Poll: Is Vince Wilfork worthy of the NFL Hall of Fame?

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I posted this on another thread but thought it was worthy of its own thread and poll.

Career highlights and awards

• 2× Super Bowl champion (XXXIX, XLIX)
• 5× Pro Bowl (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
• First-team All-Pro (2012)
• 4× Second-team All-Pro (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011)
• 5× Pro Football Writers Association (PFW/PFWA) All-AFC (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
• 4× AFC champion (2004, 2007, 2011, 2014)

It would obviously help if those Second-team All-Pro awards were first-team instead, since the Hall is typically reserved for the most dominating players and not the second tier. However, Vince also has two rings and was the cornerstone of a defense for one of the most successful teams in NFL history over his career.

 

[Sicilian]

Patriots Hall, 100% without a doubt. NFL Hall... I love Vince but I have to say no at this moment.

 

[Oswlek]

I don't know.

 

[PATS16N0]

The NFL Hall lets in mediocre trash like Bettis so I don't see why not.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I've been thinking about this acutally.

Wilfork is a better player than Curly Culp-who is in the HOF (full disclosure: I asked my dad and he said yes )

Wilfork is not better than John Randle, Cortez Kennedy, Randy White or Warren Sapp.

However, in the "Passing ERA" he was THE best run stuffing DT in the league and his credentials that the OP presented are beyond impressive.

My vote: Borderline to yes.

 

[Rob0729]

I doubt it. He plays a position where it is near impossible to get in. There are only 12 DTs in the Hall. Two of them were hybrid DT/DE (Dan Hampton and Reggie White).

 

[Froob]

Probably not, terrific player though. What about Seymour? there was talk about that back in the day.

 

[Froob]

How much did VW play on that 04 team? Don't remember.

 

[Golden Boy]

Hall of very good like Donavan Mcnabb, Steve Smith, Julius Peppers but not enough to make the hall of fame. Still love you big guy

 

[NormZauchin]

People need to go back and see who is actually in the HOF at each position. At least for the past three decades, making first team all pro four or five times seems to be necessary. That is why TB and Revis are locks, and Gronk will be, if he stays healthy. Vince is like Ty Law, close, but no cigar.

 

[nabwong]

60-40 he might be. He's a likable guy and he's definitely more worthy than Bettis. It's just his greatness doesn't show on the stat line.

 

[IcyPatriot]

http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/positions.aspx

I tried to take out the DE's from the list


Junious (Buck) Buchanan (DT) 1963-1975
Curley Culp 1968-1981
Richard Dent 1983-1997
Art Donovan (DT) 1950-1961
Joe Greene (DT) 1969-1981
Charles Haley 1986-1996; 1999
Dan Hampton (DT-DE) 1979-1990
Claude Humphrey 1968-1981
Henry Jordan (DT) 1957-1969
Cortez Kennedy (DT) 1990-2000
Bob Lilly (DT) 1961-1974
Leo Nomellini (DT) 1950-1963
Merlin Olsen (DT) 1962-1976
Alan Page (DT) 1967-1981
John Randle 1990-2003
Warren Sapp 1995-2007
Bruce Smith 1985-2003
Ernie Stautner (DT) 1950-1963
Michael Strahan 1993-2007
Arnie Weinmeister (DT) 1948-1953
Randy White (DT) 1975-1988
Reggie White (DT-DE) 1985-1998, 2000

 

[IcyPatriot]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/ballad-of-the-big-men-defining-the-legacies-of-nfl-nose-tackles/

The current makeup of the Hall of Fame points to this type of bias. Only five players whose careers ended after 1980 and are considered “defensive tackles” have gotten in. Of those five players, four — Joe Greene, Alan Page, John Randle, and Randy White — unofficially recorded more than 100 sacks (the stat became official in 1982). The fifth, Cortez Kennedy, had 58 — almost four times what Wilfork has amassed in his nine seasons.

 

[primetime]

Will he be in Canton? Not a chance. Ted Washington was a better player of the same type and compiled better stats (over twice as many career sacks, for instance), and Washington hasn't even been a finalist.

Should he be in Canton? Ted Washington should be, and Jerome Bettis shouldn't be. I'm still not sure I'd vote in Wilfork if I was being objective.

Vince has certainly been one of the top defensive tackles of his era, but there's been a number of good ones: you have Haloti Ngata, Pat Williams, Kevin Williams, Justin Smith, Darnell Dockett, and Richard Seymour.

Aside from Kevin Williams, who was a first team All-Pro 5 times, I'm not sure any of those guys will get in.

 

[lurker1965]

First off you need to rephrase you question.
1) Canton or Patriots HOF?
2) Should he or will he? Too often those have different answers because HOF voters are morons. Seriously. Defenders need not apply. Check the site. Offensive players out number defensive players like 4 to 1. Ray Lewis or somebody will get in then arguments about Drew Bledsoe candidacy start or someone while other defenders are ignored. Like Rodney Harrison he will go to see Vinny Testaverde's enshrinement. /rant on stupidity of HOF voters.

Then if we get by the idiot's bias against defenders, we have the bias against 3-4 players. People in the media will tell you he had too few sacks for a DT. Yes, the wrong position. (He was for many years an NT.) It is like saying he had too few receptions when talking about a guard. Yes, this was a SI writer (now deceased) who was a HOF voter.

 

[Gronkowski123]

little chance vince gets in IMO.

seymour will however. first ballot.

 

[Ken Canin]

Obviously he's worthy, he's one of the greatest linemen ever and anchored the most successful team for a decade. Kind of improper and insulting even to phrase the question like that. Whether the stats charlatans and whining Patriots-haters who infest this league vote him in, who cares?

Like I've said before, if everyone in the league understood the value of intelligence and teamwork in their players like BB does, the Pats wouldn't be so dominant. Pats rely for their success on the rest of the league not understanding what makes Pats players great.

 

[patsfan-1982]

ted Washington was up for the hall one time in 2013 I think but did not get, I say wilfork gets the same on a off year he will get a look because of does two rings but I don't see him getting in

 

[Oswlek]

How much did VW play on that 04 team? Don't remember.

A good deal. Probably around 40% of the snaps and a regular, if not consistent, starter.

 

[TeamFirst]

I voted no.. Not dominate enough.

Pats hall yes.