Originally posted by MadDog49er:
If he retired today: about a 5% chance.
If he hits 12,000 and flatlines there: 15%
If he hits 12,000, surpasses it easily (let's say he hits 12,500+), and has a really, really memorable year ( some combination of a number of this list: Pro-Bowl, NFC Player of the Month, NFC Player of the Week, and the Niners do very well)- 50%
If he is the NFL MVP, or Super Bowl MVP- 80%
Let's be real- We love Frank. He is a great guy, with a huge heart. I just don't see it happening. Looking at the list of HOF inductees over the past 11 years, here are the guys that made it:
2003- Marcus Allen (2 time 1st team All-Pro, Super Bowl MVP)
2004- Barry Sanders (6 time 1st team All-Pro)
2007- Thurman Thomas (NFL MVP, Offensive Player of the Year)
2010- Emmitt Smith (4-time 1st team All-Pro, NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP)
2011- Marshall Faulk (3-time 1st team All-Pro, NFL MVP)
2012- Curtis Martin (14,000 yards; 1st team All-Pro, AFC Rookie of the Year, New York Jets)
Gore is a 5-time Pro-Bowler (but never a 1st team All-Pro), but compared to the list above, he's got little to no chance unless he pulls off something extraordinary. As of now, he is not in their class. In our hearts, yes.
But, the NFL Hall of Fame is really hard to get into. Take a lot of the nominees this year, and realize that some of these guys who are 12 time Pro-Bowlers (Will Shields) or number 6th all time rushing (Jerome Bettis) or number one All-Time points in NFL history (Morten Anderson) are not getting in. It is so hard to get into the Hall.
I had the same argument years ago about Bryant Young, who most board members thought would get in. He is not even making the Semifinalist list.
agree. he needs another year or two. and possibly even a championship.