Top 10 NFL Players Who Should Be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame honors the greatest players in NFL history, but not every deserving player gets in right away. While some legends are voted in quickly, others find themselves waiting year after year, even though their careers clearly belong among the all-time greats.
This list highlights the top players who should already have a spot in Canton but, for one reason or another, are still on the outside looking in. These players made a lasting impact on the game, putting up impressive stats, earning awards, and helping their teams win at the highest level. Their contributions to football speak for themselves, yet they continue to be overlooked.
Vote for the players you believe deserve a place in the Hall of Fame. Your votes help shine a light on these overlooked stars and make the case for their long-overdue recognition.
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Jim Marshall
Jim Marshall played defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings from 1961 to 1979 and was a key member of the "Purple People Eaters" defensive line. Marshall holds the NFL record for most consecutive games played by a defensive lineman with 282. He retired as the second all-time leader in career sacks for the Vikings.
Marshall is probably most known for running a fumble the wrong way for a safety, but besides that play, Marshall was an elite and key member of the early Vikings defense. He played for almost 20 years and is an all-time great for the Vikings.
It's a travesty that he and Chuck Foreman are not in.
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Ken Anderson
Ken Anderson played quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1971 to 1986 and won the NFL MVP award in 1981. Anderson led the league in passer rating four times and was named to four Pro Bowls. He helped guide the Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance in the 1981 season.
Great quarterback. Accurate. Great arm. Anderson is being punished for playing with the Cincinnati Bengals during the 1970s, when his team was playing in the shadow of one of the greatest dynasties of all time: the Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970s. Put Anderson in.
Like so many have pointed out, it's weird he hasn't been inducted yet. Anderson was an NFL MVP, led the Bengals to their only Super Bowl appearance, and led the NFL in passer rating four times. There's no reason that Anderson should be out of the Hall of Fame.
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Torry Holt
Torry Holt was a wide receiver for the St. Louis Rams from 1999 to 2008 and was a key part of "The Greatest Show on Turf." Holt recorded eight consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons and led the NFL in receiving yards in 2000 and 2003. He won a Super Bowl with the Rams in his rookie season.
Isaac Bruce had to wait for the Hall of Fame, so it's no surprise Holt has had to as well. He is a Rams legend who was a seven-time Pro Bowler, with 13,382 yards and 74 touchdowns. And that was with playing second fiddle to Bruce most of the time. He should make it in soon.
A star wide receiver for one of the greatest offenses in NFL history: the Greatest Show on Turf. Put Holt in already.
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Reggie Wayne
Reggie Wayne played wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts from 2001 to 2014 and ranks in the top 10 in career receptions and receiving yards. Wayne was a six-time Pro Bowler and had four seasons with over 1,300 receiving yards. He won a Super Bowl with the Colts during the 2006 season.
Reggie Wayne was a dominant wide receiver for the Colts under two quarterbacks: Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck. Do not punish Reggie Wayne because he also played with Marvin Harrison.
If Torry Holt deserves the Hall of Fame, then Wayne does too. He was also the second receiver to Marvin Harrison for a while, like Holt was to Isaac Bruce. He has 14,435 yards and 82 touchdowns to his name. He hasn't been eligible for long, but I would have expected him to be in by now.
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Chuck Foreman
Chuck Foreman was a running back for the Minnesota Vikings from 1973 to 1979 and won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Foreman was a five-time Pro Bowler and recorded three consecutive seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards. He played in three Super Bowls with the Vikings.
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Hines Ward
Hines Ward played wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1998 to 2011 and is the franchise's all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches. Ward was a two-time Super Bowl champion and won Super Bowl MVP in 2005. He recorded over 12,000 career receiving yards and was a four-time Pro Bowler.
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Otis Taylor
Otis Taylor was a wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1965 to 1975 and helped lead the team to victory in Super Bowl IV. Taylor recorded over 7,000 career receiving yards and was a two-time First-Team All-Pro selection. He led the AFL in receiving yards in 1966.
A dominant wide receiver in the AFL and the early years following the merger with the NFL. Taylor's fantastic catches, runs, and contributions during the 1969 playoffs against the Jets, Raiders, and Vikings propelled the Chiefs to a win in Super Bowl IV. Do not punish Taylor because he played for a run-first team in a run-first era.
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Lee Roy Jordan
Lee Roy Jordan has more combined interceptions and fumble recoveries than any linebacker in NFL history other than Ray Lewis, and Ray Lewis played in many more games. Jordan was the leader of the Doomsday Defense, which consistently had the top, or one of the top, run defenses in the NFL from 1966 to 1974. Playing between 205 and 215 pounds, Jordan was, pound for pound, the greatest middle linebacker in NFL history.
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Harvey Martin
Twenty-three sacks in 1977. NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1977. Super Bowl MVP. Over 110 sacks, unofficially, in his career, about 30 more than L. C. Greenwood. A several-time All-Pro and Pro Bowl player. A member of the 1970s All-Decade Team. It is a disgrace that Harvey Martin is not in Canton.
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Ralph Neely
A several-time All-Pro offensive tackle and Pro Bowler. A member of the 1960s All-Decade Team. An integral part of the Cowboys' offensive line, which consistently supported one of the NFL's top five rushing attacks during the 1960s and 1970s.
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Herschel Walker
Herschel Walker is a former professional American football player, bobsledder, sprinter, and mixed martial artist who has served as the U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas since 2025. He played college football for the University of Georgia, winning the Heisman Trophy in 1982. Walker also competed in the... read more
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Cornell Green
Several time all pro defensive back and pro bowler. Super Bowl champion. College basketball player who was a star on the Dallas Cowboy Doomsday defense. Everson Walls could have been named here, but Cornell Green must not be forgotten with his bust in Canton.
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Fred Taylor
Fred Taylor was a running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 1998 to 2008 and rushed for over 11,000 career yards. Taylor had seven 1,000-yard rushing seasons and was named to one Pro Bowl. He is the Jaguars' all-time leading rusher.
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Steve Tasker
Steve Tasker was a special teams standout for the Buffalo Bills from 1986 to 1997 and was named to seven Pro Bowls. Tasker was a five-time First-Team All-Pro selection as a special teams player. He played in four Super Bowls with the Bills.
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London Fletcher
London Fletcher was a linebacker who played from 1998 to 2013 and never missed a game in his 16-year career. Fletcher recorded over 2,000 tackles and was a four-time Pro Bowler. He won a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams in the 1999 season.
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Ricky Watters
Ricky Watters was a running back from 1992 to 2001 and rushed for over 10,000 career yards. Watters won a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers in the 1994 season and scored three touchdowns in the championship game. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and had three seasons with over 1,200 rushing yards.
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L.C. Greenwood
L.C. Greenwood was a defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1969 to 1981 and was a key member of the "Steel Curtain" defense. Greenwood recorded five sacks in Super Bowl appearances and won four championships with the team. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and had 73.5 career sacks.
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Todd Christensen