6 Pro Football Hall of Fame snubs who must finally be inducted

Following a near-30-year wait, former star San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig finally gained entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The three-time Super Bowl champion got to enjoy his long-awaited day of enshrinement in Canton, Ohio this past Saturday, but he also had devastating news to share. Craig has been diagnosed with vascular dementia. While this horrible disease obviously transcends sports, it also reminds people the importance of timing.

Many great players have had to go through the HOF selection process several times before getting that exclusive invitation. There are plenty of deserving athletes who have not even gotten that call yet. Some have already died. The committee can still honor these gridiron game-changers. Better late than never.

The 2027 ballot will feature a number of new worthy candidates, with Rob Gronkowski, Adrian Peterson, Ben Roethlisberger, Richard Sherman, Antonio Brown and Andrew Whitworth headlining the group. Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft will also garner attention after being denied in 2026. Not all those men will get their bust next year (many fans believe Brown never will), but there will still be limited spots available.

Longtime Hall of Fame hopefuls will be left in the cold once again. Whether it be next year or the following one, there are at least six names who have strong claims to a Gold Jacket. All we can do is shine a light on them.

Torry Holt, WR

Three members of the “Greatest Show on Turf” have been granted permanent recognition, but long retired wide receiver Torry Holt continues to come up short. The St. Louis Rams legend was remarkably a HOF finalist for a seventh straight time, so voters clearly acknowledge his substantial contributions to the sport. They just do not think he deserved consideration over others. I, and many others, strongly challenge that notion.

The No. 6 pick in the 1999 NFL Draft instantly helped catapult the Rams to Super Bowl immortality, recording 82 receptions for 1,635 yards in his rookie campaign and totaling another 20 catches for 242 yards and a TD in the team’s triumphant playoff run. He posted 1,300 yards or more in six consecutive years but only cleared 100 receptions twice in that span, which speaks to his amazing playmaking ability.

Holt was a menace on the field, and although a shorter career puts him statistically below others on all-time lists (outside the top-15 in receiving yards, outside the top-25 in catches and outside the top-40 in receiving TDs), he left an enormous imprint during his 11-season tenure in the NFL. He was unquestionably one of the best talents of his era, and we cannot properly commemorate one of the greatest offenses in football history without giving him a spot in The Hall.

Steve Smith Sr., WR

We will stick with offense, but don’t worry, the purpose of this exercise is not solely to highlight the flashy skills position players. No. 89 deserves a prominent place in this discussion, however.

When taking account of everything that he had to overcome, Steve Smith Sr. should have entered Canton soon after he first became eligible for the 2022 class. Despite a supposedly undersized 5-foot-9 frame, the endlessly tenacious pass-catcher established himself as the best WR the Carolina Panthers have ever known, while also enjoying an impressive final act with the Baltimore Ravens. He elevated those around him, including quarterback Jake Delhomme.

Smith seized the WR Triple Crown in 2005, and he did so in an offense that ranked 29th in passing attempts. And he did so after suffering a broken fibula the previous year. None of this is to minimize the accomplishments of Delhomme, who joined his No. 1 target in Carolina’s Hall of Honor back in 2019. It just shows how much of a difference-maker Smith was during his 13-year Panthers career.

The 2001 third-rounder collected First-Team All-Pro honors in his rookie season while operating as a returner and then did so in 2005 as a wideout, showcasing the type of versatility and elusiveness that only a few of his contemporaries possessed. He also came through in the clutch, helping Carolina come as close as it ever has to the Lombardi Trophy and amassing 1,001 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 11 playoff games.

Steve Smith Sr. took seemingly modest opportunities and transformed them into monster production. Ranking eighth all-time in receiving yards (14,731) and 14th in receptions (1,031), this ferocious competitor has arguably compiled a more impressive résumé than a few WRs who are already in the Hall of Fame. The Los Angeles, California native overcame obstacles throughout his playing days, but the one he cannot clear is the one that is out of his control.

Kevin Williams, DT

Fellow Minnesota Vikings game-wrecker Jim Marshall has been waiting much longer and certainly warrants his due for playing in 282 straight games in an unforgiving era, but defensive tackle Kevin Williams enjoyed a stellar prime. He was named a First-Team All-Pro in five of six years and accumulated 63 sacks, 113 tackles for loss, nine forced fumbles and 13 fumble recoveries before retiring after the 2015-16 campaign.

And yet, Williams was not a Hall of Fame finalist until this latest cycle. In 2008, he tested positive for a banned substance that is said to mask steroids and was assessed a four-game suspension — reduced to two games after he took action — but there is still no concrete evidence that the six-time Pro Bowler actually used steroids.

Although I understand why there would be some negativity surrounding his HOF case, it is hard to dismiss the excellent versatility he displayed in his first few years in Purple and Gold. Marshall has a strong argument in his own right, and it is unfair to dock him for the “Wrong Way Run,” but if the Minnesota beat writers are split on these two defensive forces, then Williams’ superb run defense, effective pass-rushing skills and extensive accolades may give him the nod.

Perhaps they can both join this dwelling of innovators in the near future.

Don Klosterman, Executive

Some people have been overlooked for so long that their legacies are largely forgotten. Don Klosterman is one of the most influential football executive ever, but he is unable to gain much traction whatsoever when it comes time for voters to cast their Hall of Fame ballots. The former quarterback transitioned to the front office after a skiing accident ended his playing career and nearly took his life. Displaying commendable resilience, he thrived in his second act.

Klosterman was a splendid talent evaluator who helped lure coveted USC offensive tackle Ron Mix  and other big names like Lance Alworth, Jack Kemp and Ernie Ladd to the Los Angeles Chargers in the upstart AFL. After doing his part to lay the ground work of a future title-winning squad, Klosterman jumped to the then-Dallas Texans in 1962 — later became the Kansas City Chiefs.

Once again, his fingerprints were all over a championship operation. He aggressively pursued would-be Hall of Famers Bobby Bell and Buck Buchanan, along with other difference-makers, and the franchise returned to the AFL pinnacle and eventually won its first Super Bowl in 1970. Klosterman did not reap all the benefits of these moves, as he left to become the Houston Oilers general manager, but his contributions paved the way for the Chiefs’ rise and the AFL’s merger with the NFL.

The trailblazer guided Houston to two playoff berths before he ascended into the GM stratosphere with the Baltimore Colts and Los Angeles Rams. The former won in Klosterman’s first year at the helm, and the latter put together its most dominant stretch in team history under his leadership. LA won seven consecutive NFC West crowns and clinched a Super Bowl appearance in 1980.

When his time with the Rams ended, Don Klosterman showed off his skills one more time by signing future San Francisco 49ers hero Steve Young to the LA Express, who resided in the short-lived USFL. Beyond his 146-89 record, this man revived multiple franchises and helped several players begin their journey to Canton.

Now, it is time for him to walk that path.

Joe Jacoby, OL

Individual awards alone cannot measure a player’s impact. Joe Jacoby deserves copious praise for posting consecutive First-Team All-Pro campaigns and raking in four Pro Bowl selections, but it is his championship-level stability and adaptability that separates him from so many other offensive tackles.

When a franchise wins three Super Bowls in less than 10 years, strong leadership and consistency in the trenches are usually huge reasons why. Jacoby exemplified the latter for the then-Washington Redskins. He manned the blind side for Joe Theismann and Doug Williams before shifting to right tackle to accommodate fellow powerhouse Jim Lachey.

Whether it be the volatility under center, a position change or the grueling assignment of blocking Lawrence Taylor and Randy White during annual divisional battles, Jacoby remained a stalwart for Washington. Joe Gibbs is justly extolled for winning three Super Bowls with three different signal-callers, but the same courtesy should be extended to No. 66.

“The Hogs” are one of the sport’s most iconic offensive lines. It is only right that the man who did so much of the dirty work gets fitted for a Gold Jacket. Like many tackles, Joe Jacoby remains woefully underappreciated.

L.C. Greenwood, DE

We will end with the person most likely to produce the response, “he’s not in the Hall of Fame already?” The player who was born in Canton (Mississippi) never got to experience the honor that a number of his Pittsburgh Steelers teammates received. And he never will. L.C. Greenwood, a defensive end for the Black and Gold during their fabled 1970s dynasty, passed away at just 67 years old due to kidney failure in 2013.

His family can still share in a posthumous coronation, though. The No. 238 pick in the 1969 NFL Draft was one of the most underrated members of the dominant “Steel Curtain” defense. He helped Pittsburgh win four championships in six seasons, with Super Bowl 10 serving as his magnum opus. Greenwood sacked quarterback Roger Staubach four times, stifling the Dallas Cowboys legend in what wound up being a slim 21-17 victory for the Steelers.

Besides that heroic performance in the Miami Orange Bowl, he totaled 78 sacks, five forced fumbles and 14 fumble recoveries in 13 seasons. Greenwood spent the entirety of his NFL career in Pittsburgh and helped form a physical brand of football that captivated fans around the country. He was overshadowed at times by the likes of “Mean” Joe Greene and Jack Lambert, not to mention the abundance of offensive stars, but his achievements should not be obscured any longer.

No. 68 was unfortunately denied the chance to join the HOF with his gridiron brothers in person. However, his memory can still live beside theirs, forever housed in this coliseum of football’s most fearless warriors.

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