Center Dermontti Dawson and defensive back Jack Butler, a pair of former Steelers greats, were among the group named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Dawson, a seven-time All-Pro, was a member of the NFL's all-decade team for the '90s. He played in 184 career games for the Steelers and helped redefine the center position.
Butler, a member of the all-decade team for the '50s, had 52 career interceptions in nine seasons with the Steelers.
Also inducted were a pair of Pitt products, running back Curtis Martin and defensive lineman Chris Doleman.
They will join defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy and offensive tackle Willie Roaf in Canton this summer for induction.
Not making the cut this year were former Steelers Jerome Bettis and linebacker Kevin Greene.
Bettis should make it in 2012.
Congrats to Dirt! As you said, Dale, a player who redefined his position.
ReplyDeleteWell deserved and overdue for Dawson, Bettis is on his way but you had to know there was no way the NFL was going to allow that many non 70's Steelers in at one time.
ReplyDeleteAs for Kevin Greene, if he goes in does he go as a Ram or a Steeler?
Personally, I don't think Kevin Greene will ever get into the HoF. He was just too much of a one-trick pony, imho.
ReplyDeleteKevin Greene is 2nd all time in sacks. First for LBs.
ReplyDeleteHe gets in on that alone.
So? Carter, Brown and Reed (iirc)all have over 1000 career catches and over 12,000 receiving yards. They are 3 of the only 8 players to accomplish both feats.
ReplyDeleteGreene was a completely one dimensional player. Those players don't deserve being in the HoF, imho. Apparently the voters agree as this is 5th straight year he's been passed over.
Would never happen but I think Aaron Smith was a better football player than Kevin Greene.
ReplyDeleteCurtis Martin is one dimensional
ReplyDeleteHe was only good at running the ball
Dan Marino was one dimensional
ReplyDeleteonly good at passing
You don't go into the Pro Football Hall of Fame with any teams. Just as a player and it lists the teams you played for.
ReplyDeleteGreene played for four different teams and is now a coach in Green Bay. That should only help his cause because it gives him exposure to voters in five cities. Then again, if they don't like him, it could hurt him.
The NFL vote is a flawed one because it puts the voting power in so few hands. If you have one or two guys on the committee who don't like you, you're not going to get in.
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI know you were making a stupid joke but Curtis Martin was fantastic catching the ball out of the backfield and pass blocking. Dan Marino is the greatest thrower of the football ever. Without the kickoff rule change and the defensive back rule changes nobody ever breaks his record. Kevin Greene was of no use against the run and was a liability in coverage. He's second all time in a stat that they've kept track of for less than a third of the history of the game. I like him but he's clearly not a shoe-in.
Bettis might not get in next year either. There will be a lot of good candidates.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually surprised he didn't get in this year. To me he was a unique back, good with the media, and had a story line finish. Maybe I'm forgetting Martin's impact but I don't remember him being the centerpiece of an offense.
He'll get in eventually, just disappointing he didn't get in sooner. His running over of Urlacher in 2005 is probably my favorite play by a Steeler.
"Maybe I'm forgetting Martin's impact but I don't remember him being the centerpiece of an offense."
ReplyDeleteThey guy averaged over 360 touches a season for 11 seasons, finished with double digit scores 5 times(and with 9 once) while playing in 167 out of a possible 176 career games. In other words, he was worked heavily, pretty much his whole career.
If that isn't the centerpiece of an offense, I'm not sure what is.
Not really championing Martin as a HOFer, as I'm basically ambivalent about him, but he was clearly a consistent, bona fide workhorse for a pretty long time.
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ReplyDeleteI'm not saying anything bad about Martin really and you are right with all those numbers proving him as a workhorse. I just don't remember Martin as a guy who a game revolved around.
ReplyDeleteMy point is it seemed like Martin was expected to get in this year while no one was really sure about Bettis. And I don't get why. I think Bettis should be in before him on my bias, but more importantly I don't see the gap between Martin and Bettis as big as it apparently is.
Hooray,
ReplyDeleteThe cheaters lost.
21-17 NYG, wow!
ReplyDeleteIf big ben doesn't win another super bowl and get mvp. Eli manning will make hall of fame and ben never will. Sad day.
ReplyDeleteI guarantee Bettis gets in next year. There was a pecking order when the three running backs became eligible last year and it went, Faulk, Martin, Bettis. That's the order the voters I spoke with had them. That's the order they'll go in.
ReplyDeleteDale,
ReplyDeleteAll due respect, Bettis is not getting in over Shields, Strahan, Allen, Ogden, Sapp, Lynch, and considering the others who were voted down this year.
I have a feeling hes going to be in this HOF purgatory of sorts for at least two years.
can we please get a punter like the giants and 49ers!?
ReplyDeleteI still don't understand why people get caught up in worrying that there are QBs who are as good as or better than Roethlisberger. Who cares, he's a franchise QB, top 5, despite some of his frustrating play. Eli had 23 picks or something last year. Ben had 20 turnovers this year. Again, who cares, they're both really good. Root for the team, not the glamour pedigrees.
ReplyDeletetrying not to be biased
ReplyDeletebut Bettis deserves just as much if not more than Curtis Martin
bettis vs. martin rushing stats are remarkeably similar. however martin was much more productive receiving out of the backfield.
ReplyDeletemartin total yards - 17,430
bettis total yards - 15,111
martin TD's - 100
bettis TD's - 94
i can see why martin gets the edge.
career rushing yards
ReplyDeleteMartin - 14,101 (90 TDs)
Bettis - 13,662 (91 TDs)
Super Bowl rings
Bettis - 1
Martin - 0
Bettis gets the edge imo
sorry, don't see your logic. bettis gets an edge because he was a small role player on a super bowl winning team?
ReplyDeletedoes Namath make it without SB win?
ReplyDeletewinning the SB is a factor, dont be blind
rushing numbers are close to equal
namath was integral to their super bowl, can you say the same for bettis?
ReplyDeleteNothing to do with whether or not he gets in the Hall (I think he should), but the whole Win One For The Bus stuff was really, really annoying after a while. Especially after the inexcusable fumble in Indy.
ReplyDelete