Curtis Martin leads six HOF enshrinees

[BLUE 1,026]

Associated Press

 

INDIANAPOLIS -- Running back Curtis Martin and four linemen were elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, along with one senior committee choice.

 

Martin is the fourth-leading rusher in NFL history. He is joined by Chris Doleman, Cortez Kennedy, Willie Roaf, Dermontti Dawson, and senior selection Jack Butler.

 

Jerome Bettis, Cris Carter and Bill Parcells were among the finalists who didn't make it.

 

A panel of 44 media members voted. The inductions are in early August in Canton, Ohio.

 

Martin made it for his consistency and durability, rushing for 14,101 yards and 90 touchdowns. He rushed for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first 10 seasons, the first three with New England and the others with the Jets. The 1995 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Martin won the NFL rushing title in 2004 with 1,697 yards.

 

Doleman and Kennedy were sackmasters from the defensive line, Doleman at end and Kennedy at tackle.

 

Doleman had 150½ sacks in his 15 seasons, mostly with Minnesota, and was one of the prototype agile-yet-powerful pass rushers who dominate the game today. He made the Pro Bowl eight times and was fourth on the sacks list when he retired.

 

Kennedy was a force inside, both as a run stopper and in threatening quarterbacks. The 1992 Defensive Player of the Year made eight Pro Bowls, had 58 sacks -- an unusually high total for a tackle -- and spent his entire 11-season career with Seattle.

 

Roaf spent one season at right tackle, then the rest of his 13 seasons on the left side, making 11 Pro Bowls. He made the All-Decade team for the 1990s.

 

Dawson made seven Pro Bowls as the Steelers' center, that rare snapper who also could block defensive players one on one. He replaced a Hall of Famer, Mike Webster, and started for Pittsburgh for most of his 13 pro seasons.

 

Butler also played for the Steelers as a cornerback from 1951-59, picking off 52 passes, at the time second most in NFL history. But he was best known for his tackling skills.

 

Guard Will Shields didn't get in -- the only first-year eligible player to make the 15-man finals. Shields started all but one of the 224 games in his 14 seasons in Kansas City.

 

Bettis also fell short. He was the 1993 Offensive Rookie of the Year with the Rams who retired in 2006 after winning his only Super Bowl with the Steelers. He is the NFL's No. 5 career rusher.

 

Parcells coached the Giants to Super Bowl titles in the 1987 and 1991 games and also lost the 1997 Super Bowl with New England. He coached the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys, too.

 

Carter is the No. 4 career receiver with 1,101 in 16 seasons with three teams.

 

Others not voted in were receivers Tim Brown and Andre Reed, defensive end/linebackers Kevin Greene and Charles Haley, defensive back Aeneas Williams, and former 49ers owner Ed DeBartolo Jr.

 

The other senior finalist, guard Dick Stanfel, was not chosen, either.

 

 

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press

 

Source: ESPN

Edited February 4, 2012 by BLUE

[badgers 380]

Lol Cris Carter!

 

The voting panel is doing a major trolljob on this guy.

 

Also at Kevin Greene.

[RazorStar 4,025]

Wow, this is the best class that could have got in. The only one I might change is Doleman for Carter. Hall of Fame did it right this time.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Still no Chris Carter

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

CC is getting jobbed... Poor guy. But it's hard to complain. Would have really liked to see Ron Wolf get in, I think he's done a lot for the league.

 

But overall, a great class for the

[Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014]

Finally Dawson is in.

[JetsFan4Life 542]

I am going to be trying my absolute hardest to go to this....

[AL_Royalty 489]

Glad to see Roaf got in. Always great when a Chief goes to the Hall.

 

I am going to be trying my absolute hardest to go to this....

Let me know if you do this. I'll come down and say what's up. My buddy goes every year.

[JetsFan4Life 542]

Glad to see Roaf got in. Always great when a Chief goes to the Hall.

 

 

Let me know if you do this. I'll come down and say what's up. My buddy goes every year.

 

I'm definitely going just seeing if anyone wants to go with me right now.

[AL_Royalty 489]

I'm definitely going just seeing if anyone wants to go with me right now.

Well dude, Roaf is getting in, so I'm gonna most likely end up heading down there myself. It's like 20 minutes from my house from driveway to parking.

[Omerta+ 1,206]

Carter has to be upset. He is still getting hosed.

[BoneKrusher+ 1,276]

Glad to see Roaf got in. Always great when a Chief goes to the Hall.

 

 

yep.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Slightly surprised to see Roaf and Martin get in first Ballot. Not saying either guy should have waited. Roaf is the best offensive linemen that I've actually watched and Curtis Martin is arguably the most consistant RB of all time.

[RazorStar 4,025]

Martin was second ballot actually. I was pulling for him to get in last year, but he was just short.