This week we saw Michael Strahan and Jonathan Ogden retire ... two men who will see their way into Canton, OH. One of the greatest offensive tackles and defensive ends in our time should both enter the Hall in 2013.
If'n that weren't the only guys on that list.
Add in a certain guy by the name of Brett Favre (who now owns most of the quarterback records), Larry Allen and Warren Sapp ... not to mention the possibility of Junior Seau ... and and we could have one of the best classes in HoF history.
There are even a few fringe guys like Steve McNair, Rod Smith, Bryant Young and Priest Holmes who will get some love, but probably won't make it in -- at least not in '13.
But what a class that could be? There is a cut-off of five inductees (not counting ones from the Senior Committee) that can go in a single year ... meaning a name or two won't make the cut. Favre, Strahan, Ogden, Sapp and Allen each have won a Super Bowl. They have all kinds of Pro-Bowls on their resumes and several have records to boot ... making them the five favorites to get in (Seau could push Sapp out of that loft).
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Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2013 Could be the Greatest!
Posted Jun 13th 2008 6:23PM by Sportz Assassin (author feed)
Filed under: Buccaneers, Cowboys, NY Giants, Packers, Raiders, Ravens, NFL Hall of Fame
Chiefs at Lions: Nothing to See Here, Folks ... Just Move Along
Posted Dec 22nd 2007 2:28PM by Tom Mantzouranis (author feed)
Filed under: Chiefs, Lions, AFC West, NFC North, Detroit, Kansas City
To get you ready for Week 16, FanHouse is previewing all 16 NFL games. Here is your Kansas City Chiefs/Detroit Lions preview.2007 Records:
Kansas City Chiefs: 4-10 (4th in AFC West)
Detroit Lions: 6-8 (3rd in NFC North)
Last Week:
Titans 26, Chiefs 17
Chargers 51, Lions 14
Why We Care: For the same reason we slow down to look at a car wreck or watch the Faces of Death videos -- our perverse addiction to gruesome things.
When the Chiefs have the ball: Here's how sorry of a state the Chiefs' offense is in -- I sat down at my desk to begin typing this, and I realized that I have no idea who their starting quarterback is this week. Is it Croyle? Huard? Does it even matter? Tony Gonzalez and Dwayne Bowe have been fine receiving options this year, but they've been about it. Larry Johnson, Priest Holmes, or Kolby Smith, the team is still only averaging 3.3 yards per carry. That's what happens when two Hall of Famers on the line retire in the same year.
Jason Whitlock Thinks Herm Edwards Deserves Two More Years, Fans Disagree
Posted Dec 8th 2007 11:59PM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)
Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West, NFL Coaching
Okay, it sounds like Jason Whitlock is due a drug test. The cuddly Kansas City Star columnist who, when not taking shots at Mike Lupica, is usually gunning with both barrels at the hometown Chiefs, shows a kinder, gentler side in Saturday's edition: Now that there is a consensus building that King Carl must be dethroned, let me lend my voice to the people defending Herm Edwards. This city has not been fair to Herm.Alright, maybe he's not completely kinder and gentler -- he's still taking shots at Chiefs' president Carl Peterson, and I'm sure if given the chance, he'd give Priest Holmes the business too.
Anyway, Whitlock makes the case that Herm's "run-and-punt offense" needs more time -- specifically four years -- before the torch and pitchfork crowd should swing into action.
His resume demands that. The fact that he backed this franchise into the playoffs last season dictates that we remain patient. The problems he inherited thanks to the staleness of Peterson's personnel department and coaching-staff leftovers make a compelling case to stick with Herm for at least two more years.
Rams to Retire Marshall Faulk's No. 28
Posted Nov 29th 2007 4:28PM by Tom Mantzouranis (author feed)
Filed under: Rams, NFC West, St. Louis
With all due respect to Marshall, I don't buy that he was surprised about the jersey retirement. If he says the same thing when he's being inducted into Canton, I'll really have to call B.S.Rarely caught unaware on the football field, former Rams running back Marshall Faulk acknowledged being surprised when informed that his No. 28 is being retired by the club.
"Without a doubt," Faulk said Wednesday. "You don't play the game with the anticipation of having your number retired. When it happens, you feel thankful and you feel grateful."
Because wondering about Faulk's jersey retirement is like wondering whether or not the Colts will discontinue handing out 18 when Peyton retires. Faulk was a vital player and leader for a team that set NFL records offense and played in a couple of Super Bowls and, on a larger scale, one of the defining players of a generation.
There have been a few running backs -- Priest Holmes, Shaun Alexander, LaDainian Tomlinson -- who have usurped Faulk's thunder in the last few years, but he was an all-time great, one of the best backs ever, someone who holds a myriad of records and distinctions, and one of the most fun players to watch.
When the Rams honor Faulk on Dec. 20th, they'll finally be closing the door on Faulk's playing career, which has remained in purgatory thanks to a delayed retirement. But Faulk has already excelled in his second career on the NFL Network. Just as he is one of the best backs to have ever played, he's also one of the best players to turn to TV.
The Raiders Don't Need Larry Johnson to Give Up 100 Yards to a Chiefs' Running Back
Posted Nov 25th 2007 2:05PM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)
Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West, NFL Injuries
If Priest Holmes was going to retire, I guess he couldn't have chosen a better time to do it. The Chiefs are hosting the Raiders today, and rookie fifth-rounder Kolby Smith is having a nice little afternoon. And it's not even halftime. Smith is getting his first NFL start against the NFL's worst rushing defense, and so far, so good: with more than six minutes to go in the second quarter, Smith has 94 yards are 15 rushes, including a score. Before today's effort, he had 19 yards on the season, and a nifty 1.9 average.
It's amazing what the Raiders run defense will do for your confidence, I guess. Obviously, the Chiefs would love to get Larry Johnson back from injury, but it's not clear when he'll be healthy. In the meantime, Smith and rookie Gilbert Harris -- fresh off the practice squad -- will carry the load. It should be enough against the Raiders, but Kansas City will need more than two rookies to have a shot at the suddenly mediocre AFC West.
By the way, quarterback Brodie Croyle is starting his second game of the season, and he's just 3 of 8 for 50 yards with an interception. Not exactly lighting it up since replacing Damon Huard, but at least Croyle's getting the experience.
Raiders at Chiefs: The Blood Fued
Posted Nov 23rd 2007 1:42PM by Dan Benton (author feed)
Filed under: Chiefs, Raiders, AFC West, Oakland
To get you ready for week 12, FanHouse is previewing all 16 NFL games. Here is the New Oakland Raiders/Kansas City Chiefs preview.2007 Records:
Kansas City Chiefs: 4-6 (3rd in AFC West)
Oakland Raiders: 2-8 (4th in AFC West)
Last Game(s):
Colts 13 - Chiefs 10
Vikings 29 - Raiders 22
When the Chiefs have the ball: Does anyone else feel bad for Brody Croyle? Not because he's making a living playing football or because he's rich, but because he'll be without both Larry Johnson and Priest Holmes in only his third NFL start.
No? Well, you're right there with the Oakland Raiders then, because if there is a group of people who couldn't care less about Croyle, it would most certainly be them. In fact, you should fully expect a heavy pass rush and a series of blitzes all day from Oakland. They'll be looking to take his head off.
Priest Holmes to Retire
Posted Nov 20th 2007 11:19PM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: Chiefs, Kansas City
Adam Schefter of NFL Network is reporting that Kansas City Chiefs running back Priest Holmes is expected to retire, with an announcement likely coming as soon as Wednesday.
The retirement will end an 11-year NFL career for a player who went from a Texas fullback who just hoped to make a roster in 1997 to an all-purpose threat who was one of the league's best running and receiving backs and at one point held the NFL record for touchdowns in a season.
Holmes was seriously injured in 2005 when he was hit by Shawne Merriman, and he missed nearly two years of action. He made a surprise comeback this year and became the Chiefs' starting running back after Larry Johnson went down, but he suffered a neck injury Sunday.
Although his 2007 comeback ends with just 27 carries for 82 yards, the mere fact that he came back at all is a testament to his work ethic and dedication, and a nice coda to his career.
Sorry, No Photos
Chiefs' Larry Johnson Done for the Year
Posted Nov 6th 2007 6:19PM by Dan Benton (author feed)
Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West, NFL Injuries, Kansas City
There has been a lot of speculation about the status of Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson since he injured his foot in Sunday's loss to the Packers. Could he play? Would he play? Maybe, possibly, probably not.Well, according to Fox 31 in Colorado, not only won't Johnson play against the Broncos this weekend, he won't play again this season.
KANSAS CITY -- Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson is out for the season. This was confirmed by a source within the Chiefs organization with direct knowledge of the situation.If this turns out to be accurate, and it appears that it is, it would be a devastating blow to Kansas City. Although Johnson wasn't having his typical MVP-like season, he was still an extremely valuable asset and much better than any back-up, Priest Holmes included, on the Chiefs roster.
According to the Chiefs initially, Johnson had suffered a mid-foot sprain in the fourth quarter of last Sunday's 33-22 loss to the Packers.
However Anderson has learned that Johnson has a broken bone in the left foot.
On the bright side, I'm sure Jason Whitlock will provide us with a hilarious column filled with Holmes bashing momentarily.
Larry Johnson Won't Play Against the Broncos
Posted Nov 6th 2007 3:58PM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)
Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West, NFL Injuries
I mentioned Sunday that Larry Johnson injured his ankle on an A.J. Hawk tackle in the Chiefs' loss to the Packers. It looked pretty bad at the time, and it wasn't clear what LJ's status would be not only for this week, but for the rest of the season.
Yesterday, FanHouser Dan Benton wrote that Johnson was iffy for Sunday's division game against the Broncos, and now we have confirmation ... kinda:
Chiefs coach Herm Edwards today all but ruled out running back Larry Johnson for Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos.No, a swollen foot isn't good when your job entails a lot of running. Edwards said pending further tests, LJ could miss more than one game. Which means Priest Holmes will be making his first start in more than two years, with rookie fifth-rounder, Kolby Smith, backing him up. Jason Whitlock has to be ecstatic.
"It will be difficult for him to play this week," Edwards said after getting preliminary results from a foot/ankle sprain Johnson sustained in last Sunday's 33-22 loss to Green Bay. "He's got a swollen foot ... that's not good."
Hat tip: Arrowhead Pride
Chiefs' Larry Johnson Likely to Miss Denver Game With Bum Ankle; Holmes to Start?
Posted Nov 5th 2007 8:15AM by Dan Benton (author feed)
Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West, NFL Injuries, Kansas City
It looks like the ankle injury that forced Kansas City running back Larry Johnson out of the Packers game will also cause him to miss this Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos."He couldn't put any weight on it," coach Herm Edwards said. "That's never good."If Johnson does indeed sit on Sunday, that means Jason Whitlock's favorite NFL player, Priest Holmes, will get the starting nod for the first time since 2004. And, well, you just had to know Whitlock would add his two cents to that.
"I'll offer no prediction on how this will turn out... on the field. At 34, with no Willie Roaf leading the way and no Dick Vermeil directing the offense, it's difficult to imagine Holmes recapturing his 2003 form. But you never know.Wouldn't it be something if Holmes went out and rushed for 110 yards and scored two touchdowns? It may not be as far-fetched at good ole' Jason would have you believe. The Broncos rank dead last in the NFL, allowing over 165 rush yards per game. And if the Packers Ryan Grant can rumble for over 100 yards against them, there's no reason to think that Holmes can't do the same.
Off the field, I'd imagine Holmes and his agent have already plotted their contract renegotiation strategy, which could include the return of the Team Priest charity van/T-shirt-vending wagon," wrote Whitlock.
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