Many thought Ray Guy would never get called to Canton. Even so the snubs of these great players may seem downright ridiculous.
When there is a limit to the number of players that can be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in a single year, odds are a few good ones will slip through the cracks. But for some odd reason some of the retired players who were finalists for the Hall of Fame just a year before can find themselves completely on the outside looking in the following year, and a few years later they may be forgotten entirely.
This list takes a look at the ten greatest players who have been repeatedly refused entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio – this list will start with numbers ten through six:
10. Will Shields, G
As a member of the 2000s All-Decade team, 12-time Pro Bowler and 6-time All-Pro selection for the Kansas City Chiefs, Shields was perhaps the greatest run blocker in the last 20 years. While partnering with Hall of Famer Willie Roaf, Chiefs RBs set countless records for TDs and yards in a season and made the playoffs multiple times. Shields was a HOF finalist every year from 2012 to 2014, so while it is a major disappointment that he has not gotten the call to Canton yet, it may really be only a matter of time.
9. Joe Klecko, DE/DT/NT
Arguably the most versatile defensive lineman in history, Joe Klecko is the only player to be named to the Pro Bowl at three different defensive positions: defensive end, defensive tackle and nose tackle. In 1981 he recorded an unofficial total of 20 sacks on his own and formed the infamous New York Sack Exchange with Jets teammates Mark Gastineau, Abdul Salaam and Marty Lyons, which collectively recorded over 60 sacks in a single year.
Klecko was a 4-time Pro Bowler and a 3-time All-Pro selection and was the 1981 Defensive Player of the Year, but has never been a finalist for the Hall of Fame. He is on the short list for the Senior Committee in 2015, so that may change very soon.
8. Ken Stabler, QB
Of all the QBs that have been snubbed for the Hall of Fame, Raiders all-time leading passer Ken Stabler is one of the most baffling. In seven years as the team’s primary starter the Raiders went to the playoffs 5 times, never had a losing season and won Superbowl XI against the Vikings. Stabler won NFL MVP in 1974, was a 4-time Pro Bowler and 4-time All-Pro selection and was named to the 1970s All-Decade Team. Not even to mention the clutch performances he had: the Holy Roller, the Sea of Hands Game, and Ghost to the Post just to name a few.
Stabler has been a Hall of Fame finalist three times, most recently in 2003, but many feel that his off-field behavior has led to his negative view by Hall of Fame voters.
7. Charles Haley, DE/LB
A 5-time Superbowl champion with the ’88 and ’89 49ers as well as the ’92, ’93 and ’95 Cowboys, Haley was a defensive stalwart for each and every one of those teams. In 13 NFL seasons, Haley went to 5 Pro Bowls, was a 2-time All-Pro and finished his career with 26 forced fumbles and over 100 sacks. He had 6 seasons with at least 10 sacks (tied for 17th all-time).
Haley has been a finalist for the Hall of Fame every year since 2010 but has not been able to overtake some other elite pass rushers that have more sacks than him like Michael Strahan, Richard Dent and John Randle.
6. Marvin Harrison, WR
With countless NFL receiving records and some of the best hands the NFL has ever seen, Harrison’s snub for the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility was a bit of a surprise. Marvin Harrison and Peyton Manning had more catches, yards and TDs between them than any other passing combination in NFL history. His 143 catches in 2002 are an NFL record that still stand – by a wide margin.
Harrison was an 8-time Pro Bowler, 8-time All-Pro selection and the starting receiver for the 2000s All-Decade team. He is also in the top ten of every major receiving category. The fact that he missed the Hall of Fame in his first year is mind-boggling, but the Hall felt that Andre Reed had waited long enough and could not take both him and Harrison in the same year. There should be no reason for Harrison not to make it in year two, but for now it is very troubling that he could not get in on his first try.