Is McNair a Hall of Famer?
Before we delve into more draft coverage this week, one last item on Steve McNair.
The question that came up frequently after he announced his retirement was: Is McNair a Hall of Famer?
We asked this question in a baltimoresun.com poll and received 4,635 responses. Readers were split on the topic, with 51.6 percent of you saying he is a Hall of Famer and 48.4 percent saying he's not.
Nationally, the consensus seems to be that McNair was a great quarterback, but not a Hall of Famer.
ESPN.com's blog Hashmarks caught up with three current Hall of Famers and asked them if McNair would get in. Here's what each of them said:
"He's borderline at best,'' one voter said. "When they were winning it was (running back) Eddie George's team, and (Titans coach) Jeff Fisher played defense. It's five years before he's even on the ballot, but right now I would say he's not a Hall of Famer.'' Another Hall of Fame voter was even more definitive. "I think Steve was a real good QB but has no chance for the Hall,'' they said. A third member agreed that they wouldn't vote for McNair today but added that it's possible McNair's candidacy could get stronger with time. "I can't say that I would never vote for McNair,'' the member said. "There are some guys like Warren Moon that I didn't think was a Hall of Famer at first, but as time passed, the numbers stood out and I was convinced that he was.''
SI.com's Don Banks says McNair didn't sustain greatness long enough to be considered a Hall of Famer:
Is McNair worthy of Canton? I'm not a Hall of Fame voter, but if I were, my own debate wouldn't last long. McNair certainly produced greatness at times during his 13-year NFL career, but he came nowhere near sustaining it from start to finish. He was one of the league's preeminent gamers, a real warrior in terms of answering the bell on Sundays. He commanded the respect of almost everyone league-wide, and competed as fiercely as anyone. But while he was undoubtedly one of the game's best quarterbacks for a time, his brilliance spanned a relatively short time.
And finally, Joe Biddle, a columnist for The Tennessean agrees that McNair is not a Hall of Famer:
If there were a NFL Tough Guys Hall of Fame, Steve McNair would stand at the head of the class. Five years from now, when McNair is eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he will fall short when voters gather during Super Bowl week.
Comments
Steve Mcnair is a hall of famer!!!! If you look at the numbers he is one of three quarterbacks to accomplish the 30,000/3,500 mark the other two are in. Now while I do agree that he will not get in on his first try, I feel strongly that his dominant NFL career 3 pro bowls and super bowl appearance will lift him over the edge. Finally ask yourself this one question; If Mcnair wins one super bowl would he be in? the obvious answer would then lead you to conclude he came one yard short of the Hall but will that be enough to ultimately keep him out.
Posted by: Jason Thomas | April 20, 2008 2:49 PM
Steve Mcnair is a hall of famer!!!! If you look at the numbers he is one of three quarterbacks to accomplish the 30,000/3,500 mark the other two are in. Now while I do agree that he will not get in on his first try, I feel strongly that his dominant NFL career 3 pro bowls and super bowl appearance will lift him over the edge. Finally ask yourself this one question; If Mcnair wins one super bowl would he be in? the obvious answer would then lead you to conclude he came one yard short of the Hall but will that be enough to ultimately keep him out.
Posted by: Jon White | April 20, 2008 2:51 PM
Hashmarks is smoking crack if they didn't think Moon wasn't a HOFer, before was inducted.
McNair isn't a HOF. If he gets in, you can make a case for Drew Bledsoe, who has a ring. Make a case for Vinny Testaverde.
Let's not compare him to Steve Young or Fran Tarkenton. Their numbers speak for themselves. Let's all step away from the ledge.
Posted by: E-ROC | April 20, 2008 7:37 PM
Was McNair the best of all time, no, but he is HOF worthy.
He was the toughest QB to ever play the Ravens defense that I feel was the best of all time.
He bought Billck a 20 million dollar golden parachute out of his straw and weave offense with 13 wins and serious SB run.
StATS ARE NOT EVERYTHING. ask the players who faced him who was the best. The writers. Madden.
The injuries took away the scramble, and the deep passing but when he had his full arsenal of run pass attack, he was one of the best QBs of all time, possibly the single most difficult to gameplan and defend.
He changed the game.
McNair did not have quite the supporting cast that Steve Young did, but I bet if he was the QB of those 49r teams they would have lost a game because of him.
When Young was a young Buck, he was no where near the QB McNair was as an Oiler.
In my veiw Steve McNair desrves to be a Hall of Fame QB because of how good he was in his prime, not how his lifetime QB rating measures up to Joe Montana's.
There were at least 4 seasons when he was healthy that he was the best QB in the NFL.
That is the sound of a HOF player.
That is also why Terrel Davis should be a lock and Vinny Testaverde can play until he is 50 and should still have to buy a ticket to get in and look at McNair's bust.
Posted by: Jeremiah | April 20, 2008 10:23 PM
Stats aren't everything, but he is still not HOF worthy. McNair might get some votes, but he ain't getting in. I don't see it. McNair was never really the guy with the Titans. It was Eddie George, at least IMO. I don't recall one year where he was utterly dominant. Not one. Yeah, he's tough guy. One of the toughest ever to play the game, but sometimes, doesn't get you that special jacket.
Posted by: E-ROC | April 20, 2008 11:58 PM
I wouldn't say he is a hall of famer but still a very good, tough quarterback.
Posted by: Marcus | April 21, 2008 8:06 AM
How many 'stand alone' MVP s does he have ? How many super bowl rings ? Boller has the same amount , hall of fame , I don't think so...............
Posted by: Jim from Dundalk | April 21, 2008 8:48 AM
Stand alone MVP? what does that matter if he was good enough to split it with the numbers Peyton put up that year?
Eddie George was a great RB, but not a HOF player. McNair got better and put up bigger numbers when Eddie was phased out.
Fisher ran a conservative run first offense, but McNair was cpable of running any system. The numbers are not as big a factor in my view as the feeling I got when he had the ball with time on the clock and the Ravens had a small lead.
That is why Elway got so much props, for the comebacks and how cluth he was. They have similar type numbers and McNairs were derailed by a busted sternum and severe back injuries among others.
Posted by: Jeremiah | April 21, 2008 11:02 AM
Dale Murphy and Jim Rice...
Sure they are baseball players, but when they played they were thought to be sure fire HOFers. But as we look back, yea they were very good, great even...but the Hall is for better than great. The is were Steve McNair falls, very good to great.
Posted by: gueman | April 21, 2008 11:57 AM
Wasn't Peyton 12 when they split the numbers??? Seriously, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Ravens fan and I will admit he gave us fits when he was a Titan, but he never got over the HOF hump. Impressive numbers, tough work-ethic, but not consistent. You would still be arguing this point even with the Super Bowl ring, but wouldn't blink about Peyton's chances at the HOF if he had not won one. The Hall should be reserved for players that stand out at their position, and while Steve was a great competitor, I don't think he stood out enough. There are plenty of QB's out there who will put up decent numbers, but that does not qualify them for the HOF.
Posted by: Travis Heinicke | April 24, 2008 1:17 PM