Time for Russ Grimm to Make the Hall of Fame

By Todd L. Frank  |   Friday, January 29, 2010  |  Comments( 1 )

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It’s that time of year when the Hall of Fame inductees will be announced for this year. There are two absolute locks on the ballot for the first time: Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith. After that, it’s the usual list of very deserving candidates so there will sure to be several great players left out when the list is announced Super Bowl weekend.

Let’s hope that Redskins guard Russ Grimm is not once again among those on the outside looking in.

Sure, offensive linemen don’t have much in the way of stats and name recognition. But Grimm was part of a legendary offensive line that won multiple Super Bowls with different quarterbacks and running backs.

Everyone who knows football says that it is won or lost on the line of scrimmage. So while it might not be as glorious and flashy as inducting quarterbacks and the scary men who sack them, offensive linemen are certainly deserving of a few more calls to the Hall.
The Hogs might be the first (and only?) offensive line to be so celebrated and famously nick named. Usually it’s the defensive line with the clever names: the Steel Curtain (4 in the HOF), Fearsome Foursome (2 HOFers), and the Purple People Eaters (2 in the HOF). And yet there are still NO Hogs in Canton.

That needs to change in 2010 with the induction of Russ Grimm.
Grimm appeared in five NFC championship games and four Super Bowls including wins in Super Bowls XVII, XXII, and XXVI. He’s a member of the NFL’s All-Decade team for 1980’s. Following the 1983 season, he was selected to his first of four straight Pro Bowls and also started a run of four consecutive years (1983-86) of All-Pro recognition. Wow. Four straight All-Pro seasons.

With Rice and Smith sure-fire first-ballot guys, it might be tough to get in. TE Shannon Sharpe, who didn’t get in on his first try, should probably get in this year. There’s only one other offensive lineman among the finalists: the very worthy but ringless Steelers center Dermontti Dawson.

So maybe this is finally the year Grimm gets the call and the Hogs are finally represented in the Hall.

Considering how dominate that Washington team was, and the fact that they dominated by running and controlling the clock, I’m surprised it hasn’t happened already.
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