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The original was posted on /r/nfl by /u/sexyprimes511172329 on 2024-10-26 17:40:10+00:00.
For those who did not see, the PFHOF trimmed down the list from 167 players to 50 finalists this week.
A glaring cut? Shane Lechler.
There were a few other specialists on the list of note; Pat McAfee, Jeff Feagles, Brian Moorman, and Jason Hanson. If these guys played a position that was not centered around kicking a ball, they would be shoe-ins for the Hall. Them being snubbed is a travesty. And yet, none of those players have the case Lechler does.
Lechler is widely regarded as the premier punter of his era (2000s). Gil Brandt regarded him as the greatest punter of all time. Pat McAfee predicted he would be a first ballot HOF (and should have been). JJ Watt claimed Lechler was “the greatest punter to walk the earth.” Legendary Chargers punter Mike Scifres said in the late 2000s that he believed Lechler was the greatest to ever do it. These are extremely knowledgeable football people with extremely high views on Lechler.
Much of the advanced metrics around punting started in the early 2010s. For much of Lechler’s career, all we have is traditional stats. For what it is worth, Lech has the the career highest YPA ever (47.6). His knock is that his net was lower, but this is contextual. PFF punting grades date back to 2013. There have been fewer than 10 seasons with a punting grade above 90. Despite having just 4 seasons in this timeframe, Lechler hit that mark in 2013.
If we look at the accolades, the list is long. 9 all pro selections, all decade team selection in the 2000s and 2010s. NFL 100 anniversary team. Tom Brady is one of the greatest players to ever play the game and has fewer all-pro selections than Lecher. A little apples-to-oranges but please understand the underlying point.
The HOF likes to talk about how it isn’t just the numbers but the legacy a guy leaves. Can the story of football be told without this guy? Well, can the story of punting be told without mentioning Shane Lechler? Only a fool would think no. He has the longevity with 18 years. He has the numbers. He has the honors. He has the legacy left on the game. What more did Lechler need to do?
It is anti-punter bias. That is all it has ever been. The HOF voters are crusty old white guys who sit on their figurative high horses mangling their own logic to fit in whoever they want and leave out who they don’t. They do not like punters and only allowed one when the pressure became so great they had no choice. Guy was closer to the grave than his playing retirement when they finally gave him the jacket he had earned. The voters have no shame.
Put Lechler in the HOF. It is now 2 seasons past due.