Why It's Better to Be a Good Returner Than a Great Returner

While it might seem ridiculous, it really is better to be just a good special teams returner, than a great one.

But how can this possibly be true?

Well let me start by saying that a special teams returner is the only position that can practically be completely taken out of the game by the other team.

The two greatest kick returners in my mind are Dante Hall and Devin Hester. As I was watching the top 10 kick returners of all-time, on the NFL network, I was surprised to see Dante Hall at number 10.

According to the NFL Network, Dante Hall was number 10 because his career as a great returner was so short. However, how can a man who is tied for second all-time in return touchdowns be number 10?

Dante Hall's 12 regular season return touchdowns (13 including postseason) are tied for the second most all-time. However, nine of these came in a three year period from 02-04.

It seemed as though, especially early in the 03 season when Dante Hall had four straight return touchdowns in four games, and was even the front runner for the MVP award, that he was destined for greatness. Hall was on pace to shatter the touchdown return record and it looked like nothing could stop him.

However, Dante Hall was so dominant that it backfired. For the rest of the season and the next few seasons, Dante Hall would rarely get any real opportunities to return the ball for a touchdown. Whenever he did get the opportunity to run the ball back, it was generally a very short kick, with no room to run.

You could blatantly see Dante Hall's frustrations after every play because he was no longer able to do the one thing he excelled so much at. Although, it was disappointing, the Chiefs didn't mind it that much because they were getting great field positions from all of the short punts and kickoffs.

Dante Hall, although not as dominant after his four game touchdown streak in 03, still did what a kick returner is suppose to do. He gave great field position to his team.

A returners' team's field position is a stat that truly tells how great a kick returner is. The problem is that this stat is virtually impossible to find.

After a couple years went by, Dante Hall eventually was no longer that "x factor" he once was. It seemed as though the lack of touches on the ball, and the frustrations of not being able to be the "x factor", had taken a toll on him.

Dante Hall didn't seem like he was having any fun anymore, and was putting too much pressure on himself. Teams realized that he was no longer as good as he was before, and people started kicking to him like they did before.

But by then, Dante Hall wasn't the same player he was once. He had lost his so called "Mojo".

In the past two seasons, injuries have kept Dante Hall, who is currently a St. Louis Ram, out for most of the last two seasons. At one time Dante Hall was destined for greatness, but he was robbed of it by being too great.

If he was not great, but was just good like the number two player on the top 10 list, Brian Mitchell, he wouldn't have been the number 10 player on the list.

Brian Mitchell never had more than two touchdown returns in one season and never had to worry about not getting a good return. He lasted 13 years as a solid kick returner and ended it with 14 career return touchdowns, which is the most all-time.

Was Brian Mitchell really a more dominant return man then Dante Hall?

The answer is obviously no. Dante Hall is not getting the recognition he deserves as great return man, and you have to fear that Devin Hester who is number one on the NFL network list, may not in the future either.

Devin Hester, who currently is third behind Dante Hall for the most return touchdowns all time was number one on the list.

I can't really disagree with that, but his career is looking like it could shape up to be similar to Dante Hall's.

While Dante Hall may have had the greatest four game stretch ever, Devin Hester clearly had the best two year stretch of any returner with 11 return touchdowns in two seasons, despite having only 20 kickoff returns in his first season.

However, for the last season and a half, like Hall, Hester had stopped getting the ball as much, and when he did, just like Hall had, their was no room to run.

Hester had zero return touchdowns last year. I fear that Hester, like Hall, was too great in his first two seasons. Hester has a chance to redeem himself this year, but history tell us that Hester most likely won't ever be the "x factor" he once was.

Five years from now, it could be Hall at number 10 and Hester at number nine on that list, despite how unfair it may be.

Sometimes greatness really can be a curse.

Original article can be found at sportsscribes.net