NFL All-Time Non-Hall of Fame Team: The Offense

A lot of NFL players were good enough to make the Hall of Fame but for some reason never made the cut. Bad luck, tough competition when nominated, an unsavory reputation, or playing for a poor team all these factors stooped many worthy candidates from making the Hall.

The guys left outside the Hall would make a helluva ballclub. Perhaps a ballclub that could beat one formed by the guys inside the Hall.

Let's look at the offense first.

QBs

Oakland Raider QB Ken Stabler is the only QB named on any all-decade team since the 1930s not to be in the Hall of Fame. "The Snake" was 1974 NFL MVP, a four-time All Pro, and led the Raiders to a Super Bowl Championship.

Many NFL experts would take Stabler over his San Diego Charger rival Dan Fouts, who never made the Super Bowl, or Houston Oiler Warren Moon, who never won a playoff game. Both Moon and Fouts were first ballot Hall of Famers.

Cincinnati Bengal QB Ken Anderson led the league in passing twice, was an NFL MVP, a four-time All Pro, and led the Bengals to the Super Bowl.

RBs

San Francisco 49er RB Roger Craig was a double threat as a runner and receiver for the great 'Niner teams of the 1980s. In his best year, he had over 2,000 combined total yards and was a great big game performer.

Baltimore Colt, Alan "The Horse" Ameche made the most famous TD in NFL history in the 1958 Championship game. Ameche is the only RB since Detroit Lion, and later Supreme Court Justice, Byron "Whizzer" White in the 1940s to make an all-decade team and not make the Hall.

Denver Bronco Terrell Davis made the all-'90s decade team, but he is just coming up for nomination this year. if he does not make it, we'll take him on this team, too.

WRs

We can light 'em with a pair of Dallas Cowboys, Bullet Bob Hayes, whose speed change the game in the 1960s, and Drew Pearson, who was Roger Staubach's favorite target on the great Dallas teams of the '70s.

How about Minnesota Viking Cris Carter as a possession guy who only catches TDs?

For the alley oop, we will trot out 6'8" Philadelphia Eagle, Harold Carmichael.

All these guys made all-decade teams and would make a deadly and deep WR corps, but with the amount of quality WRs with giant numbers, the route to the hall is flooded.

And how about Buffalo Bill star Andre Reed, who was a key cog in the magnificent Bills' offenses of the '90s.

TEs

Russ Francis, the hard running, tough blocking New England Patriot later played for the San Francisco 49ers in their early Super Bowl victories.

Big play Jay Novachek was a five-time All Pro during the Cowboys' '90s Super Bowl runs and always played well in big games.

OL

How about some Hogs?

The Washington Redskins' tandem of G Russ Grimm and T Joe Jacoby was one of the best pairs ever and made the '80s' All-Decade team, leading the 'Skins to several Super Bowls.

The other '80s' All-Decade teamer, T Chicago Bear Jimbo Covert,  was the best player on a Bear offensive line that was one of the best of its era.

Green Bay Packer great Jerry Kramer made the key block in the Ice Bowl, and he almost made the Hall of Fame several times. Kramer is the only lineman on the '60s' All-Decade team not to make the Hall.

Another guy who almost made the Hall several times is Miami Dolphin G Bob Kuchenberg. Kuch was a five-time All Pro, whom Don Shula once said was his best lineman of the '70s. 

Pittsburgh Steeler Center Dermontti Dawson made seven Pro Bowls and was on the '90s' All-Decade team, but he receives little Hall of Fame consideration.

It could be worse, Minnesota Viking G Randall McDaniel made 12 Pro Bowls and Oakland Raider G Steve Wisniewski made eight. Both made all-decade teams neither made the Hall.

K

Washington Redskin Kicker Mark Mosley was the only special team player ever to win NFL MVP, which he did in 1982. "The Toe" was a key element on Joe Gibbs' dominant Redskin teams.

That's a potent offense, big-game tested, and ready for all comers.

Next we look at the wicked defense.