National Football League

Predicting 2017 Pro Football Hall of Fame class

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:42 p.m. ET

Fansided, Parker Hurley/Fansided

The NFL 2017 Hall of Fame nominees were revealed. Who will make the cut to Canton this season?

With the recent unveiling of the 2017 nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, everyone is interested in who will make the cut into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and be enshrined during the Hall of Fame weekend this August. This year’s nominees include Brian Dawkins, Jason Taylor, LaDanian Tomlinson, Morten Anderson, Kurt Warner, Don Coryell, Terrell Davis, Isaac Bruce, Tony Boselli, Alan Faneca, Joe Jacoby, John Lynch, and Kevin Mawae. T

he selection process will take place before the Super Bowl. A vote will be taken, and an 80 percent acceptance rate will be needed to be inducted. So, which five should make the cut and be inducted in 2017?

5. Don Coryell

It is time Coryell got his due. The now deceased former San Diego Chargers coach, among other titles, has a good chance of getting in, was on the doorstep last season, and may see the recognition in 2016. Coryell coached the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973 to 1977 and San Diego Chargers from 1978 to 1986.

In that time he won five division titles and had ten wins six times. He had an offense that led the league in yards for five out of six seasons and his offense produced three players who are already inducted into the Hall of Fame. His 111 wins are two behind the great Dennis Green, and three more than Hall of Fame coach John Madden.

His coaching tree consists of Joe Gibbs, Jim Mora, Jack Pardee, Ray Perkins, Al Saunders, and Ray Willsey. His big knock was his inability to win the big one, and a 3-6 playoff record without a Super Bowl does hurt his chances. However, his team was none greatly as one of the best to never win a Super Bowl. He was consistently on the doorstep from 1979 to 1982 and his coaching inspired some greats around the game. Now that he is on the doorstep to the Hall of Fame, it feels like this is the year that gets his due respect.

ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 30: Kurt Warner #13 of St. Louis Rams drops back to pass against the Tennessee Titans during Super Bowl XXXIV at the Georgia Dome on January 30, 2000 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Ram won the game 23-16. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

4. Kurt Warner

Warner could get into the Hall of Fame on story alone. Warner went from bagging groceries, to being a Super Bowl winning quarterback and a two-time Super Bowl participant with the St. Louis Rams. He then lost his job, took a role as a backup, and somehow played the Arizona Cardinals back into the Super Bowl. While he only has one ring, three Super Bowl appearances after being written off twice is a crowning achievement.

Warner was the 1999 MVP and won his Super Bowl in that same season. That year he threw 41 touchdowns to 13 interceptions. He led what was being called “The Greatest Show on Turf” which will be a unit remembered in history forever. He also made four Pro Bowl teams and two All-Pro teams. In 13 playoff games, he is a 66 percent passer with 31 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. His team has a 9-4 record when he starts in the playoffs.

He may not show up anywhere on All-Time statistical lists, but he has all of the qualities of a Hall of Fame player. There is no telling the story of the game without Warner. He was a part of three of the wildest finishes in Super Bowl history, and embodied what being a real football player is all about and overcoming odds to be a starter. It would be hard to keep Warner out for too long, and now that he will not be a first ballot player, he feels like a sure thing.

Oct 12, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Detail view of the Washington Redskins logo during the second half against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

3. Joe Jacoby

With four offensive linemen on the ballot, it feels as though one has to get in this year to open up some spots for other positions. The one who has been waiting for the longest, and deserves it as much, if not more than any of the others is Jacoby.

Jacoby will be the second of the “Hogs” that led a Washington team to three Super Bowls in the 1980s. The line consisted of Jacoby, Russ Grimm, Mark May, Jeff Bostic, and George Starke. So far, Grimm is in the Hall of Fame, and now Jacoby will get his due for leading the hogs.

Jacoby went from an undrafted player to a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro award winner. He was named by the AP to the All-1980’s team. His story of coming in from an undrafted free agent to being any anchor to a running game and famous unit that led to Super Bowl success is another great way of telling the story of the NFL. Jacoby has the records, the rings, the story and the talent and finally deserves his chance to make it into the Hall of Fame.

Mar. 2, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Football player Terrell Owens in attendance of the game between the Phoenix Suns against the Los Angeles Clippers at the US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Clippers 81-78. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

2. Terrell Owens

It is ridiculous to think that Owens was not a first ballot Hall of Famer, and this year he should get his due by making it in his second season. I mean, come on, we are talking about Terrell Owens.

The guy ranks second all-time in receiving yards with15,934, third all-time in receiving touchdowns with 153, and eighth all-time in receptions, with 1,078. He made six Pro Bowls and five All-Pro teams. He also had a five-year run of 1,000 seasons including a run of three seasons with an average of 1,387 yards, and 14 touchdowns.

Many will point to his lack of championship success. They will point to playing on five different teams, and leaving San Francisco, Dallas, and Philadelphia with a messy situation. However, a lot of the hate towards Owens is to be a personal bias against some of his antics.

When comparing what he did on the field to other players of his generation and other generations, Owens is easily a top-10 wide receiver in NFL history. He even still ranks in the top 16 in yards per game, where almost the entire list is now active players, given the new rules. Owens is a once in a generation player and there is no way he can snub another year.

Nov 22, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; A banner for former San Diego Chargers running back Ladainian Tomlinson is unveiled during his Charger Hall of Fame introduction at halftime of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

1. LaDanian Tomlinson

If there is a lock for this class, it has to be Tomlinson. Tomlinson put in eight straight 1,000 yard seasons, all with at least ten touchdowns. He made five Pro Bowls, three All-Pros and was a 2006 NFL MVP. He is third all-time in total touchdowns and ranks second All-Time in rushing touchdowns. He is fifth all-time in rushing yards and his 28 rushing touchdowns in 2006 is still an NFL record. His 2006 season featured 1,815 yards on 5.2 yards per carry, and three receiving touchdowns to add to his record 28 on the ground. He transcended the game as a running back and was the best of his time for a very long time.

Tomlinson finished his career with 13,684 yards and 145 touchdowns. He added in 4,775 receiving yards and 17 receiving touchdowns. He also finished with an impressive rate of 4.3 yards per carry in his career.

His vision, cutting, and footwork can remind someone of Le’Veon Bell in today’s NFL. If Bell were to put in six more seasons like the one he is having in 2016, he could then compare to Tomlinson and what his resume holds. That is where Tomlinson holds up.