Ray Lewis Among Active NFL Players Who Should Be Headed for the Hall of Fame

Tom Brady is this generation's Terry Bradshaw. While the stats aren't as great as most people have been led to believe, he wins. After not starting his rookie season, the unknown sixth round draft pick out of Michigan was thrust into a starting role once the face of the franchise Drew Bledsoe was knocked out of a game in 2001 and he has not relinquished the role until his recent injury. Despite not throwing for more than 28 touchdowns until the 2007 season, Brady has never thrown more than 14 interceptions, holds the record for 50 touchdown passes in a season, and more importantly is a three-time Super Bowl winner.

Brett Favre - QB - Green Bay Packers

Arguably the best quarterback to ever play. Brett Favre holds every major passing record from yards to touchdowns to interceptions. He's not an overly tall man, or a physical specimen to challenge a titan, but he has a love for the game that is unrivaled and has produced one of the most spectacular careers in NFL history. Guaranteed in Canton.

Kevin Mawae - C - New York Jets

The best center, ever. Kevin Mawae is a constant professional on and off the field, as he is actively involved in the NFLPA and is currently the president of said organization. He is in his 15th season and has made the Pro Bowl. The main statistic for a lineman is longevity and durability; Kevin Mawae had not missed a game for 10 years, '95-'04.

Olin Kruetz - C - Chicago Bears

Olin Kruetz is a fantastic center, a man any team would love to anchor their offensive line around. He's a quarterback on the line, putting everyone where they need to be allowing the Chicago offense to run since '99. He has an active starting streak dating back to 2003 and is showing no signs of slowing down. A few more years of holding up the way he has and Kruetz should make his way to Ohio.

Brian Urlacher - LB - Chicago Bears

Urlacher has been the face of the Chicago Bears since 2000. He is the only reason the Bears can run the Tampa 2 that Lovie Smith brought with him to Chicago. He's a player that must be accounted for at all times and gameplanned around. Usually I say a player has to be the best at his position at some point to be in the Hall of Fame, but with Ray Lewis playing that's just not possible. A few more years of playing at a high level and he's in.

Terrell Owens - WR - San Francisco 49ers

The drama of Terrell Owens is well-documented, unfortunately his play then becomes overshadowed. If it was a good-guy hall of fame, "T.O." would not even be in the conversation, but since it's based on football performance, he's an obvious choice. Ignoring a 2005 season in which he was suspended as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, he has eight consecutive 1,000 yard seasons. In the 2009 season, he will more than likely eclipse 1,000 receptions, 15,000 yards, and 150 touchdowns. That has "Hall of Fame" written all over it.

Brian Dawkins - FS - Philadelphia Eagles

He's been the catalyst of a high-octane Philadelphia defense for a very long time. He's feared by anyone with a route to be run across the middle and has earned the title of Weapon X for his big-time hits. Dawkins is the Eagles' franchise leader in interceptions and games played. He also is the longest-tenured athlete in Philadelphia sports, a difficult task to keep the Philadelphia crowd happy for so long. Second best safety to ever play, behind Ronnie Lott.

Donovan McNabb - QB - Philadelphia Eagles

Donovan McNabb has been spectacular in his 10-year career. He owns every franchise record for the Philadelphia Eagles, not an easy feat considering the level of talent to play quarterback in Philadelphia. On top of franchise records, McNabb is the only quarterback in NFL history to throw over 30 touchdowns and less than 10 interceptions in the same year. He also owns the lowest TD:INT ratio in the league's history. He's on his way to being only the fourth quarterback to pass for over 30,000 yards and rush for 5,000. He currently sits at 29,320 yards passing and 3,109 rushing.

Jon Runyan - T - Philadelphia Eagles

Jon Runyan is one of the most underrated players in the NFL, and one of the most unfairly-hated. Runyan has earned a reputation as a dirty player because of his habit of playing right until the whistle. He will hit a defensive player standing around a pile, or do whatever it takes to make a block. He holds the third-longest active starting streak behind Brett Favre and Derrick Brooks. He has not missed a game since his rookie season in 1996.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?