Randy Moss Will Be in the Hall of Fame, Just Not on the First Try

It can't be said enough: Randy Moss is an incredible talent.

At the age of 34, there is not a head coach in the NFL who doesn't think that his body is still in superb condition, that he can still outrun most defensive backs in the league, or out jump three men in coverage.

This may not be the real end for Randy. Given the right opportunity to play for a good team, and the right price we could see him again.

If we assume he's not coming back, the next thing we should look forward to is five years from now, where Moss will have his first opportunity to meet the ballots of the Hall of Fame voters.

Moss will have an easy argument for himself: he's the most unique receiver to ever play the game. His height, with his blazing speed, incredible hands, and magnificent jumping ability is something the NFL had never seen before.

Some might call him a one trick pony, which he may very well be. But remember this: he was the best ever at that trick. It's also arguably the hardest trick in the NFL for a wide receiver.

Every team wants a body that can stretch the field, and there just aren't that many to go around, especially at six foot four with a 40 inch vertical and a 4.25 40 yard dash time. This combination led him to the nickname The Freak, which he's lived up to. 

In a quick review, Moss is eighth all time in receptions, fifth in all time receiving yards, and tied with Terrell Owens for second all time TD's with a 153. In his rookie season, Moss caught 69 balls for 1313 yards, 17 touchdowns, and an incredible 19.0 yards per reception, which he would never replicate again.

He had what is possibly the greatest year for a receiver ever in 2007, when he had 98 receptions for 1493 yards and what seems like an impossible 23 touchdowns.

So the question isn't really will he make the Hall of Fame, so much as when. The problem is, receivers, much like tight ends, have a very difficult time getting in on the first go, despite how dominant they have been.

Even Michael Irvin, arguably the greatest receiver of the past generation, was made to wait. So what about Randy?

Well it may not be so simple as looking at the raw, end of career numbers, and mailing it in. Moss, for all his ability, was a head case.

He was the definition of the all about me receiver, and his effort was lackluster for much of his career. In the last year he spent with any team he seemed to just call it in. In his last season in Minnesota, he caught only 49 passes for 767 yards. He clearly didn't care for Oakland, grabbing only 42 for 553 just two years later.

Who would take on this malcontent, this destroyer of good feelings and happiness? None other than Bill Belichick. He sensed when Randy was doing the same thing he had done before, and shockingly cut him last year before he had the chance to quit on another team.

It just wasn't for those particular teams either. Moss chose when to play when he was on the field during his good years. It begs the question, what could have been? There were few games Randy gave his all, and every time you saw him line up, you didn't know what you were going to get.

But when he took off from the line, and he started to just run straight down the field, every player, every coach, every fan, held their breath.

If you were one of those voters with a ballot in your hand, what would you think? If you had that body, that incredible god given talent, what could you have done?

The terrifying thought is if Moss had played for 14 years at 100%, he might have obliterated the NFL. In five less years, he might have been able to pass even Jerry Rice's numbers.

I don't think it's even a question that Moss will make the Hall of Fame. I think it's almost a certainty that voters will make him wait, and will not reward him, for his antics over the years. He's the most talented receiver ever.

Some say the NFL won't miss him, and I think they are sorely mistaken. Even through all the drama, all the lack of effort, we all wanted to see Randy Moss run straight down the field.