Bettis NOT a Hall of Famer- Here's Why

[Steelers5895]

he didnt make it in a year with no running backs. he will have a decent wait before he gets in, if he gets in,

what i am saying is he played 13 seasons and wound up with 13000 yards. 1000 yards a year is not a big number anymore with the 16 game schedule.

I consider Bettis a stat compiler not a dominant back and not a Hall of Famer.

Here are the reasons:

1- no rushing titles
2- only time he led the league in anything was in carries, once in 1997
3- only scored over 10 tds twice
4- Only an All Pro 3 times in 13 years- only for Pro Football Weekly
5- Lead back in no Super Bowl Teams
6- Last 4 seasons under 1000 yards
7- One dimensional back
8- 3 100 yard games in 15 career playoff games to include Super Bowl
9- 3.4 yards a carry in playoff games
10- Career 3.9 yards per carry in his career
11- only averages 4.0 a carry or more 4 times in 13 seasons

I like Bettis and he was a great Steeler and an NFL character but not a Hall of Famer.

[Bayz101]

Jerome Bettis is the #6 rusher of All-time, and you need look no further than that. Hall of famer. He'll be in next.

[steelfury02]

The selection committee got up there and spoke out about a pecking order and purposefully not launching guys ahead of the que. Sapp gets in and Charles Haley and Tim Brown have to wait yet again. The selection committee has a tough job, but, they are starting to act like the NCAA/BCS.

Carter deserved to get in finally - but, when you look back when Jerry Rice was inducted, he was of course first ballot and Carter, Brown, and Reed got shut out and have been waiting ever since.

Sapp is not what I consider a first-ballot player. When I think first-ballot I think of THE top 1-3 best to ever play the position or revolutionized the way it was played, and possibly piled up championships

If Warren Sapp isn't on TV, he is waiting at least another year, and I think a lot longer.

I understand why Bettis would wait. I think it has a lot more to do with a ton of Steelers already being in than where he falls in all time rankings. Selection committee people come right out and say there are enough Steelers in the HOF. Bears and Packers are actually ahead of them on that list.

[TRH]

there's so many guys coming up for induction, that i honestly don't think Bettis will be elected next year or after that either,

[jrompola]

Originally Posted by Steelers5895

I like Bettis and he was a great Steeler and an NFL character but not a Hall of Famer.

If you truly believe Bettis is not a hall of famer that's ridiculous. I can understand trying to rationalize why he did not make it, but he eventually will. You post he played a long time and compiled stats due to that. That is 1 of the aspects of HOFers. Would you rather he played 5 years and his career ended due to injury, but he averaged 1350 yards per season? I don't get it!!

[teegre]

Name recognition:
When you say a player's name, there is that instant "recognition."
For example, when one hears the name Jerry Rice, the words "best ever" pop into one's head. When you ask anyone, even the casual fan, they ALL know who "The Bus" is... and they remember a bruiser of a RB.

NO QB:
Bettis had NO QB to take the pressure off of him. He had 3.9 yards against eight (& nine) man fronts.

Ask Urlacher:
Bettis trucking Urlacher is iconic. Significant plays like that are revered & remembered... and, as a Steelers fan, that is a top-ten all-time play in Steelers history (and this is a team with many historical moments). If you disagree, look outside of the pressbox at Heinz Field (the box where Al Michaels sits)... and you will see a four foot by six foot photo of that play.

[BlacksburgSteeler13]

[QUOTE=jrompola;1082110]If you truly believe Bettis is not a hall of famer that's ridiculous. I can understand trying to rationalize why he did not make it, but he eventually will. You post he played a long time and compiled stats due to that. That is 1 of the aspects of HOFers. Would you rather he played 5 years and his career ended due to injury, but he averaged 1350 yards per season? I don't get it!![/QUOTE]

It worked for Gale Sayers. Just saying.

[SteelersCanada]

I get what you're saying, but you're not recognizing that 13 000 yards is significant and to do it in 13 years shows an element of consistency that few have been able to match over the years. Now, I'll admit, I'm the first guy to be critical of Bettis and am very critical of the people who say we need another Running Back like him, but the dude just ran forward and got yardage for a team that lacked any other offensive weapon than himself for years. He was, and still is, the best North - South RB in NFL history.

You can't throw away what equates to 1000 yard seasons for 13 straight because again, that kind of consistency then and now is rare to find. He was a special player when we needed him and as Teegre mentioned, the name recognition of 'the Bus' is etched in all football players' heads, not just Steelers fans. He'll find his way into the hall in 2014.

[OX1947]

If you have to ask, he ain't.

[harrison'samonster]

this game isn't played on paper. You can't just look at stats, you have to see the way Bettis played. Plus, his stats are pretty impressive. Averaging 1000 yards a season for 13 years is pretty tough; the average RB lasts 2 years.