The 2021 NFL Hall of Fame Class May Be The Best Ever
The 2021 NFL Hall of Fame Class may be the best class of all-time. Peyton Manning, Charles Woodson, and Calvin “Megatron” Johnson headline the class for this year’s Canton inductees. All three were in their first year of eligibility and I officially feel old as shit. Combined the three have 29 Pro-Bowl Selections. Also, the three all-time greats won three Super Bowls and numerous individual records.
Megatron
Let’s start with Megatron. The greatest wide receiver of my generation and maybe of all-time. Johnson played nine seasons with the Detriot Lions and in those nine seasons changed the game of football forever. Unfortunately, Johnson retired prematurely due to numerous injuries and the fact that the Lions just downright were terrible. However, despite only playing for nine years Johnson leads the Lions franchise in targets (1,312), receptions (731), yards (11,619), and receiving touchdowns (83). Also, he managed to rank in the top 40 of receiving yards leaders in NFL history.
Megatron is the ultimate ‘What If’ story. What would he have been if he was on another team? How many Super Bowls could he have won if he played for the Packers instead of the Lions? Those questions will haunt the minds of NFL fans forever.
Charles Woodson
Next, we have Charles Woodson. One of the game’s all-time great DB’s. After a successful tenure with the Raiders that unfortunately never saw him win the Super Bowl, he joined the Green Bay Packers and won the big one in 2010.
He led the league in interceptions with nine for the Packers in 2009 and earned a Super Bowl ring with Green Bay the following season.
The cornerback-turned-safety also forced 33 fumbles, recorded 20 sacks, and had three 90-tackle seasons, including 113 tackles with the Raiders at age 38. Woodson’s level of play even in his later years was on an All-Pro level. After retiring a Raider, Woodson took to the booth and joined ESPN for some time before leaving.
However, the all-time great is now forever remembered in Canton, Ohio. Just one state over from where Woodson became a College Football Legend at the University of Michigan.
Peyton Manning
Last but definitely not least, Peyton Manning. The brother of my favorite player growing up was the best of the Manning family. Manning won five MVPs, a Rookie of the Year Award, and a Comeback Player of the Year. Manning spent the first 14 years of his career with the Colts dominating the AFC South.
In 2012, Manning took his talents to Denver and won Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos. Arguably, a top-five quarterback of all-time, Manning retired with numerous single-season and career records, including his 5,477 yards passing and 55 touchdowns in 2013. Stepping out from the shadow of his father Archie Manning, Peyton won a Super Bowl with two teams as their starting QB. Something very few have been able to do.
This is what the Baseball Hall of Fame could look like if the committee wasn’t a bunch of idiots with pens.
With all of these awards, records, and Championships. It’s hard to argue for a better Hall of Fame Class than the 2021 class. Maybe I’m being a little biased because I saw all three of these guys play. However, even the old-timers will have a hard time arguing with this collection of greatness.
