Bill Parcells goes into the coaches category. Parcells coached four different teams during his career in the NFL, and has been a football coach in either college or the NFL from 1964 until he finally retired for good from coaching in 2009. During his stint in the NFL, Parcells was the defensive coordinator for the 1979 Giants, linebacker coach for the 1980 New England Patriots, then joined the Giants staff in 1981 and was defensive coordinator from 1981-1982 and from 1983-1990 was the Giants head coach, winning two Super Bowls. He then went on to become head coach of the New England Patriots from 1993-1997, then became head coach of the New York Jets from 1997-1999. Parcells then stepped away from the game for four years, returning again as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys from 2003-2006. Parcells ended his tenure in the NFL as a consultant for the Miami Dolphins from 2008-2010. As a head coach, Bill Parcells went 172-130-1 during the regular season and 11-8 in the playoffs, and he won AP coach of the year twice. He is the only coach going into the hall this season, the first coach to be inducted into the hall since John Madden got in back in 2006. Very deserving honor indeed.
This year we have two offensive linemen going into the hall, Larry Allen and Jonathan Ogden. Larry Allen played for two teams during his 13 year NFL career. First up was an eleven year span playing for the Dallas Cowboys from 1994-2005, then the final two years in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers from 2006-2007. Allen was the starting guard on the Dallas Cowboys on their 1996 championship team. Allen played 203 games over his 14 year career, appearing in 203 total games, eleven pro bowls and was a seven time all pro and was also a member of the all decade teams for the 1990's and 2000's. Allen played in more pro bowls than any other offensive player in Dallas Cowboys history and is considered one of the greatest guards in the history of the game. Jonathan Ogden also got the call for the hall this year, after a impressive twelve year career playing for the Baltimore Ravens from 1996-2007. Ogden is tied for the tallest player in the history of the league at 6'9, played his entire career at Left Tackle in Baltimore, winning one superbowl with the 2001 Ravens. He was a nine time all pro and an eleven time pro bowler, and also picked up the award for Offensive Lineman of the year in 2002. Another distinguished player deserved of induction into the football hall of fame.
Next up we have the lone defensive linemen to be inducted into the hall this year, that being Warren Sapp. Sapp played defensive tackle for 13 years in the NFL, playing for the Tampa bay Buccaneers from 1995-2003 and the Oakland Raiders from 2004-2007. Sapp played in 198 games over his career, earning the all pro honor four times and played in seven pro bowls and winning one superbowl with the Bucs in 2003. Sapp holds the Tampa Bay record for career sacks as part of the 96.5 he had during his career. Warren had a huge impact on the game. During his career he also contributed points on offense as well, with 4 interceptions for 8 yards and 1 TD, and 4 receptions for 39 yards and 2 touchdowns. Warren had himself a fine career and is indeed deserving of hall of fame induction.
The only non linemen to go into the hall of fame this year is wide receiver Chris Carter. Carter played in the NFL for 16 years and for three different teams. First up Carter played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1987-89, then it was his most productive stop playing for the Minnesota Vikings from 1990-2001 and finally playing the 2002 season with the Miami Dolphins. Carter finished his career with 1,101 catches for 13,899 yards and 130 touchdowns over 234 games. Carter was named all pro twice and played in eight pro bowls during his career. There are a few notable career marks that Carter has his name attached to, and they are as follows: One of two players to record 120+ receptions in a season twice, 1994 and 1995, most 12+ reception games in a single season (4) in 1995, one of 3 players (Clarke Gaines and Jerry Rice) to record 12+ receptions in back to back games Most 1-yard touchdown receptions in NFL history (9) Most touchdown receptions 2 yards or less in NFL history (16) – tied with Jerry Rice Most touchdown receptions 4 yards or less in NFL history (28) Most touchdown receptions 5 yards or less in NFL history (36) – tied with Jerry Rice Most touchdown receptions 6 yards or less in NFL history (44) Most touchdown receptions 7 yards or less in NFL history (48) Most consecutive games with 2 touchdown receptions (4) – tied with Calvin Johnson Most consecutive seasons with 5+ touchdown receptions (11) – Terrell Owens, Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison, Don Hutson, Tim Brown First player to record a 150 yard receiving game in 3 different decades (Jerry Rice is the only other player to do so). So its obvious Chris carter is worthy of his hall of fame induction.
So there you have it with the guys who got into the hall this year. There were a few guys who, surprisingly, got snubbed from the hall this season. On offense, Jerome Bettis, Andre Reed and Tim Brown were left out in the cold. Bettis was a big surprise, as he was the only running back on the list for final vote. Bettis had his best years playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, winning one superbowl. At the time of his retirement, "The Bus" sat fifth on the all time rushing list with 13,662 rushing yards. With the career numbers Bettis put up it is a shock he isn't in yet, especially when somebody like Marshall Faulk got int two years ago. Now that's no knock on Faulk by any means, its just that he had less productive numbers than Bettis and he is in but Bettis isn't. i think this may also have something to do with impact on the team. Faulk had a bigger overall impact on the teams he played for than Bettis did. Now Bettis is a great football player and will one of these days get into the hall but it was a bit of a surprise that this wasn't his year.
Two more offensive surprises were Andre Reed and Tim Brown being left out of the hall this year. Of the three receivers up for the hall this year, Brown Reed and Carter, Brown and Carter had the best numbers statistically. Reed had great years with the Buffalo Bills and was a big reason they got to fours straight superbowls, but I don't think he was as much of a game breaker type of receiver as the other two guys. Plus I think if Reed and the Bills had won at least one of those superbowls he might have had a better chance of getting into the hall. Same thing too can be said about Tim Brown playing for sub-par teams. Brown played more games and had more receiving yards in his career than Carter did, but like I said before I think Carter helped make the Vikings a better football team, and Brown never REALLY got the Raiders to the next level, which is why I think he was left out of the Hall this year.
The biggest surprise to be left out of the hall on defense was Michael Strahan. Strahan played his entire 15 year career with the New York Giants, and held the record for most sacks in an NFL season with 22.5 back in 2001. Strahan was one of the more feared defensive ends in football and he had the numbers to back up that claim. now I'll give credit where its due in the fact that Warren Sapp was one of the top end talents at defensive end in football but between him and Strahan, I feel that this year at least Strahan should be going into the hall and Sapp should have to wait another year. But again thats just me.
So there you have it with the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2013!
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