Pro Football Hall of Fame: Michael Strahan and Derrick Brooks Inducted, Andre Reed Gets In Over Marvin Harrison
By Ty Duffy
Michael Strahan has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, despite Warren Sapp’s objections. He was a four-time All-Pro and averaged about 10 sacks per year over 14 seasons. Not sure what the argument against him is. Strahan will be joined by Derrick Brooks (11 Pro Bowls, five-time All-Pro in 14 seasons) and Walter Jones (9 Pro Bowls, four-time 1st-team All Pro in 12 seasons). Longtime Cardinals DB Aeneas Williams (Eight Pro Bowls, three-time All-Pro in 13 seasons) was also elected.
Hall of Fame Class of 2014: Ray Guy, Claude Humphrey, Derrick Brooks, Walter Jones, Andre Reed, Michael Strahan, Aeneas Williams.
— Tony Grossi (@TonyGrossi) February 2, 2014
Former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Andre Reed will be the most controversial selection. Marvin Harrison was eligible at his position with a far better résumé. So was Tim Brown, who put up better numbers as Reed’s direct contemporary. Reed went to seven Pro Bowls in 14 seasons, but was never named first-team All-Pro.
Ray Guy, widely acknowledged as the best punter of all-time, was nominated as well as a senior player. So was former Atlanta Falcons defensive end Claude Humphrey, who was named to five All-Pro teams in the 1970s.
The biggest omission, besides Harrison, was probably longtime Chiefs guard Will Shields (12 Pro Bowls in 14 seasons). Electing a guard just isn’t very sexy, apparently. John Lynch, Charles Haley and Jerome Bettis were also left off the ballot.
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[Photo via USA Today Sports]