A player should be judged on the merits of his accomplishments against those of his contemporaries, not against those who come after him. This is the same situation happening to Art Monk, who spent most of his 15+ years with the Washington Redskins. In 1992, he became the NFL’s All-time Receptions leader, passing Steve Largent. All-time leader. Monk was none too shabby compared to his contemporaries.
… Monk waits for the Hall of Fame call that won’t ring. As for Largent? His career resides in the Hall of Fame.
That call that won’t ring? It rang today for the first man ever to catch 100 passes in a single season. (It also rang for a worthy first-time candidate.):
It was a Hall of Fame day for the Washington Redskins, with Art Monk and Darrell Green elected to the shrine Saturday.
Image from Redskins.com
I already have my tickets for the induction ceremony.