Marshawn's Chance at the HOF

[warden]

Let's see how many Superbowl rings he gets first.

 

[Sac]

Beast caused an earthquake on one of the biggest stages in sports,. Everybody saw it. Everyone will remember it.

 

[RiverDog]

Qh, btw, Bettis was awarded a ring.

I said Bettis has a ring. I didn't say he earned or deserved one.

 

[Vetamur]

None. He starts losing carries this year, may be cut next year.. has a ring but didnt really have a good game in the SB.

Intangibles..the SKittles, the Beastquake, the "mystique" are in favor but not enough to pull him all the way there, plus you KNOW he has alienated some of the media with his attitude.

Ring of Honor is a lock though.

 

[EverydayImRusselin]

He has two chances: Slim and none.

The only running back of this era that has a shot at the HOF is Adrian Peterson, and even he's going to have to have another 3-4 1,200 yard seasons or have a league MVP/SB MVP season. Lynch as a paltry 7400 career rushing yards, and he's going to need at least another 5,000 plus another two rings just to get on the radar. Heck, Stephen Jackson has 3,000 more rushing yards than Beast. Frank Gore, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Willis McGahee all have more career rushing yards than Lynch.

It's a quarterback's game. I wouldn't be surprised to see just one RB inducted in the next 20 years, with Peterson being the most likely candidate.

Petersen is already over 10k yards rushing. If he only played this season and then retired, he would make it in easily. Another 1000 yards and he's inside the top 20 all time for rushing yards. Add on the fact that he's been incredibly dominant every year he's been in the league and he's a shoe in. I think if he retired today, he'd probably still make it in. He averages 1400+ yds and 12 TD per season.

Warrick Dunn is over 10,000 rushing, too, been out of the league since 2008 and he hasn't even been nominated. Same with Edgrin James, Tiki Barber, Jamal Lewis, Eddie George, Otis Anderson, Ricky Watters, and Corey Dillion. Jerome Bettis has 13,600 yards, is 6th on the all time rushing leaders, has a ring, and he's not in. The statistical bar at all quantifiable positions has been raised.

I grant you that my 3-4 more 1200 yard seasons might be overstating it a bit, but so is your 10,000 yard threshold, a shoe in if he plays this season and retires statement.

None of those guys were clearly THE best RB in the league. Did I mention AP has only played for 7 seasons? He has 2500 more yds than TD in the same amount of time and TD is borderline gettting in. It's moot because AP will possibly break 15k yds.

 

[Davehawk]

I agree with a lot of the people here, as of right now he has zero chance.

If he plays at the level of the last 2 years for say....another 4 then I can definitely see it being talked about then. The problem is there's pretty much no way he plays here in Seattle for another 4 years.

 

[volsunghawk]

One thing I wonder is whether the HoF voters will take into consideration the NFL's rule changes and efforts to turn this into more of a passing league, which devalues the RB.

I think Lynch has more of a chance than some people here think, just based on how memorable his body of work is likely to be. He's saved some of his best games for the postseason. He's kind of a throwback player, drawing comparisons to Earl Campbell (who only played for 8 years and rushed for less than 10k yards, but is in the HoF on the strength of some amazing early seasons and some memorable runs).

If Lynch can put together a couple more seasons like he's had in the last few and add another ring (and maybe a rushing title), while giving us performances in the postseason like he's produced against New Orleans, I'd say he's got a better shot than a guy like Warrick Dunn, who was usually solid, but never spectacular.

 

[EastCoastHawksFan]

He has to play 3 more great seasons and be in the MVP discussion at least once. We also need two more rings.

 

[jkitsune]

This may just be dogpiling at this point, but I don't think there's any realistic chance Lynch winds up in the HOF. As others have mentioned, the way RBs are used these days, their lifespan in the NFL, and the evolution of the game to a passing-oriented attack make it incredibly difficult for an RB to dominate the way the RBs of the 80s, 90s, and even early 2000s did. AP will get in, IMHO, and we may see some of the more recent retirees like Bettis (because people love the Steelers) get in, but it's going to be pretty hard going forward for RBs to get HOF consideration.

 

[Anonymous]

This may just be dogpiling at this point, but I don't think there's any realistic chance Lynch winds up in the HOF. As others have mentioned, the way RBs are used these days, their lifespan in the NFL, and the evolution of the game to a passing-oriented attack make it incredibly difficult for an RB to dominate the way the RBs of the 80s, 90s, and even early 2000s did. AP will get in, IMHO, and we may see some of the more recent retirees like Bettis (because people love the Steelers) get in, but it's going to be pretty hard going forward for RBs to get HOF consideration.

This pretty much sums-up my thoughts on the subject.

Since the HoF has shifted the "positions of accolade" over the years, teams like the Seahawks, which feature a run-first style, make it possible for more running backs to trend back into more of the equation. I guess we just wait and see.

When I think of a HoF player, I think of a guy that simply dominated his opponents, regardless of position.

 

[RiverDog]

He has two chances: Slim and none.

The only running back of this era that has a shot at the HOF is Adrian Peterson, and even he's going to have to have another 3-4 1,200 yard seasons or have a league MVP/SB MVP season. Lynch as a paltry 7400 career rushing yards, and he's going to need at least another 5,000 plus another two rings just to get on the radar. Heck, Stephen Jackson has 3,000 more rushing yards than Beast. Frank Gore, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Willis McGahee all have more career rushing yards than Lynch.

It's a quarterback's game. I wouldn't be surprised to see just one RB inducted in the next 20 years, with Peterson being the most likely candidate.

Petersen is already over 10k yards rushing. If he only played this season and then retired, he would make it in easily. Another 1000 yards and he's inside the top 20 all time for rushing yards. Add on the fact that he's been incredibly dominant every year he's been in the league and he's a shoe in. I think if he retired today, he'd probably still make it in. He averages 1400+ yds and 12 TD per season.

Warrick Dunn is over 10,000 rushing, too, been out of the league since 2008 and he hasn't even been nominated. Same with Edgrin James, Tiki Barber, Jamal Lewis, Eddie George, Otis Anderson, Ricky Watters, and Corey Dillion. Jerome Bettis has 13,600 yards, is 6th on the all time rushing leaders, has a ring, and he's not in. The statistical bar at all quantifiable positions has been raised.

I grant you that my 3-4 more 1200 yard seasons might be overstating it a bit, but so is your 10,000 yard threshold, a shoe in if he plays this season and retires statement.

None of those guys were clearly THE best RB in the league. Did I mention AP has only played for 7 seasons? He has 2500 more yds than TD in the same amount of time and TD is borderline gettting in. It's moot because AP will possibly break 15k yds.

I'm aware of that, which is one of the reasons why IMO Peterson would not get in if he retired today as you claimed. 7 years is too short of a time for any position no matter how dominant the player. Kenny Easley only played 7 years, and the argument against his admission to the HOF has always been longevity, not dominance at his position. If Peterson were to retire after 7 seasons and subsequently admitted to the HOF, I'll be there the next day to burn the place down!

 

[Uffda]

A few more years like the past two and, he will be right at the egde of the zone of production needed , especially if there's another super bowl..

Thinking he's got more then two more, so he'll be a lock, maybe not first ballot but eventually in.

It depends on the off field things, good/bad and how the team is successful, little bit I'm guessing.

It is all about the action. Another Beastquake type run in a playoff game and a few good seasons.

 

[MrCarey]

Nope.

 

[HawkWow]

Eddie George may be the most over-rated back of this generation. Tough as nails but little more than a very ordinary workhorse. I won't bother to look up his YPC (behind a very good line) but believe that number will dispel the myth that is Eddie George.

On topic: No.

 

[rlkats]

He should be in. He was instrumental in the season and the super bowl. He has a very deep resume and a ring. Others have gotten in with less.

 

[Crizilla]

If he can win another superb owl, yes

 

[NINEster]

He should be in. He was instrumental in the season and the super bowl. He has a very deep resume and a ring. Others have gotten in with less.

If the 49ers had 6 SB trophies, would you say the same about Gore?

To me, they are similar caliber RBs in their prime, just that Lynch has benefited being in his prime with a far better team than Gore had.

Even big homer Niner fans are skeptical about Gore deserving to be in the HoF.

 

[Anonymous]

Maybe somebody can take the time to look into it statistically, but how does being traded to another team figure into a back's chances of getting in?

I suppose it is different when a coach/GM calls another team to offer them the farm to acquire one of their guys, but at the end of the day, the fact a team let them go at all might cast a bit of a shadow.

 

[AVL]

He has a better chance for an Oscar and a star on the walk of fame.

 

[hawknation2014]

If he plays like I expect he will over the next three seasons, then he will be a Hall of Famer.