It’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Weekend, the NFL’s answer to Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game in being the greatest celebration of those respective sports.
The biggest highlight of what’s going on in Canton is, of course, the induction ceremonies, adding more names —and busts — to the list of the men who have stood out from the crowd the most in the last 100-plus years.
As Joe Horrigan, then and now of the Hall and forever its most iconic staffer, used to tell me, “Each NFL team and their fan base has their list of individuals they believe belong in the Hall of Fame.”
He’s absolutely correct. When it comes to things of pro football, Horrigan always is.
Regarding our team, the Browns, I have my list of players who I think deserve to be inducted someday. There are three, though, whose candidacy I believe in most. I try to campaign for them whenever possible, and during HOF Weekend, it’s always possible. So, here goes:
*Linebacker Clay Matthews (1978-93) — He was an oddity as the game started to become more and more specialized, never having to come off the field in defenfing against the run, playing in pass coverage and rushing the quarterback with equal excellence for 16 seasons, during which his production never really waned.
Clay Matthews Jersey on Amazon
*Wide receiver Gary Collins (1962-71) — In a day and age when pass defenders could, well within the rules, mug receivers all over the field, doing things that would now get them suspended if not thrown into prison, Collins caught a whopping 72 touchdown passes, including a record three in the biggest Browns game in the last 61 years to help lead them past the Baltimore Colts to win the last of their eight league championships.
Blanton’s Browns: The Great 1965–69 Cleveland Browns: Forword by Gary Collins – Available on Amazon
*Left tackle Dick Schafrath (1959-71) — He blocked for three Pro Football Hall Fame runners in Jim
Brown, Leroy Kelly and Bobby Mitchell, protected the blind side of Frank Ryan, the NFL’s most productive quarterback of the mid-1960s, and stalemated Colts HOF defensive end Gino Marchetti to allow Ryan to throw those three title-game passes to Collins. As such, then, he checks all the requisite boxes.
Heart of a Mule: The Dick Schafrath Stories – Available on Amazon
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