Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2023 revision of our top 50 New Orleans Saints.

As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Saints had a winning record (9-8) but were unable to make the playoffs.  The veteran team had one new entrant and multiple elevations.

As always, we present our top five, which saw a change:

1. Drew Brees
2. Jahri Evans
3. Rickey Jackson
4. Cameron Jordan
5. Willie Roaf

You can find the entire list here.

Jordan overtook Roaf for the #4 spot.

Running Back Alvin Kamara had a solid year but was unable to move ahead of his #8 rank.

Wide Receiver Michael Thomas moved up only one spot to #11.

Linebacker DeMario Davis had a huge jump, going from #33 to #15.

Right Tackle Ryan Ramczyk climbed to #26 from #34.

Cornerback Marshon Lattimore went up five spots to #37.

Left Guard Andrus Peat, now with Las Vegas, went up one spot to #40.

The lone new entry is Taysom Hill.  He debuts at #45.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Regular visitors of Notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the top 50 of every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB. Once that is done, we will look at how each team honors its past players, coaches, and executives. As such, it is important to us that the Pittsburgh Pirates have announced that Drew Brees and Doug Moreau to their franchise Hall of Fame.

Drew Brees played the first four years of his career with the San Diego Chargers, but after they drafted Philip Rivers, Brees became expendable.  Brees was also coming off shoulder surgery, and many teams were a little gun shy about signing the former Purdue Boilermaker.  He did, however, have offers, and he signed with the New Orleans Saints before the 2006 season.  That decision turned out to be the best for both parties. 

We are entering 2020, and Drew Brees is still the Saints Quarterback, and what he has done for the Saints and the city of New Orleans is impossible to quantify.  He shed any immediate fear about his shoulder in his first year there, with a Pro Bowl and a first-place finish in Passing Yards.  These stats were especially impressive considering New Orleans was suffering from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and it was their first year back as they were unable to play in Louisiana during the '05 season. Brees was not just a Saint but was the face of the city and a community leader. 

Since the time he has been a Saint, Brees has always been considered among the top five in NFL Quarterbacks.  In the Big Easy, Brees has been to the Pro Bowl twelve times, has been a First Team All-Pro once, a Second Team All-Pro four times, led the league in Passing Yards seven times and Passing Touchdowns four times.  More importantly, Brees took New Orleans to a win at Super Bowl XLIV, a feat even more impressive considering that the Saints were almost at the point of relocation.   It is not unrealistic to state that had Brees not signed with the Saints, and we might be calling them a completely different team right now. 

Injuries would take their toll on Brees in 2019 and 2020, and while he was still a productive player, he hung up the cleats after the 2020 season.  At the time of his writing, Brees was the all-time leader in Passing Yards, and was second in Touchdown Passes, most of which was accomplished as a Saint.

Moreau enters the Hall for his vast contributions to the team, including entering his 27^th year as their press box announcer and 52^nd as public address announcer.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate Drew Brees and Doug Moreau for this impending honor.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity. As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022 revision of our top 50 New Orleans Saints.

As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following:

1. Advanced Statistics.

2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3. Playoff accomplishments.

4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Saints were unable to make the NFL playoffs, but there was more activity on this list than any of other NFL franchises that we revised this summer.

As always, we present our top five, which was not affected by the last season:

1. Drew Brees

2. Jahri Evans

3. Rickey Jackson

4. Willie Roaf

5. Cameron Jordan

You can find the entire list here.

The Top Five did not change, but should it have? We seriously considered propelling Jordan over Roaf for the four hole, and if he has another Pro Bowl caliber year, it will be difficult to not pull the trigger in 2024.

Running Back, Alvin Kamara, continues his upward climb, inching up one spot to #8. The six-year veteran missed the Pro Bowl for the first-time last year and enters 2023 with 8,888 Yards From Scrimmage.

Another Running Back, Mark Ingram, also went up by one spot, and is at #21. He is New Orleans’ all-time leading rusher, but retired in the off-season.

Linebacker, DeMario Davis, advances to #33 from #40. Last year, he became an AP All-Pro for the fourth straight year,

Right behind Davis, is Right Tackle, Ryan Ramczyk. He went up two to #34.

It is notable that active Saints, Offensive Guard, Andrus Peat and Cornerback, Marshon Lattimore, remained in their ranks at #41 and #42 respectively.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our pre-2021 revision of our top 50 New Orleans Saints Team of all-time.

As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the NFL. 

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

This is our first revision after our inaugural unveiling, only one new entry.

There are two new additions to our top fifty, and a couple of significant climbs.  As always, we present our top five here.

1. Drew Brees

2. JahrI Evans

3. Rickey Jackson

4. Willie Roaf

5. Pat Swilling

You can find the entire list here.

Running Back, Alvin Kamara, rocketed up from #30 to #20.  

Offensive Lineman, Terron Armstead climbed from #38 to #35.

The two new entries are both new, and both likely should have been included last year in our first Top 50 list.

Right Tackle, Ryan Ramczyk, enters the list at #37.

Left Guard, Andrus Peat, makes his first appearance at #40.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

As always, it is onward and upwards for us at Notinhalloffame.com.

As Pro Football players often delay their retirement, hoping to latch on to another team, it leads to staggering additions to our Notinhalloffame.com Football Futures List.

As such, we have new add-ons in the 2025 Section, and are pleased to unveil our 2026 Section.

Here are the add-ons of former players eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2025:

Antoine Bethea:  Bethea was a Super Bowl champion as a rookie with the Indianapolis Colts, and the Cornerback went on to be a three-time Pro Bowler.

Brynden Trawick:  Trawick was a Pro Bowler in 2017 when he was with Tennessee.

Cameron Wake:  Wake went to five Pro Bowls after a late start considering he had to begin his pro career in Canada.  The Linebacker had 100.5 career Sacks.

C.J. Anderson:  Anderson was a Pro Bowl Running Back who helped Denver win Super Bowl 50.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie:  Rodgers-Cromarte was a 12-year vet at Cornerback who was twice a Pro Bowl, once with Arizona (2009) and once with the Giants (2015).

Donald Penn:  Penn was a three-time Pro Bowl at Offensive Tackle.

Matt Bryant:  Bryant was a Kicker best known for his time in Atlanta.  He was a Pro Bowler in 2016.

Mike Pouncey:  Pouncey played most of his career at Center, going to three Pro Bowls as a Dolphin and one as a Charger.

Patrick Chung:  Chung played his entire pro career with the Patriots where he the Safety won three Super Bowls.

Patrick DiMarco:  DiMarco was an undrafted Fullback who went to the 2015 Pro Bowl as a Falcon.

The entire 2025 list of eligible candidates can be found here.

The 2026 list of eligible candidates that have been profiled are:

Alex Smith:  Smith had over 35,000 Passing Yards and was a three-time Pro Bowler.  He played for San Francisco, Kansas City and Washington.

Anthony Costanzo:  Costanzo played ten seasons in the NFL, where the Offensive Lineman played exclusively with the Colts.

Anthony Sherman:  Sherman was an excellent blocking Fullback who was a member of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV winning team.  He went to the Pro Bowl in 2018.

Drew Brees:  Brees is currently the all-time leader in Passing Yards (80,358) and is second in Touchdown Passes (571).  The former Offensive Player of the Year led the Saints to a win at Super Bowl XLIV.

Greg Olson:  Olson was a three-time Pro Bowl Selection who was best known for his tenure in Carolina.  The Tight End accumulated 8,683 Yards and 60 Touchdowns.

Jason Witten:  Witten played most of his career with Dallas, and is one of the most successful Tight Ends ever.  The 11-time Pro Bowler had 13,046 Yards and 74 Touchdowns.

Jordan Reed:  Reed was a Pro Bowl in 2016 who played for San Francisco and Washington.

Julian Edelman:  Edelman played his entire pro career for New England and the Wide Receiver helped them win three Super Bowls.  He is second all-time in playoff Receiving Yards.

Matt Schaub:  Schaub was a Pro Bowl Quarterback in 2009, but was a backup more years than not.

Maurkice Pouncey:  Pouncey played at Center his entire pro career with the Steelers, where he was a nine-time Pro Bowl and two-time First Team All-Pro.

Mike Iupati:  Iupati went to four straight Pro Bowls (2012-15), and was a First Team All-Pro in 2012.  The Offensive Linemen played for San Francisco, Arizona and Seattle.

Philip Rivers:  Rivers played all but his final year with the Chargers, and he was an eight-time Pro Bowler who threw for 63,440 Yards and 421 Touchdowns.

Sean Lee:  Lee played his entire career with the Cowboys, and the Linebacker went to two Pro Bowls (2015 & 2016).

Thomas Davis:  Davis played his best years in Carolina, and was a three-time Pro Bowler at Linebacker.

We will continue to add players as they retire.

You know what we want you to do!

Cast your vote, and give us your comments.

As always, we thank you for your support.

A star at Purdue, Brees was drafted early in the Second Round of the 2001 Draft by the San Diego Chargers, and would take over as the starter in 2002.  A Pro Bowl Selection in 2004, Brees saw the writing on the wall, as San Diego had Philip Rivers waiting in the midst, who they planned to make the starter going forward.  Brees signed with the New Orleans Saints in 2006, and what he accomplished as a Saint has been nothing short of spectacular.

Brees became a fixture in the fabric of the city of New Orleans, improving his game under new Head Coach, Sean Payton.  Brees led the NFL in Passing Yards in his first year with the Saints, and he was a First Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl Selection.  

Brees emerged as one of the top pivots in the NFL, and his decision making and accuracy had few peers.  He would lead the NFL in Passing Yards six more times, was a four-time leader in Passing Touchdowns and in 2008 and 2011 was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year.  Brees would lead the Saints to their first and only Super Bowl win in the 2009 season, where he was the MVP of the big game.  That might have been Brees’ only trip to the Super Bowl, but the Saints were contenders for over a decade, and could have been champions again had a few plays gone a different way.

His humanitarian work in New Orleans became legendary, and it can be argued that Brees’ dedication to the city might have kept the team in Louisiana as there were whispers of the team relocating.  His ascendence and Super Bowl championship after the heels of Hurricane Katrina will never be forgotten in New Orleans, and nor should it ever.  The NFL rewarded him with the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2006.

At the time of his retirement, Brees was first in Pass Completions (7,142), Passing Yards (80,358) and second in Passing Touchdowns (571).

What has been long expected has finally come to fruition.  

New Orleans Quarterback, Drew Brees, announced that he is retiring from the NFL, fifteen years to the day that he signed with the New Orleans Saints.

A star at Purdue, Brees was drafted early in the Second Round of the 2001 Draft by the San Diego Chargers, and would take over as the starter in 2002.  A Pro Bowl Selection in 2004, Brees saw the writing on the wall, as San Diego had Philip Rivers waiting in the midst, who they planned to make the starter going forward.  Brees signed with the New Orleans Saints in 2006, and what he accomplished as a Saint has been nothing short of spectacular.

Brees became a fixture in the fabric of the city of New Orleans, improving his game under new Head Coach, Sean Payton. Brees led the NFL in Passing Yards in his first year with the Saints, and he was a First Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl Selection.  

Brees emerged as one of the top pivots in the NFL, and his decision making and accuracy had few peers. He would lead the NFL in Passing Yards six more times, was a four-time leader in Passing Touchdowns and in 2008 and 2011 was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year.  Brees would lead the Saints to their first and only Super Bowl win in the 2009 season, where he was the MVP of the big game.

His humanitarian work in New Orleans became legendary, and it can be argued that Brees’ dedication to the city might have kept the team in Louisiana as there were whispers of the team relocating.  His ascendence and Super Bowl championship after the heels of Hurricane Katrina will never be forgotten in New Orleans, and nor should it ever.  The NFL rewarded him with the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2006.

At present, Brees is first in Pass Completions (7,142), Passing Yards (80,358) and second in Passing Touchdowns (571).

He is eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026, and is a lock to enter in his first year of eligibility. Going into the 2020 Season, we had Brees behind only Tom Brady in our Hall of Fame rank of active players.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to wish Drew Brees the best in his post-playing career and we thank him for the on-field memories.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  We have a new one to unveil today, that of the New Orleans Saints. 

The New Orleans Saints first came to fruition in 1967, bringing the city their first major professional sports team.  The Saints were awful for their first 20 years of existence, only having two .500 years in that timeframe, and it took until 2000 for the team to record their first playoff win.

Hurricane Katrina forced the Saints to play their entire 2005 season on the road, and for a time it looked like they might relocate.  It didn’t happen, and with Quarterback, Drew Brees, they went to their first Super Bowl and won it (Super Bowl XLIV).  

The Saints have fielded many competitive teams since, but have yet to return to the Super Bowl.

As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the NFL.

3. Playoff accomplishments.

4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Remember, this is ONLY based on what a player does on that particular team and not what he accomplished elsewhere and also note that we have placed an increased importance on the first two categories.

This list is updated up until the end of the 2019 Season.

The complete list can be found here, but as always, we announce our top five in this article.  They are:

1. Drew Brees

2. Rickey Jackson

3. Jahri Evans

4. Willie Roaf

5. Pat Swilling

We will continue our adjustments on our existing lists and will continue developing our new lists.  

Look for our more material coming soon!

As always we thank you for your support.

Drew Brees played the first four years of his career with the San Diego Chargers, but after they drafted Philip Rivers, Brees became expendable.  Brees was also coming off shoulder surgery, and many teams were a little gun shy about signing the former Purdue Boilermaker.  He did, however, have offers, and he signed with the New Orleans Saints before the 2006 season.  That decision turned out to be the best for both parties. 

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential.  In basketball, the team sport with the least number of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher.  In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.

Last time, we looked at the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award of the NBA.  This time we look at its Football counterpart, the Walter Payton Man of the Year.

The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award originated in 1970, and is given to the player honoring a player’s volunteer and charity work.  It was originally named the Man of the Year, and it was renamed in the honor of former winner and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Walter Payton, after he died in 1999.

While this is generally given to star players, we will not dissect the season in question as the award is not meant to be defined by stat lines and on field accomplishments.  

So how many Walter Payton Man of the Year Award winners have made the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Let’s find out!

The following are the past players who have won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award who are eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.

Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts 1970                            

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.

Willie Lanier, Kansas City Chiefs 1972                           

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.

Len Dawson, Kansas City Chiefs 1973                            

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987.

George Blanda, Oakland Raiders 1974                            

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.

Franco Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers 1976                        

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.

Walter Payton, Chicago Bears 1977                                

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.

Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys 1978                           

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.

Joe Greene, Pittsburgh Steelers 1979                            

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987.

Harold Carmichael, Philadelphia Eagles 1980                

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

Lynn Swann, Pittsburgh Steelers 1980                           

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.

Dwight Stephenson, Miami Dolphins 1985                     

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.

Steve Largent, Seattle Seahawks 1988                           

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.

Warren Moon, Houston Oilers 1989                                

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000.

Mike Singletary, Chicago Bears 1990                             

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.

Anthony Munoz, Cincinnati Bengals 1991                     

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.

John Elway, Denver Broncos 1992                                 

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

Derrick Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs 1993                     

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

Junior Seau, San Diego Chargers 1994                           

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

Darrell Green, Washington Redskins 1996                     

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008.

Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys 1997                               

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

Dan Marino, Miami Dolphins 1998                                 

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005.

Cris Carter, Minnesota Vikings 1999                              

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013.

Derrick Brooks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2000 (co-winner)

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.

Jerome Bettis, Pittsburgh Steelers 2001                        

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts 2005                      

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021.

LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers 2007            

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.

Jason Taylor, Miami Dolphins 2008                               

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.

Kurt Warner, Arizona Cardinals 2009                             

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.

The following are the players who have won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award who are eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and have not been selected:

John Hadl, San Diego Chargers 1971                             

Eligible Since 1983.  Ranked #103 on Notinhalloffame.com

Ken Anderson, Cincinnati Bengals 1975                        

Eligible Since 1992.  Ranked #10 on Notinhalloffame.com

Joe Theismann, Washington Redskins 1982                  

Eligible Since 1991.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Rolf Benirschke, San Diego Chargers 1983                    

Eligible Since 1991.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Marty Lyons, New York Jets 1984                                  

Eligible Since 1995.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Reggie Williams, Cincinnati Bengals 1986                     

Eligible Since 1995.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Dave Duerson, Chicago Bears 1987                                

Eligible Since 1997.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Boomer Esiason, Cincinnati Bengals 1995                     

Eligible Since 2003.  Ranked #82 on Notinhalloffame.com

Jim Flanigan, Chicago Bears 2000 (co-winner)               

Eligible Since 2009.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Troy Vincent, Philadelphia Eagles 2002                         

Eligible Since 2012.  Ranked #275 on Notinhalloffame.com

Warrick Dunn, Atlanta Falcons 2004                              

Eligible Since 2014.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Brian Waters, Kansas City Chiefs 2009                          

Eligible Since 2014.  Ranked #156 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Madieu Williams, Minnesota Vikings 2010                     

Eligible Since 2014.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Matt Birk, Baltimore Ravens 2011                                 

Eligible Since 2014.  Ranked #74 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Let’s update our tally, shall we?        

So, who is up next?

The following are the players who have won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in the NFL who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Pro Football Hall of Fame:

Charles Tillman, Chicago Bears 2013

Eligible in 2021.

Anquan Boldin, San Francisco 49ers 2015

Eligible in 2022.

Eli Manning, New York Giants 2016 co-winner

Eligible in 2025.

Chris Long, Philadelphia Eagles 2018

Eligible in 2024.

The following are the players who have won the Walter Payton Man of the Year who are still active.

Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints 2006

41 Years Old,Playing for the New Orleans Saints.

Jason Witten, New Orleans Saints 2013

38 Years Old,Playing for the Las Vegas Raiders.

Thomas Davis, Carolina Panthers 2014

37 Years Old,Playing for the Washington Football Team.

Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals 2016 co-winner

37 Years Old,Playing for the Arizona Cardinals.

J.J. Watt, Houston Texans 2017

31 Years Old,Playing for the Houston Texans.

Calais Campbell, Jacksonville Jaguars 2019

34 Years Old,Playing for the Baltimore Ravens.

This is an award based more on character, and will likely continue to yield winners all over the ability spectrum, but let’s be honest; it is a lot easier to be philanthropic when you are a star name!

…and yes we know Peyton is not inducted yet, but come on!

So, what is up next?

We return to the NHL with a similar award to this one, the King Clancy Memorial Award.

As always, we thank you for your support, and look for that soon.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential.  In basketball, the team sport with the least number of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher.  In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.

Our focus now shifts towards the AP Comeback Player of the Year Award in the NFL.  Relatively speaking, this is a new award, so there won’t be too many players to dissect here.  How many of these winners made the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Let’s find out!

The following are the past players who have won the AP Comeback Player of the Year in the NFL who are eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.

None.

The following are the players who have won the AP Comeback Player of the Year in the NFL who are eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and have not been selected:

Doug Flutie, Buffalo Bills, Quarterback (1998)

The first winner of this award did not come back from injury.  He came back from Canada.  Doug Flutie was the hero whose Hail Mary won the Orange Bowl for Boston College against Miami.  The Quarterback was considered too short for the NFL and he would play in the USFL and Canada, though he would have stints in the NFL with Chicago and New England, though his run with the Patriots ended in 1989.  A decade later, he was signed by the Buffalo Bills and at age 36, he would play in 13 Games and throw for 2,711 Yards, 20 Touchdowns and go to the Pro Bowl.  Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.

Bryant Young, San Francisco 49ers, Defensive Tackle (1999)

Bryant Young suffered a severe broken leg late in 1998 and a metal rod had to be placed to assist his healing.  Young would return in 1999 with an 11.0 Sack season and a selection to the Pro Bowl.  He would play until 2007 and would record 89.5 Sacks in total.  Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.

Joe Johnson, New Orleans Saints, Defensive End(2000)

Joe Johnson was a Pro Bowler for the Saints in 1998, but a knee injury kept him out of the entire 1999 Season.  The Defensive End would come back in 2000 with his second (and final) Pro Bowl Selection and he would have a career-high 12.0 Sacks this year.  Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.

Garrison Hearst, San Francisco 49ers, Running Back (2001)

Garrison Hearst rushed for over 1,500 Yards in 1998, but he had to sit out two years due to Avascular Necrosis.  Many thought Hearst was done for good, but he returned in 2001 to the Niners and would rush for 1,206 Yards and go to his second (and final) Pro Bowl.  Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.

Tommy Maddox, Pittsburgh Steelers, Quarterback(2002)

Tommy Maddox played in the NFL from 1992 to 1995 with three different teams but the backup saw limited action and actually left football.  He came back in the Arena League in 2000, and then would be the MVP in the lone season of the XFL.  That was enough to make him desirable to the NFL again and he was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as their backup.  He would become their starter in 2002 and threw for 2,836 Yards and 20 TDs.  He would play until 2005.  Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.

Jon Kitna, Cincinnati Bengals, Quarterback (2003)

Jon Kitna was not coming back from injury or another league, but rather had one of the best years of his career.  He would throw for 3,591 Yards and a career-high 26 Touchdowns.  He played until 2011 and would overall throw for 29,745 Yards.  Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.

Tedy Bruschi, New England Patriots, Linebacker(2005)

In 2004, Tedy Bruschi went to his first (and only) Pro Bowl.  Shortly after the Pro Bowl Game, Bruschi suffered a minor stroke and partial paralysis. He announced that he would miss the 2005 season, but that wouldn’t be the case.  The Linebacker returned in October and played nine Games for the Patriots that year.  He would co-win this award Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers  Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.

Chad Pennington, New York Jets, Quarterback (2006)

In 2005, Chad Pennington suffered multiple injuries and was only able to play in three Games.  2006 was a much different season as he started all 16 Games for the Jets and would throw for 3,352 Yards and 17 Touchdowns.  Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.

Greg Ellis, Dallas Cowboys, Linebacker (2007)

A ruptured Achilles ended Ellis’ 2006 Season after nine games, and he would return in 2007 with his best year ever. Ellis would go to the Pro Bowl for the only time and he had a career-high 12.5 Sacks.  Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.

Chad Pennington, Miami Dolphins, Quarterback (2) (2008)

After winning this award in 2006, Pennington had a bad 2007 beset with injuries and poor play.  He was released by the Jets (who had signed Brett Favre) and Pennington would join the Miami Dolphins as a Free Agent.  He would take Miami to the Playoffs and would throw for a career-high of 3,653 Passing Yards.  Sure enough, he would suffer shoulder problems and would only play four more games in his career.  To date, Pennington is the only repeat winner of this award.  Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.

Let’s update our tally, shall we?

So, who is up next?

The following are the players who have won the AP Comeback Player of the Year Award in the National Football League who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Pro Football Hall of Fame:

Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers, Wide Receiver (2005)

In the first game of the 2004 Season, Smith would break his leg and would be out for the season.  He would return in 2005 and put forth the best season of his career with an NFL leading 103 Receptions, 1,563 Receiving Yards, and 12 Receiving Touchdowns.  He would be named a First Team All-Pro this year.  Smith was the co-winner of this award with Tedy Bruschi of the New England Patriots.  Smith is eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2022.

Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles, Quarterback (2010)

Due to his involvement in a dog fighting ring, Michael Vick was suspended for the 2007 and 2008 seasons, most of which was spent while incarcerated.  The Quarterback would return in 2009 to the Philadelphia Eagles as Donovan McNabb’s backup and in 2010 he began the year backing up Kevin Kolb.  Vick won the starting job after Kolb was knocked out with a concussion and he would go on to have an excellent season.  He would throw for 3,018 Yards with 21 Touchdowns and would rush for another 676 Yards and 9 Touchdowns.  He would go to his fourth Pro Bowl and was also named the Bert Bell Award winner.  Vick is eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.

Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos, Quarterback (2012)

Who else could it be?  Peyton Manning missed the entire 2011 campaign due to neck surgery and the Colts gad drafted Andrew Luck to replace him.  Manning would sign with the Denver Broncos and picked up right where he left off.  Named a First Team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler, Manning threw for 4,659 Yards and 37 Touchdowns.  He is the first player to be named a First Team All-Pro while winning the AP Comeback Player of the Year.  Manning is eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.

Rob Gronkowski, Denver Broncos, Tight End (2014)

Ron Gronkowski was the first Tight End to win he AP Comeback Player of the Year Award and the New England Patriot recovered incredibly from a torn ACL and MCL from December of the year previous.  “Gronk” would be named a First Team All-Pro, win the Super Bowl and would secure 82 catches for 1,124 Yards and 12 Touchdowns. Gronkowski is eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2024.

Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers, Wide Receiver(2016)

Jordy Nelson was a Pro Bowl Selection in 2014 but would have to sit out 2015 due to a torn ACL.  Nelson returned in 2016 to record 1,257 Receiving Yards and an NFL leading 14 Touchdown Receptions.  Nelson is eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2024.

Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts, Quarterback (2018)

Andrew Luck had to sit out the entire 2017 season due to issues with his throwing shoulder and he returned in 2018 to secure his fourth Pro Bowl.  He would throw for 4,593 Yards and 39 Touchdowns  Luck would shockingly retire during the 2019 training camp.  Nelson is eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2024.

The following are the players who have won the AP Comeback Player of the Year Award who are still active.

Drew Brees, San Diego Chargers, Quarterback (2004)

It is hard to believe now, but Drew Brees was struggling to keep his starting Quarterback job in 2003 when he was with the San Diego Chargers.  This was his rebound year as he was holding off the 1^stRound Pick, Philip Rivers from taking his job.  In 2003, Brees would throw for 3,159 Yards and 27 Touchdowns.  He would be named to his first Pro Bowl.  40 Years Old, Playing for the New Orleans Saints.

Tom Brady, New England Patriots, Quarterback (2009)

Tom Brady only played in one game in 2008 due to a torn ACL and MCL.  He returned to the exact form you would expect throwing for 4,398 Yards and 28 Touchdowns and going to his fifth Pro Bowl.  42 Years Old, Playing for the New England Patriots.

Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions, Quarterback (2011)

An injured shoulder limited Matthew Stafford to only three games in 2010, but he returned in 2011 and threw for 5,038 Yards and 41 Touchdowns, both of which are career-highs as of this writing.  31 Years Old, Playing for the Detroit Lions.

Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers, Quarterback (2013)

Philip Rivers performed well in 2012 but the perception was not that it was not good enough.  In 2013, he did better than the year before with an NFL leading 69.5 Completion Percentage.  He would also throw for 4,478 Yards and 32 Touchdowns.  38 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Chargers.

Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs, Strong Safety (2015)

Eric Berry was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2014 after having been named to the Pro Bowl three times.  Berry returned as a First Team All-Pro and recorded 77 Tackles for the Chiefs in 2015.  31 Years Old, Currently a Free Agent.

Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers, Wide Receiver (2017)

In the 2016 season opener, Keenan Allen suffered a torn ACL and would miss the rest of the year.  The Wide Receiver would return to have what is his best year to date. Allen would made his first Pro Bowl and post a career-high 1,393 Receiving Yards.  27 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Chargers.

For the first time we have an award that has generated NO Hall of Famers, but this won’t always be the case with Manning, Brees and Brady as Hall of Fame locks.

We are going to back to the NHL and look at the Bill Masterton Award.

As always, we thank you for that support and look for that soon!

We are excited here at Notinhalloffame.com that we are unveiling a new section, which looks at the top active players in the big four of sports and how they are positioned at the start of each seasons in regards to Hall of Fame credentials.

We are beginning with Pro Football, and how perfect is that considering the seasons kicks off this week.  Rather than list everyone directly, we have isolated them based on their position and with the exception of Special Teams, we have created a new stat based on the last five modern players (not senior inductees) of their respective position and how the current player compares with that.

This will be updated annually, so this 100 was finalized this week. We will not be updating again until the end of the season.

The new section begins here

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to thank you all for your continued support and we hope that you enjoy this new section!