Is Drew Bledsoe a Hall of Fame Player? (no)

[maverick4]

Love the guy, an absolute class act, and he helped build this franchise from nothing, but his career QB rating is 77, and he was never the best while he played.

 

[Cramden]

I agree with everything you said. While some of his numbers are impressive Drew was more of a compiler than anything else.

If you had asked me after his first 5 years in the league if I thought he'd eventually end up in the HoF, I'd have said absolutely.

 

[ironwasp]

Not the Canton Hall of Fame.

But if we ever had one in Foxborough, he'd be in there, right?

 

[Cramden]

Not the Canton Hall of Fame.

But if we ever had one in Foxborough, he'd be in there, right?

Tough to say right now. By the time this current run is over we may have a Cowboys-esqe ring of fame.

 

[patsfanofNC12]

He isn't hall of fame, but he will go down as a great player.

 

[zippo59]

Definitely not Hall of Fame. the HOF should only be reserved for the best players, not the ones who looked great at times and terrible at times.

 

[ironwasp]

Tough to say right now. By the time this current run is over we may have a Cowboys-esqe ring of fame.

That's true, but Bledsoe operated in very different times. If that Hall was to reflect the entirety of Pats history, he'd still only be one of 4 (?) QBs in there. We're not talking about Tony Eason, after all.

 

[ChoWZa]

Drew Bledsoe should be the first inductee to the Hall of Average.

 

[TaxPlaya]

I was the last of the Bledsoe apologists, and I still believed in him as late as the Romo takeover.

On "Canton Hall," I think if Drew had one or two more good seasons (think, Buffalo 2002 or New England 1997), he would have been a near-lock. After all, how do you keep a player out of the Hall who is top-10 or top-5 in every category at his position (which he would be given 1-2 more good years)? Lest the argument be made he didn't lead teams anywhere, he won two more AFC Championship Games than Dan Fouts ever did, and no one disputes his Hall status.

On Foxboro, see what someone (I think it was Felger) wrote about the way the Packers do it. They have three tiers: retire numbers (only about 4 of these), "Ring of Honor" (about 15 of these, including the retired numbers), and "Packers Hall of Fame" (about 50 of these, including the prior two). The author seems to think this is a good way to do it, and I agree with him.

Certainly Drew would deserve the third-tier, HOF consideration. Is he one of the top-15 players in team history, and deserving of a ring of honor? Absolutely. Number retired? I could see the case going either way.

If your standard for number retirement is an average of 1 every 20 years (as is the case with the Packers--a generational number retirement, in other words), you could make the case.

Among retired players, the best Pats of all time probably are (in no order):

--Drew
--Hannah
--Tippett
--Grogan

I exclude the Mike Haynes' of the world who left and are better-identified with other teams.

I think that's not a bad list to start with. From this era, you're likely only to add Brady and Seymour. In my mind, Drew deserves to be in that conversation.

 

[Rob0729]

Not the Canton Hall of Fame.

But if we ever had one in Foxborough, he'd be in there, right?

The Patriots do have a Hall of Fame.

http://www.patriots.com/history/index.cfm?ac=halloffame

 

[Rob0729]

I was the last of the Bledsoe apologists, and I still believed in him as late as the Romo takeover.

On "Canton Hall," I think if Drew had one or two more good seasons (think, Buffalo 2002 or New England 1997), he would have been a near-lock. After all, how do you keep a player out of the Hall who is top-10 or top-5 in every category at his position (which he would be given 1-2 more good years)? Lest the argument be made he didn't lead teams anywhere, he won two more AFC Championship Games than Dan Fouts ever did, and no one disputes his Hall status.

On Foxboro, see what someone (I think it was Felger) wrote about the way the Packers do it. They have three tiers: retire numbers (only about 4 of these), "Ring of Honor" (about 15 of these, including the retired numbers), and "Packers Hall of Fame" (about 50 of these, including the prior two). The author seems to think this is a good way to do it, and I agree with him.

Certainly Drew would deserve the third-tier, HOF consideration. Is he one of the top-15 players in team history, and deserving of a ring of honor? Absolutely. Number retired? I could see the case going either way.

If your standard for number retirement is an average of 1 every 20 years (as is the case with the Packers--a generational number retirement, in other words), you could make the case.

Among retired players, the best Pats of all time probably are (in no order):

--Drew
--Hannah
--Tippett
--Grogan

I exclude the Mike Haynes' of the world who left and are better-identified with other teams.

I think that's not a bad list to start with. From this era, you're likely only to add Brady and Seymour. In my mind, Drew deserves to be in that conversation.

First, Michael Haynes played seven years with the Pats and six of his nine Pro Bowl selections were as a Patriot. He is still the Patriots all time leading punt returner. He was AFC rookie of the year for the Patriots. He deserves to be included on that list.

You are missing more people though. Nick Buonicotti should be there. Yes, he is associated with Miami's undefeated team, but he spent his first six years (and most productive years) with the Patriots. Steve Nelson, Babe Perilli, and Gino Cappuletti deserve recognition.

 

[italian pat patriot]

no, imho, but:

thks Drew for what you have done with us

G R A Z I E !

ps = i still have n.2 # 11 Drew Bledsoe jerseys

 

[PatriotsRiot93]

Drew Bledsoe should be the first inductee to the Hall of Average.

HAHAAHAAHAHAHAHHAHAAA

 

[Amnorix]

He was good for us for a good while, but his stats are meaningless in this era.

As for HOF -- heck no. Not even close.

 

[dhamz]

On "Canton Hall," I think if Drew had one or two more good seasons (think, Buffalo 2002 or New England 1997), he would have been a near-lock. After all, how do you keep a player out of the Hall who is top-10 or top-5 in every category at his position.

I don't think those numebrs are really all that relevant. He played in the last 20 years when the rules have been altered to help the passing game. As a result average QBs and WRs in this era are all putting up much better stats than the greats did in past eras and will own the leaderboards when they retire.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Drew was good for us for a couple yrs, and he is one of the most important people in the rebirth of the Patriots.. But he is no hall of famer.. If Phil Simms is not in the hall of fame, neither should Drew..

 

[DarrylS]

Never understood completely the criteria for the HOF, he might be somewhat close, but never really distinguished himself as a HOF QB.. I vote no.

 

[Caspir]

Without Bledsoe, there is no Cinderella Super Bowl run. To take it a step further, had the Pats drafted Rick Mirer instead of Bledsoe, the team toils in mediocrity for another decade, never makes the Packer/Pats SB, and likely leaves for St. Louis before any dynasty is formed with nary a whimper from 95% of the region. Anyone who thinks otherwise, became a Pats fan right around the time AV's kick sailed through the uprights against the Rams.

 

[Fixit]

Without Bledsoe, there is no Cinderella Super Bowl run. To take it a step further, had the Pats drafted Rick Mirer instead of Bledsoe, the team toils in mediocrity for another decade, never makes the Packer/Pats SB, and likely leaves for St. Louis before any dynasty is formed with nary a whimper from 95% of the region. Anyone who thinks otherwise, became a Pats fan right around the time AV's kick sailed through the uprights against the Rams.

All true, but that still doesn't put him in the Hall.

 

[Snapper]

If it's any consolation, Bledsoe's in the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame: http://www.sportshumanitarian.com/2005_Inductees/bios/bledsoe.html