I guess they want to restrict the number of players inducted each year so it's harder to get in and therefore is more meaningful. Theoretically if you let everyone in that deserves to be, and then held elections every year after, you'd have years where there was nobody worthy of induction, or if you HAD to admit someone, you would be forced to lower the bar.
Hannah and Tippet are already in the hall. From Mike Reiss' blog here are the players already inducted:
OL Bruce Armstrong (1987-2000)
LB Nick Buoniconti (1962-68)
WR/K Gino Cappelletti (1960-70)
DE Bob Dee (1960-67)
QB Steve Grogan (1975-90)
OL John Hannah (1973-85)
CB Mike Haynes (1976-82)
DL Jim Lee Hunt (1960-71)
LB Steve Nelson (1974-87)
QB Babe Parilli (1961-67)
LB Andre Tippett (1982-93)
Personally, I am just happy that the team has sustained greatness long enough for this conversation to matter. The bar on induction should remain high. To this point in time we have only seen two Patriots get into the pro Football Hall of Fame, and one was only a Patriot for a portion of his career (Haynes). The fact that there will now be twelve Patriot Hall of Fame inductees, and only two former Patriots in the Pro Football Hall seems about right. If there were twenty four in the Teams hall and only 2 in the Pro Football Hall it would not seem like a very significant distinction to be a member of the New England Patriots Hall of Fame.
foxborofan
