Best Vikings players not in HOF?

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coolhandgopher

coolhandgopher

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CBS sports has a recent article on the best player from each franchise who’s not in the HOF. Their choice was Jim Marshall who I had forgotten wasn't in the HOF, truly an oversight. They also gave mention to Chuck Foreman who they pointed out was a running back before his time, with his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.

Who else would you consider?
Matt Birk immediately comes to mind for me. Carl Lee and Joey Browner had some pretty good to great years back in the ‘80s. One wonders if the Vikes had won the Super Bowl in ‘98 if Randall Cunningham, a revolutionary and before his time QB would be there and if Daunte Culpepper Could have been there if injuries hadn’t derailed his career. You wonder if Robert Smith (the most electric back outside of Adrian Peterson I have ever seen in Viking uniform) would have had a HOF career had he stuck around longer-but considering the short shelf life of RB’s, no blame cast for him to get out when the getting was good.

Who else deserves consideration?
 

The easy answer is AP, though we know he'll be in as soon as he's eligible.

Marshall absolutely deserves to be in and would be if we had one even one Super Bowl. I think he'll still get in at some point and hopefully he's around for it.

Fred Cox should be considered, when he retired he was the second all time leading scorer in NFL History behind only Blanda.

Birk will get in eventually and is a good choice, as is Foreman.

Skol Vikes!!
 


While not primarily a Viking, since it is called the Pro Football HoF (not just NFL), I think Herschel Walker should also be honored. Add his USFL stats to NFL and it's a no brainer. Also great on KO returns. Not his fault Mike Lynn traded a boat load of draft pick for him.

The USFL would also assist the aforementioned AC.

Saying that, I'd go with the CBS choice as my #1 as well. Jim Marshall.
 



AC is definitely not a HOFer. Nice player. Ring of Honor, but he’s not a HOFEr.
 

coolhandgopher said:
CBS sports has a recent article on the best player from each franchise who’s not in the HOF. Their choice was Jim Marshall who I had forgotten wasn't in the HOF, truly an oversight. They also gave mention to Chuck Foreman who they pointed out was a running back before his time, with his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.

Who else would you consider?
Matt Birk immediately comes to mind for me. Carl Lee and Joey Browner had some pretty good to great years back in the ‘80s. One wonders if the Vikes had won the Super Bowl in ‘98 if Randall Cunningham, a revolutionary and before his time QB would be there and if Daunte Culpepper Could have been there if injuries hadn’t derailed his career. You wonder if Robert Smith (the most electric back outside of Adrian Peterson I have ever seen in Viking uniform) would have had a HOF career had he stuck around longer-but considering the short shelf life of RB’s, no blame cast for him to get out when the getting was good.

Who else deserves consideration?
Click to expand...

Jim Marshall for sure. Joey Browner for sure. What about Mick Tingelhoff? Is Ron Yary in the HOF?
 

Like all teams, the Vikes had some players who were dominant for a short period of time but not a long enough stretch of excellence to make the Hall. Browner was one. Doug Martin was another. Joe Senser had a few brilliant years before his knees gave out. Ahmad Rashad was one of the best in the game for a few years.
 




El Amin Fan said:
AC is definitely not a HOFer. Nice player. Ring of Honor, but he’s not a HOFEr.
Click to expand...

I was more responding to the list that Cool had, and adding AC as an omission. Both things can be true, best Viking not in the HoF (aside from Marshall) but still not deserving to get the gold jacket. He is in the College Football HoF, and rightly so.

Really the list of eligible Vikings (those who played most of their careers) starts and ends with Marshall.

Maybe Birk, but I really have no way of judging if an Off Lineman is worthy, unless they rack up All Pro (as opposed to Pro Bowls) honors and never/rarely miss a game like a Randall McDaniel.
 

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