Support Builds for Special Teams Hall of Famers

Poll of NFL observers favors changing Pro Football Hall of Fame elections to let in more special teams players.

Attitudes against special teams players making the Pro Football Hall of Fame appear to be softening, according to a poll conducted by one Hall of Fame voter and special teams expert.

That can only be good news for former Bears return man Devin Hester.

Rick Gosselin, the former Dallas Morning Star writer who devised an overall special teams grading formula used by many NFL teams, published a poll Friday in which it appears many connected to the game would welcome chances for more special teams players in Canton.

Hester, whose 20 TDs on returns rate well above the rest when it comes to special teams accomplishments, is one of the semifinalists for enshrinement this year. He was a finalist last year before missing on the final vote.

In his poll of 221 former players, coaches, talent evaluators, writers and broadcasters, Gosselin found a majority favored providing a spot every five years among finalists for a kicker or punter. It wasn't a huge majority, as 115 voted in favor of it and 106 voted no.

The accompanying article pointed out how only Morten Andersen, Jan Stenerud and Ray Guy have made the Hall of Fame as players who mainly kicked or punted.

The fact attitudes are softening appeared even more obvious when pollsters were also asked if every 10 years there should be a five-player slate or "amnesty class" for kickers, punters, return men like Hester or Billy "White Shoes" Johnson and coverage players like Steve Tasker.

The answer to this was a resounding yes. A total of 67% voted in favor of letting in at least five special teams players in one class every 10 years.

If such an attitude carries over to the actual electors for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, it can only be a good thing for Hester, if he is unable to secure a spot through today's voting.

An actual change to voting procedures would need to be passed first, however.

Hester is in his second year of eligibility. He left the game after the 2016 season.

The first player to return the opening kick of the Super Bowl for a touchdown, Hester also had 14 punt return TDs, five kick return TDs and a missed field goal return TD in regular-season games.

He holds the NFL record for punt return TDs and is tied for ninth in kick return TDs. The all-time kick return TD record was set three weeks ago when former Bears return man Cordarelle Patterson returned one for a TD for Atlanta against his old team. He now has nine kick return TDs.

The 15 finalists will be announced later this month from the list of 28 semifinalsts that were selected earlier this season. Voters during Super Bowl week will then decide on those who receive enshrinement. 

10 years ago today, Devin Hester became the first player to return a Super Bowl's opening kickoff for a TD.
pic.twitter.com/BTDHw3ShmV

— sports guy (@dachicagostan) February 4, 2017

NFL media's Adam Rank, admittedly a longtime Bears fan, ranks Hester No. 1 among all the players who are semifinalists this year so perhaps Hester wouldn't need to worry about waiting for any potential changes in voting in the future to favor special teams players.

All-Time Return TD Leaders

1) Devin Hester 20

2) Deion Sanders 19

3) Rod Woodson 17

4) Ronde Barber 14

5) Ed Reed 13

5) Charles Woodson 13

5) Darren Sharper 13

5) Aeneas Williams 13

5) Brian Mitchell 13

5) Lemar Parrish 13 

All-Time Punt Return TD Leaders

1) Devin Hester 14

2) Eric Metcalf 10

3) Brian Mitchell 9

4) Jack Christiansen 8

5) Dante Hall 6

5) Deion Sanders 6

Adam Rank's Top 10 2023

Hall of Fame Candidates

1) KR/PR/WR Devin Hester

2) T Joe Thomas

3) CB Darrelle Revis

4) LB Patrick Willis

5) WR Steve Smith

6) LB James Harrison

7) LB DeMarcus Ware

8) Dwight Freeney

9) Torry Holt

10) WR Andre Johnson

11) DE Jared Allen

12) LB Zach Thomas

13) WR Reggie Wayne 

14) S Darren Woodson

15) T Willie Anderson

DEVIN HESTER TALKS OPENING KICK RETURN TD

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven