re: Is Patrick Willis a HOF'er?

Gale Sayers made the Hall of Fame after only playing 7 years. 5x all pro, 4x time pro bowler, 2 rushing titles, not even in the top 135th and falling in career yards.

In Willis' 8 years he was 5x all pro, and 7x pro bowler, and led the league in tackles twice. He has 950 total tackles, not 732.

Similar sounding careers. Both regarded as one of the best at their position for most of their career. If Sayers can make it, Willis can make it.

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He has 950 total tackles, not 732.

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Where are you getting that 950 number from?

950 is the total when you add assisted tackles.

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Now post all those stats per number of seasons played and compare.

Saying Willis' numbers just aren't up to par is kind of ridiculous when you take into account how long he played compared to the others you listed.

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I'm with you.

Let's look at some scenarios. Let's say he didn't retire, and went on to play at an all pro level for 4-6 more years - that's first ballot HOF material and in discussion for best MLB ever. Not as dominant as Lewis in his prime, but played at a higher level for longer. Unanimous selection by the committee.

Now let's assume he does one of three things he racks up 500 more tackles, 5 more sacks and another INT while he:
1 - dips below all pro level but is still top 5
2 - reduces to the point where he's still a starter but not a top caliber player
3 - becomes mediocre and bounces around the league

Now obviously in scenario 1, almost everyone has him as a HOF player still, but by the logic of some of the arguments against him in this thread, under 2-3 he also should make the HOF, because compiling stats.

But even with scenario 1, the apparent crux of the HOF decisions rests on whether he's able to play at non-HOF level for 4-5 more years. Why insist on non-HOF level play as a criteria for the HOF? Doesn't make sense.

He proved it. He was 6 times all pro. I know the pro bowl is a much lower measure of success, but he was in it every single year except the year he went onto IR after 6 games. Plus, 8 years is a decent length of career. If he'd put in just two more seasons, let's say one gets cut short. Now he's a 6 time all pro but he played for 10 years. 10 years isn't short, but that's only two extra years, should it really come down to whether he had been stuck on that miserable 2015 49ers team?

Also, he was just a guy who went about his business. He was never flashy, he never really played dirty, he didn't need the media to enhance his ego and he never went for big hits just for the highlight reel, even though he obviously possessed the skill.

The guy was a class act all through his career, he is a good example of what the HOF selection committee should want to represent the best of the league.

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he is a good example of what the HOF selection committee should want to represent the best of the league.

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on the flip side, i can DEFINITELY see the NFL mafia putting pressure on the HOF not to give the benefit of the doubt to a player who retired early to avoid injuries/possible CTE. i don't think they want that headline over and over again