Everything you just posted on these guys proves that Vinatieri is the best of the bunch. :idunno:

 

I was thinking the same thing. Highest % FGs and will be points leader. XPs are a wash basically.

 

GOAT

How many kickers are in the HOF?

 

Anderson, Hanson and Elam were all great kickers. But Vinatieri is on a different level than these guys.

Even if Gary Anderson had the same exact regular season stats as Vinatieri, here's what will always stick in my mind until the day I die regarding these two.

 

Vinatieri made two kicks in a snowstorm to send his team to the Super Bowl.

 

Anderson missed a kick in a dome that would have (very likely) sent his team to the Super Bowl.

 

Enough said.

Kickers I look at a little differently. They are mentally fragile head cases that can get the yips at any time and be out of the league. Sure, some are more skilled than others, but by-in-large they are all physically the same so teams go with the mentally toughest guy to make "the kick" to win a game. I do not have to look at any stat or need to know where Vinateieri is on the all time scoring list to know he checks all of those boxes. Many kickers have had stronger legs, but who would you want in your foxhole with all the chips on the line? That is how you evaluate a kicker. That is why Vinateieri makes a strong case a first balloter.

Does he get in on the first ballot? The way the votes go, I never know for sure.

 

But he's a HOF lock.

Not questioning the list because I think they are all sure bets as HOF. But do Gore, Peppers and Harrison get in on the first ballot? I think all the other guys are no-doubt first ballot.

 

I think they all do.

 

I know he's probably more of an accumulator of numbers than a "star", but Gore is going to end up in the top 4-5 all time in rushing yards. If that doesn't earn him a first-ballot induction, I'm not sure what would.

I think they all do.

 

I know he's probably more of an accumulator of numbers than a "star", but Gore is going to end up in the top 4-5 all time in rushing yards. If that doesn't earn him a first-ballot induction, I'm not sure what would.

If this were baseball, maybe so. But the NFL HOF voters are much more stringent in that regard and not as caught up with numbers. It is why WRs never get the recognition they should. Gore feels more like a legacy selection.

 

First ballot is super tough to make.

 

Everything you just posted on these guys proves that Vinatieri is the best of the bunch. :idunno:

 

He may well be, and that makes what his replacement, Stephen Gostkowski has done very impressive.