The best NFL players not included in the Hall of Fame – ranked

There are currently 382 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. There will be a few players that some think may not be deserving of their spot in the Hall, but there are even more who haven’t made the cut despite their stellar careers. Let’s take a look at the best 10 players not to own a gold jacket.

Pat Swilling’s resume looks like a nailed on Hall of Famer, yet, for whatever reason, the former New Orleans Saint, Detroit Lion, and Oakland Raider hasn’t made it. He finished his career with 107.5 sacks, per Pro Football Reference, earning two All-Pro nods, five Pro Bowl selections and won Defensive Player of the Year in 1991 to boot.

Anquan Boldin sits 14th all time in NFL receiving yards and is the poster boy for those who like to claim the scouting combine doesn’t matter after he famously ran a 4.7 40-yard dash. Boldin was consistently excellent throughout his career, but was never the best receiver in the NFL, which harms his claim at a gold jacket, but on production and talent, he is deserving.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

Much like Boldin, Torry Holt was a consistently elite player without ever being the best. Although, unlike Boldon, Holt twice led the NFL in receiving yards. He also earned two All-Pro nods and seven Pro Bowl appearances. At some stage, you would have to assume Holt will get into Canton, but for now, he’s on the outside looking in.

Jim Marshall was one of the key parts of Minnesota’s ‘Purple People Eater’ defense during the 60s and 70s. He finished his career with 130.5 sacks, per Pro Football Reference. He was probably never the best defensive lineman on his team, which hurts his claim, but there were two Hall of Famers on that d-line in Allan Page and Carl Eller.

Anderson won a version of the NFL Triple Crown in 1981, claiming the MVP, NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and NFL Comeback Player of the Year, which is a remarkable feat. Per CBS Sports, Anderson’s work with Bill Walsh and his ‘West Coast’ offensive system laid the groundwork for Walsh’s success in San Francisco. Anderson was on the cutting edge of NFL offensive in the 70s.

Manning is arguably the hardest player to judge when it comes to the Hall of Fame. In so many ways, he looks like a perfect candidate. Two Super Bowls, two Super Bowl MVPS, in and around the all-time top 10 in passing yards and touchdowns, etc etc. Yet, he didn’t make it this year and may not for a while. His impact on the sport is undeniable, though.

Willie Anderson was an offensive tackle for the Bengals and Ravens during the late-90s and early-2000s. During that time, he was one of the best in the league at his position, earning three-consecutive First Team All-Pro selections, per ESPN.

Roger Craig was a trailblazer at the running back position, becoming the first player to rush and receiver over 1,000 yards in a season. To this day, only Marshall Faulk and Christian McCaffrey have done it since. Craig was a big part of the 49ers era of dominance in the 80s, winning three Super Bowls along the way.

Steve Smith Sr. stood just 5’9” and 195 lbs. Not a small man by any means, but small in NFL terms. You wouldn’t know it from watching him, however, as Smith would physically impose his will on opponents. He was the best smack talker in the game during his career and has the eighth most receiving yards of all time too, so he could back it up. Smith will get into Canton at some point, but he isn’t in yet.

Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison combined perfectly for the Indianapolis Colts during the Peyton Manning era, and both deserve to be in the Hall. Harrison has made it, but so far, Reggie Wayne hasn’t, which, in our eyes, is a travesty. He will surely don a gold jacket someday, but he was arguably deserving of being a first-ballot entry.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!