I think there are two types of fans when it comes to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. There are those that enjoy the game, the ceremony and everything that goes with it. Then there are those who pay little attention to the festivities. For Steeler Nation, everything changes when of our own is enshrined. With Canton’s close proximity, the ground of the Hall turn into one giant Steelers’ Tailgate. 2027 could bring yet another one of these moments as Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown are all up for induction. Or, it could be much ado about nothing.
The Case for Bell
The former Michigan State Spartan made three Pro Bowls and twice was named an All-Pro. The bulk of his career accolades took place in Pittsburgh during his five-year stint. In three of those five years, Bell rushed for over 1,000 yards and he collected 312 receptions during his time with the Steelers too. This made him one of the more dangerous running backs in the NFL.
While his contractual issues shouldn’t weigh against what he did on the field, the fact of the matter is that he wasn’t the same player after he sat out the entire 2018 season. While there are precedents for guys with short careers making the Hall, Bell doesn’t necessarily fit in this category. While there were some great seasons, they don’t bring him to that level of “this guy is an all-time great.”
The Case for Brown
I’ll get right to the point here, Antonio Brown is a Hall of Famer. 12 seasons is more than enough to build a solid resume and six of those seasons were as good as any receiver in the history of the game. Brown was named to the All-Decade Team for the 2010’s. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro. His run from 2013 through 2018 was literally off the charts. Over that six-year span AB averaged over 1,500 receiving yards, over 114 receptions and scored 67 touchdowns.
Brown was notoriously known as one of the hardest working players and one of the most demanding which endeared him to many. Unfortunately as his time in Pittsburgh came to a close, it was his own behavior that saw him leave on such poor terms. He truly defined what being a “Diva Wide Receiver” was all about and it likely cost him a chance to be a first ballot guy. He would end up getting a Super Bowl ring with the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers but even his time there ended poorly. I thoroughly believe that he gets into the Hall but it won’t be in 2027.
The Case for Big Ben
As with AB, there is no question that Ben Roethlisberger is a Hall of Fame football player. He is seventh all-time in passing yards and will likely be in the top ten for several more years. He was a six-time Pro Bowler, Rookie of the Year and won two Super Bowls in three visits. There are numerous other accolades like his back-to-back 500 yard passing performances and his 41 fourth quarter comebacks which ranks third.
The reason he may not get in next year is that he was never a first team All-Pro player and his off-field issues in the earlier stages of his career are difficult to ignore. Regardless of what took place and what didn’t, the entire period was a black eye for the organization and for Roethlisberger himself. Ultimately, his entry on the first ballot comes back to how voters view off-field issues. Clearly they held a lot against Terrell Owens as an example.
What makes Big Ben’s entry more intriguing is that Tom Brady is eligible is 2028 and he’s getting in on the first ballot. He’s joined by J.J. Watt, Matt Ryan and A.J. Green. While Brady and Watt are no-brainers, the latter two don’t have resumes that match Roethlisberger’s. What I’m most curious about is this; will the NFL want Brady’s enshrinement to be overshadowed by someone? I ask this because Steeler Nation will overwhelm New England fans.
AB and Ben will both get in but the only question is “when.”
