Saturday's Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony exemplified everything that is both good and bad about the Hall's selection process. It was great to see Randy Gradishar and Steve McMichael inducted, but it took both way too long to get their just due in Canton, Ohio, to no fault of their own.
Far too many players and/or coaches have either had similar waits, are still waiting, never received the call to Canton or received the honor posthumously. There is currently a backlog of deserving players (especially at receiver) who may never get the call.
Saturday's ceremony was yet another reminder of the flawed system in which esteemed individuals are voted into the Hall of Fame. Given those constant oversights, it's time that the Hall reevaluates its selection process and creates a better one.
Diversify HOF selection committee
It's actually pretty simple. Currently, the Hall's selection committee is made up media members from each NFL market. Those members must make a case for their market's player before the rest of the committee. A player needs to receive at least 80% of the committee's votes in order to receive induction.
Instead of relying solely on media members, the Hall needs to consider having a committee that also includes former players, coaches and significant contributors. A more diverse committee would likely lead to better insight, discussion and, therefore, selections.
Would such a committee work? Well, that's what the NFL used when it created its 100 All-Time Team in 2019. That team was constructed by a "blue-ribbon voting panel" comprised of coaches (including then-Patriots coach Bill Belichick), front-office team executives, former players and members of the media. The result was a widely acclaimed All-Time Team that drew virtually no criticism.
Create criteria to add more clarity to selection process
The Hall should also consider creating some sort of criteria in order to add some clarity to the process. Many NFL teams that have started their own hall of fames have created their own criteria. For example, in order to be considered for the Steelers' Hall of Honor, a player "must be retired at least three years and played a minimum of three seasons for the Steelers. Former coaches and contributors had to make significant contributions to the team and community." A similar criteria should be adopted by the Hall of Fame.
It should be noted that the Hall of Fame does an excellent job celebrating and preserving the legacies of the players, coaches and contributors who are already enshrined. The Hall of Fame in general is a Disneyland of sorts for NFL fans. It's dedication to the history of the game is unrivaled.
Additionally, the Hall's voters also deserve credit for their work in trying to create the best induction class on a yearly basis. Trying to determine who is the most deserving amongst a list of highly talented and decorated finalists is surely a daunting task. Despite that challenge, the Committee usually gets it right for the most part.
But far too often, too many players either fall through the cracks or are forgotten altogether. Given that fact, it's time that the Hall considers a new course that will hopefully lead to better selection process.
