Steve McNair was a very good football player for a sustained amount of time. But will he make the grade in five years, or ten years, or ever to be considered among the greats in the game? A quick trip to his Football Reference page could help spark the debate. Here are the highlights though…
He shared a MVP award…which means he wasn’t really the “best single player out there” and he did go to three Pro Bowls. But that isn’t very many for a 12-13 year career. But there are some debatable stats to argue for a bust in Canton….lets review.
28th in Passing Yards
Ahead of HOFs
Len Dawson
Terry Bradshaw
Joe Namath
George Blanda
Bob Greise
Bart Starr
46th in TDs
Ahead of HOFs
Otto Graham
Joe Namath
Norm Van Brocklin
Troy Aikman
Roger Staubach
Bart Starr
Sid Luckman
28th in Passer Rating
Ahead of HOFs
Len Dawson
Sonny Jurgensen
Troy Aikman
Warren Moon
Bart Starr
Fran Tarkenton
Dan Fouts
John Elway
Johnny Unitas
25th in Completion Percentage
Ahead of HOFs
Jim Kelly
Dan Marino
Dan Fouts
Warren Moon
Bart Starr
Len Dawson
Sonny Jurgensen
Fran Tarkenton
Roger Satubach
John Elway
Similar players for his career according to the page indicate his career was similar to HOFs
Terry Bradshaw
Troy Aikman
Jim Kelly
Joe Namath
Those guys won or played in a lot of Super Bowls…I bring this up because the other players that McNair’s career was similar to include
Mark Brunell
Ken Stabler
Donavan McNabb
Boomer Esiason
Drew Bledsoe
Those guys also played in a few big games as well…the only curious case of similarity was
Jim Everett…seriously?
McNair’s legacy might have been different had the Titans won the Super Bowl over the Rams…but for now it looks like his career when it comes to the Hall of Fame may also come up “one yard short.”
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I dunno. Solid QB, Great player…good numbers…not a hall of famer to me.
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If you have to debate whether or not a player is a HOFer, then he’s not a HOFer.
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did you come up with that all by yourself?
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this is the football hall of
goodfame. he gets in.(Quote)
i say no. especially not in an era with Peyton, Brady, and the player who shall not be named (and may never actually retire)
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It was either that, or “It’s the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of Very Good.” Those are the only two generic HOF debate lines I know.
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he definitely wasn’t even the best quarterback in his own conference when he was playing…let alone the league
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even in his mvp season he only threw 24 TDs
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this means Vick gets in too, right?
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wasnt making fun of it…it is actually a pretty good rule
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Good point Sae…add McNabb and possibly Warner to that list.
If you let McNair in…do you let in Garcia?
I loved watching McNair play, but the guy comes nowhere close to the top players of the era.
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Definitely Warner and by the time hs career is done definitely McNabb.
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warner should be a lock at this point
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Absolutely not a hall of famer. I don’t even think it’s a debate really.
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In: Brady, Manning, Warner, Roethlisberger, Favre
Discussable: McNabb
Definitely have more work to do: Eli, Brees
Out: everyone else.
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so why is mcnair being drunk a big deal when he died…i am pretty sure i got drunk on the friday before 4th of july….shouldnt mean i have to get shot
i know they gotta report it but…
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you guys aren’t looking at it the way football is looked at. guys that were good, get in all the time. Harry Carson was a really good linebacker, but he wasn’t even the best on his team during his prime. when he finally won a Super Bowl, he was 3rd best on the team…maybe. i think they let him in. they will look at the talent he was surrounded with, and put him in.
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aikman arguably didnt have the numbers to get in…but three rings changes a lot of things
mcnair has no such rings…and the only point of this post was to figure it out now….in reality – had mcnair not been killed…this post wouldnt be here to debate
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warren moon had gaudy numbers thanks to the run-n-shoot. he fucking sucked, and he got in.
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moon got in because it is the “pro football” hall of fame…not the nfl hall of fame…they gave him all of his stats and accolades from his canadian days to justify his inclusion
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i just realized how much we all miss football
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you are all wrong. you will see. warner is going to get in, as will mcnabb. it may take time, but i will be justified.
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I think warner is a lock and mcnabb probably will get in. So you’re right sparty. But I don’t think McNair will get in unless it’s a pity vote over his death, and then he won’t have deserved it.
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warner = in.
mcnabb = prolly in.
mcnair = maybe. really close though.
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