle, Bud Grant (coach), Jim Finks (executive). Warren Moon was only there for 3 seasons.
14. Buffalo Bills, 10: Billy Shaw, O.J. Simpson (had to list him), Joe DeLamiellure, James Lofton, Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, Marv Levy (coach), Ralph Wilson (owner) and Van Miller (broadcaster).
Houston Oilers, 10: George Blanda, Curley Culp, Elvin Bethea, Earl Campbell, Dave Casper, Ken Houston, Charlie Joiner, Warren Moon, Mike Munchak, Bruce Matthews.
Baltimore Colts, 10: Art Donovan, Raymond Berry, Gino Marchetti, Johnny Unitas, Lenny Moore, Jim Parker, John Mackey, Ted Hendricks, Weeb Ewbank (coach), Don Shula (coach).
Chicago Cardinals, 9: Jimmy Conzelman, Paddy Driscoll, Guy Chamberlin, Ernie Nevers, Walt Kiesling, Charley Trippi, Ollie Matson, Dick "Night Train" Lane, Charles Bidwill (owner). Conzelman, Driscoll and Kiesling were also head coaches for the Cards.
16. New England Patriots, 7: Nick Buoniconti, John Hannah, Mike Haynes, Andre Tippett, Curtis Martin, Bill Parcells (coach) and Don Criqui (broadcaster). This counts players from their AFL days, when they were officially the Boston Patriots.
Canton Bulldogs, 6: Jim Thorpe, Guy Chamberlin, Joe Guyon, Pete Henry, William "Link" Lyman, Earl "Greasy" Neale.
18. Denver Broncos, 5: Willie Brown, Floyd Little, John Elway, Shannon Sharpe, Gary Zimmerman. Longtime owner Pat Bowlen and 3-time AFC Champion coach Dan Reeves have never been elected, but should be.
19. New York Jets, 5: Don Maynard, Joe Namath, John Riggins, Curtis Martin, Bill Parcells (coach-executive). Although the Big Tuna only coached the Jets for 3 seasons, he was an executive with them for 4 seasons, and thus meets my qualification for a Jet HOFer.
St. Louis Cardinals, 4: Larry Wilson, Dan Dierdorf, Jackie Smith, Roger Wehrli. Dierdorf has also been elected as a broadcaster, although not specifically with the Cardinals.
Duluth Eskimos, 3: Walt Kiesling, John "Johnny Blood" McNally, Ernie Nevers.
20. Cincinnati Bengals, 3: Charlie Joiner, Anthony Munoz, Paul Brown (founder-owner-coach).
21. Baltimore Ravens, 3: Rod Woodson, Jonathan Ogden, Ozzie Newsome. Newsome was elected as a Cleveland Browns player, but has been a masterful executive for the franchise since the move, so I'm including him as a Brown and a Raven.
22. New Orleans Saints, 3: Rickey Jackson, Willie Roaf, Jim Finks (executive). Mike Ditka was Saints coach for 3 seasons and Tom Fears for 4, but neither was elected as a coach so they can't be included here anyway. Same for Hank Stram, who was elected as a coach, but only coached the Saints for 2 seasons.
Frankford Yellow Jackets (Philadelphia), 2: Guy Chamberlin, William "Link" Lyman. The 1926 NFL Champions should also have Russell "Bull" Behman and Henry "Two-Bits" Homan -- a big guy by the standards of the time, and a little guy who was the NFL's answer to Wee Willie Keeler -- in the Hall. But both died in the early 1950s, so neither was able to speak on his own behalf since the 1962 founding of NFL Films.
Providence Steam Roller, 2: Jimmy Conzelman (player & coach), Frederick "Fritz" Pollard.
24. Seattle Seahawks, 2: Steve Largent, Cortez Kennedy.
25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2: Lee Roy Selmon, Warren Sapp.
Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL 1930-1948), 2: Clarence “Ace” Parker, Frank "Bruiser" Kinard.
26. Tennessee Titans, 1: Bruce Matthews. He only played 3 years as a “Tennessee Titan,” but counting 2 as a “Tennessee Oiler,” he qualifies for the Titans. His brother, Clay Matthews Jr. of the Browns and Falcons, is not in the Hall, but should be. Bruce's nephew, Clay Matthews III of the Packers, might be a future HOFer. (Clay Sr. played for the 49ers in the 1950s, but wasn't HOF quality.)
27. St. Louis Rams, 1: Marshall Faulk.
28. Atlanta Falcons, 1: Deion Sanders.
29. Houston Texans, none. Not surprising, as they are the newest franchise. While the Texans have made the Playoffs the last 2 seasons, it's not clear who their first HOFer would be.
30. Carolina Panthers, none: Not surprising, as they are one of the 4 newest franchises -- 3 if you count the Browns as an established team (and you should, even if they have looked like an expansion team). Mike McCormack was an executive with them, but that’s as close as they come. Reggie White, who played for them in 2000 and died in 2004, is their only former player thus far inducted. Perhaps Sam Mills might end up being their first elected HOFer.
31. Jacksonville Jaguars, none: Also one of the 4 newest franchises. I have no idea who their first HOFer would be.
32. Arizona Cardinals, none: Emmitt Smith wasn’t with them long enough. Kurt Warner was with them for 5 seasons, so he would make it if he is elected, and he might well be.
1 comment:
For the history the Broncos have, they should have more HOFers, like Steve Atwater and Randy Gradishar. Terrell Davis may have an outside shot as well.
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