It's a way of life.@CrosbyMaxx | #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/qytRvbG1Ah
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) November 29, 2020
Have you heard? People are buzzing- Four former Raiders players made it to the semifinals of the 2021 Hall of Fame selection process. These players are Eric Allen, Charles Woodson, Richard Seymour, and Tom Flores in the coaching class.
While all four former players have a convincing argument to be enshrined in the Hall of fame forever, the debate should really come down to Charles Woodson and Tom Flores. This is because these are the two individuals who have done the most for the organization and were each a part of title runs during their time with the team.
A big problem with Allen and Seymour is that they didn t have any memorable seasons. Compare that to Flores, who took the Raiders to the playoffs five times. Flores even led the Raiders to two Super Bowl victories.
Of course, the argument could be made that Charles Woodson came up short in the 2002 Super Bowl against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he spent seven years with the team. He was also a key member in helping the Raiders make it to the playoffs three straight times. Again, the team came up short every single time, but it s that kind of consistency that belongs in the Hall of fame.
And then there s Flores, who has been snubbed from the Hall of fame countless times and deserves to finally be enshrined where he belongs. Now, that doesn’t mean that Seymour or Allen were not valuable players in their prime, but they didn t have the kind of career with the Raiders that would justify them making the Hall of fame.
In the end, the Hall of fame selection is going to come down to the committee, but one would hope that they choose Florez and Woodson. Otherwise, it would be another horrible snub for the Super Bowl-winning coach.
As for Woodson, he has such solid numbers that a Hall of Fame induction is way overdue. Keep in mind, he was a part of the last championship-worthy Raiders team in modern-day NFL history and really gave them a chance at another title. Players capable of doing that don t come around all the time, which is why we should celebrate when they do.