Cowboys that should be in the HoF

[THUMPER]

I have a list of Cowboys who I believe should at least be considered for the HoF but of this list only 3 players have ever made it as a finalist and only once each (Hayes, Harris, & Jordan).

Years played are for the Cowboys only, same for stats. I commented on those who played for other teams when it mattered. They are listed in order of number of Pro Bowls and cronologically.

Now obviously I don't believe that all of these guys should be in the HoF but that serious consideration should be given to many of them...

THUMPER'S Cowboys players that SHOULD be in the Hall of Fame

Player Name - Years Played – Pro Bowls Appeared In – All Pro

Don Perkins, RB: 8 Years - 6 Pro Bowls 61-63, 66-68 - All Pro (1) 62
1500 carries, 6217 yards, 4.1 avg., 42 TDs
Was 5th All-Time in rushing yards when he retired and is still 3rd for the Cowboys behind Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett.

Chuck Howley, LB: 13 Years - 6 Pro-Bowls 65-69, 71 - All Pro (5) 63, 67-70
25 INTs and 17 fumbles recovered.

John Niland, OG: 9 Years - 6 Pro-Bowls 68-73 - All Pro (3) 69, 71-72

Cliff Harris, DB: 10 Years - 6 Pro-Bowls 74-75, 77-79 – All Pro (4) 75-78
29 INTs and 15 fumbles recovered. HoF finalist in 2004.

Nate Newton, OG: 13 Years - 6 Pro Bowls 92-96, 98 – All Pro (2) 94-95

George Andrie, DE: 11 Years - 5 Pro Bowls 65-69 – All Pro (0)
Led the Cowboys in sacks 4 straight years from 64-67.
He totaled 57 sacks in those 4 years but I can find no career total for him.

Cornell Green, DB: 13 Years – 5 Pro Bowls 65-67, 71-72 – All Pro (3) 67-69
34 INTs

Lee Roy Jordan, LB: 14 Years – 5 Pro Bowls 67-69, 73-74 – All Pro (2) 67, 73
32 INTs and 16 fumbles recovered. Was the all-time leading tackler until Darren Woodson passed him.

Jay Novacek, TE: 7 Years – 5 Pro Bowls 91-95 – All Pro (2) 91-92
339 receptions, 3576 yards, 10.5 avg., 22 TDs for the Cowboys.
Played 5 years with the Cardinals before coming to Dallas as part of the “Plan-B” free agency.
422 receptions, 4630 yards, 10.9 avg., 30 TDs career totals.

Darren Woodson, DB: 12 Years – 5 Pro Bowls 94-98 – All Pro (3) 94-96
23 INTs, 11 sacks, and is the Cowboys’ All-Time leading tackler.

Calvin Hill, RB: 6 Years – 4 Pro Bowls 69, 72-74 – All Pro (2) 69, 73
1166 carries, 5009 yards, 4.3 avg., 39 TDs.
Played another 6 years with other teams but didn't do much.

Harvey Martin, DE: 11 Years – 4 Pro Bowls 76-79 – All Pro (1) 77
Unofficially credited with 113 career sacks, a Cowboys record.

Pat Donovan, OT: 9 Years - 4 Pro Bowls 79-82 - All Pro (0)

Everson Walls, DB: 9 Years – 4 Pro Bowls 81-83, 85 – All Pro (3) 82-83, 85
44 INTs (as a Cowboy + another 13 with other teams).

Erik Williams, OT: 10 Years – 4 Pro Bowls 93, 96-97, 99 – All Pro (2) 93, 95
Was considered the best OL in the game until a car accident in 1994.

Bob Hayes, WR: 10 Years – 3 Pro Bowls 65-67 – All Pro (4) 65, 67-68
365 receptions, 7295 yards, 20.0 avg., 71 TDs (still a Cowboys record).
Changed the way defense is played in the NFL.
Led the league in receiving TDs his first 2 years.
Only person in NFL history to win an Olympic Gold Medal and a SB.
HoF finalist in 2004.
World’s Fastest Human.

Ed Jones, DE: 15 Years – 3 Pro Bowls 81-83 – All Pro (2) 81-82
Unofficially credited with 106 career sacks.
Must hold the record for batted passes but they don’t keep track of them.

Drew Pearson, WR: 11 Years – 3 Pro Bowls 74, 76-77 – All Pro (3) 74, 76-77
489 receptions, 7822 yards, 16.0 avg., 48 TDs.
Famous for the 1975 “Hail Mary” catch that put us in the SB.

Charlie Waters, DB: 11 Years – 3 Pro Bowls 76-78 – All Pro (2) 77-78
41 INTs in the regular season plus 9 more in the playoffs.
Blocked 4 punts in 2 successive games.
Played in all 5 of the Cowboys SBs in the 70s.

Tony Hill, WR: 10 Years – 3 Pro Bowls 78-79, 85 - All Pro (0)
479 receptions, 7988 yards, 16.7 avg., 51 TDs

Herb Scott, OG: 10 Years – 3 Pro Bowls 79-81 – All Pro (2) 80-81

Ralph Neely, OT: 13 Years – 2 Pro Bowls 67, 69 – All Pro (3) 67-69


So out of that list, who do you think should receive serious consideration for the HoF?

 

[THUMPER]

Of that list I believe the following 12 players (in order) should receive consideration:

Bob Hayes
Chuck Howley
Cliff Harris
Lee Roy Jordan
John Niland
Don Perkins
Jay Novacek
Harvey Martin
George Andrie
Everson Walls
Nate Newton
Drew Pearson

And Darren Woodson (when eligible)

 

[Cajuncowboy]

In order my top 5 would be:

1. Bob Hayes

2. Chuck Howley

3. Lee Roy Jordan

4. Ed Jones

5. Cliff Harris

And Thumper, that is a tough list to whittle down, man.

 

[2233boys]

Harris, Howley, Pearson, Hayes

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

How Hayes cannot be in there just completely escapes me. He of course doesnt have the best stats of all time but when a guy changes the game forever he deserves to be in the hall of fame.

its akin to saying pedro martinez doesnt deserve to be in the hall of fame becuase he isnt going to get to 300 wins.

 

[percyhoward]

Cornell Green, DB: 13 Years – 5 Pro Bowls 65-67, 71-72 – All Pro (4) 66-69
34 INTs

Thumper that's an exhaustive list, and I'm definitely saving it for future debate, but...

You shorted Cornell Green an All-Pro team. He made it four straight years from 1966-69. In an 8-year span from 1965-72, he was a Pro Bowler or All-Pro seven times. You can't say that about anybody else on this list.

He should have been on the All-Decade Team of the 60's, and (along with Martin, Niland, Walls, and Pearson) should be in the ROH no question.

Chuck Howley should already be in the Hall of Fame, and the other six (with Harris) each have good arguments at their respective positions.

 

[Biggems]

Perkins
Howley
Niland
Harris
Green
Martin
Walls
Hayes
Jones
Pearson
Waters
Neely

 

[big dog cowboy]

Don't forget future HOF players like Emmitt and LA. I only mention them because my fear is those names will distract the HOF voters away from former greats who deserve to be in. Great list by the way.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I'm actually a tad bit surprised that Moose doesn't get more attention. He was a fullback, but he was THE premier blocking fullback of his time.

I could go on and on about Hayes. He seems like the biggest travesty. He only revolutionized the passing game and had superb numbers when going up against his peers on a year-to-year basis. Writers love to rant and rave about Art Monk, but I just don't see him having anywhere near the impact on the game that Hayes did.





YAKUZA

 

[StoneyBurk]

Perkins is a huge over sight 5th all time leading rusher in NFL history and not in the hall ? Marv Levy said he was the best player he ever coached.

 

[THUMPER]

Thumper that's an exhaustive list, and I'm definitely saving it for future debate, but...

You shorted Cornell Green an All-Pro team. He made it four straight years from 1966-69. In an 8-year span from 1965-72, he was a Pro Bowler or All-Pro seven times. You can't say that about anybody else on this list.

He should have been on the All-Decade Team of the 60's, and (along with Martin, Niland, Walls, and Pearson) should be in the ROH no question.

Chuck Howley should already be in the Hall of Fame, and the other six (with Harris) each have good arguments at their respective positions.

Not that I doubt you but do you have a link? I couldn't find any record of it but I'd love to update my stats and credit him with an additional all-pro season if it is true.

How Green has been overlooked all these years is beyond ridiculous.

 

[parchy]

Hays has always been the first name I bring up in these conversations, but does he really deserve it? Has he played enough? I know he helped change the way the game was played, but do his stats warrant entry? If so, we have some more names to consider after (or before) Hays.

If you ask me, the Ring of Honor is a cooler honor than the HoF anyway.

 

[DallasEast]

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times.

There is no way Drew Pearson should be on the outside looking into the Hall if Lynn Swann is already enshrined. Their numbers and successes rivals each other. Still, what should motivate the Board of Selectors to consider Pearson IF his own team will not consider bestowing him with the honor of recognition in its Ring of Honor?

It just doesn't make any sense.

 

[DWhite Fan]

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times.

There is no way Drew Pearson should be on the outside looking into the Hall if Lynn Swann is already enshrined. Their numbers and successes rivals each other. Still, what should motivate the Board of Selectors to consider Pearson IF his own team will not consider bestowing him with the honor of recognition in its Ring of Honor?

It just doesn't make any sense.

Truer words were never spoken

 

[DWhite Fan]

I have a list of Cowboys who I believe should at least be considered for the HoF but of this list only 3 players have ever made it as a finalist and only once each (Hayes, Harris, & Jordan).

Years played are for the Cowboys only, same for stats. I commented on those who played for other teams when it mattered. They are listed in order of number of Pro Bowls and cronologically.

Now obviously I don't believe that all of these guys should be in the HoF but that serious consideration should be given to many of them...

THUMPER'S Cowboys players that SHOULD be in the Hall of Fame

Player Name - Years Played – Pro Bowls Appeared In – All Pro

Don Perkins, RB: 8 Years - 6 Pro Bowls 61-63, 66-68 - All Pro (1) 62
1500 carries, 6217 yards, 4.1 avg., 42 TDs
Was 5th All-Time in rushing yards when he retired and is still 3rd for the Cowboys behind Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett.

Chuck Howley, LB: 13 Years - 6 Pro-Bowls 65-69, 71 - All Pro (5) 63, 67-70
25 INTs and 17 fumbles recovered.

John Niland, OG: 9 Years - 6 Pro-Bowls 68-73 - All Pro (3) 69, 71-72

Cliff Harris, DB: 10 Years - 6 Pro-Bowls 74-75, 77-79 – All Pro (4) 75-78
29 INTs and 15 fumbles recovered. HoF finalist in 2004.

Nate Newton, OG: 13 Years - 6 Pro Bowls 92-96, 98 – All Pro (2) 94-95

George Andrie, DE: 11 Years - 5 Pro Bowls 65-69 – All Pro (0)
Led the Cowboys in sacks 4 straight years from 64-67.
He totaled 57 sacks in those 4 years but I can find no career total for him.

Cornell Green, DB: 13 Years – 5 Pro Bowls 65-67, 71-72 – All Pro (3) 67-69
34 INTs

Lee Roy Jordan, LB: 14 Years – 5 Pro Bowls 67-69, 73-74 – All Pro (2) 67, 73
32 INTs and 16 fumbles recovered. Was the all-time leading tackler until Darren Woodson passed him.

Jay Novacek, TE: 7 Years – 5 Pro Bowls 91-95 – All Pro (2) 91-92
339 receptions, 3576 yards, 10.5 avg., 22 TDs for the Cowboys.
Played 5 years with the Cardinals before coming to Dallas as part of the “Plan-B” free agency.
422 receptions, 4630 yards, 10.9 avg., 30 TDs career totals.

Darren Woodson, DB: 12 Years – 5 Pro Bowls 94-98 – All Pro (3) 94-96
23 INTs, 11 sacks, and is the Cowboys’ All-Time leading tackler.

Calvin Hill, RB: 6 Years – 4 Pro Bowls 69, 72-74 – All Pro (2) 69, 73
1166 carries, 5009 yards, 4.3 avg., 39 TDs.
Played another 6 years with other teams but didn't do much.

Harvey Martin, DE: 11 Years – 4 Pro Bowls 76-79 – All Pro (1) 77
Unofficially credited with 113 career sacks, a Cowboys record.

Pat Donovan, OT: 9 Years - 4 Pro Bowls 79-82 - All Pro (0)

Everson Walls, DB: 9 Years – 4 Pro Bowls 81-83, 85 – All Pro (3) 82-83, 85
44 INTs (as a Cowboy + another 13 with other teams).

Erik Williams, OT: 10 Years – 4 Pro Bowls 93, 96-97, 99 – All Pro (2) 93, 95
Was considered the best OL in the game until a car accident in 1994.

Bob Hayes, WR: 10 Years – 3 Pro Bowls 65-67 – All Pro (4) 65, 67-68
365 receptions, 7295 yards, 20.0 avg., 71 TDs (still a Cowboys record).
Changed the way defense is played in the NFL.
Led the league in receiving TDs his first 2 years.
Only person in NFL history to win an Olympic Gold Medal and a SB.
HoF finalist in 2004.
World’s Fastest Human.

Ed Jones, DE: 15 Years – 3 Pro Bowls 81-83 – All Pro (2) 81-82
Unofficially credited with 106 career sacks.
Must hold the record for batted passes but they don’t keep track of them.

Drew Pearson, WR: 11 Years – 3 Pro Bowls 74, 76-77 – All Pro (3) 74, 76-77
489 receptions, 7822 yards, 16.0 avg., 48 TDs.
Famous for the 1975 “Hail Mary” catch that put us in the SB.

Charlie Waters, DB: 11 Years – 3 Pro Bowls 76-78 – All Pro (2) 77-78
41 INTs in the regular season plus 9 more in the playoffs.
Blocked 4 punts in 2 successive games.
Played in all 5 of the Cowboys SBs in the 70s.

Tony Hill, WR: 10 Years – 3 Pro Bowls 78-79, 85 - All Pro (0)
479 receptions, 7988 yards, 16.7 avg., 51 TDs

Herb Scott, OG: 10 Years – 3 Pro Bowls 79-81 – All Pro (2) 80-81

Ralph Neely, OT: 13 Years – 2 Pro Bowls 67, 69 – All Pro (3) 67-69


So out of that list, who do you think should receive serious consideration for the HoF?

When I look at your list I see 2 Super Bowl MVPs. Howley for SB V, and he was on the team that LOST! Martin split the award with R. White in SB XII for the butt kicking they gave Morton.
But of all the names, I think Hayes and Pearson deserve the most consideration. I can't put into words how pathetic it is that they are not already memebers of the HOF

 

[Zaxor]

my top 5

Hayes
Harris
Pearson
Martin
Green & Walls

okay its 6 but still

 

[THUMPER]

my top 5

Hayes
Harris
Pearson
Martin
Green & Walls

okay its 6 but still

Six on the one hand, half a dozen on the other. What the...?

If you've ever seen comedian George Wallace then you know what I'm talking about.

 

[2233boys]

How Hayes cannot be in there just completely escapes me. He of course doesnt have the best stats of all time but when a guy changes the game forever he deserves to be in the hall of fame.

its akin to saying pedro martinez doesnt deserve to be in the hall of fame becuase he isnt going to get to 300 wins.

The biggest slight on that list is Chuck Howley... Simply makes no sense he isn't in the HOF...

 

[alancdc]

Maybe it has been talked about before, but I assume this list is players that played primarily their career with DALLAS? If not, Charles Haley has to be in the HOF, doesn't he?

 

[Doomsday101]

Maybe it has been talked about before, but I assume this list is players that played primarily their career with DALLAS? If not, Charles Haley has to be in the HOF, doesn't he?

No doubt about it Haley has more SB rings than any player in the NFL and was an outstanding player