After a weekend full of Hall of Fame coverage on ESPN, John Clayton of ESPN.com wrote that the 2006 class is the best that the NFL has ever inducted.
Joining the NFL Hall of Fame in elite in Canton, Ohio this year were quarterbacks Troy Aikman and Warren Moon., linebacker Harry Carson, tackle Rayfield Wright, coach, commenter and video game professor John Madden and the late great Reggie White.
In my opinion, this has to go down as the one of the greatest classes in history because it comes from the greatest group of 15 ever put before the board. Former Bills running back Thurman Thomas might have made it as a first-ballot Hall of Famer had it not been for the selection of two senior candidates — Madden and Wright.
The list of players who didn’t make it is almost as impressive as the list of those who did. Look at the backlog at defensive end with both L.C. Greenwood and Claude Humphrey failing to get in. Former Chiefs great Derrick Thomas was one of the best pass-rushers in the history of the game. He didn’t make it. Neither did former Vikings and Broncos left tackle Gary Zimmerman.
I would have to agree with Clayton in saying this was a magical class. Although Aikman was surrounded by some of the best talent in his three-time Super Bowl days, as Clayton noted, he was hammered earlier in his career and survived to become one of the greatest QBs ever to play the game.
Watching Moon fire passes to his receivers was a thing of beauty. He never got one of his teams to a Conference Championship game, but his numbers alone merits his first ballot entry. Moon is the first African-American quarterback to be enshrined into the Hall of Fame.
Madden is one of the most recognizable names in NFL history, because of his coaching history, his presence in the booth and even to a younger crowd who purchase his yearly video game. He won a Super Bowl in 1977 and had an amazing regular season record of 103-32-7.
Carson had to wait seven agonizing years before his name was finally called, but was one of the greatest leaders for the Giants and led the team in tackles for five seasons. He also earned All-Rookie honors in 1977 and was selected to nine Pro Bowls.
Wright played as a tight end, defensive end and offensive tackle during his 12-year career and played in five Super Bowls. He was selected to six Pro Bowls and was a Seniors Committee nominee.
Finally, Reggie White will be remembered as one of the most dominating defensive ends to every play the game. In several interviews that appeared on ESPN and the NFL network all weekend, White seemed to be one of the greatest guys off the field as well.
White was picked to be an All-Pro 13 out of 15 seasons, includling 10 as a first-team selection. Unfortunatly, White passed away Dec. 26, 2004 at the age of 43.
This group will be challenged every year as one of the best classes ever to be enshrined in Canton.
