Can a guy who’s never been productive at wide receiver or cornerback really be considered a lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
That is the question that will be asked over the next several years in regards to Devin Hester, after the Falcons return man broke Deion Sanders record for the most return touchdowns in NFL History.
There are pros and cons for both sides to argue.
The pros of the argument are resounding. Hester returned a punt 84 yards in his NFL debut…at Green Bay…in a win.
Hester’s 20 return touchdowns include 14 punt returns, 5 kickoff returns, and a missed field goal return.
The 20 return touchdowns are also an NFL record for most non-offensive touchdowns in a career. His 14 punt returns for touchdowns is also an NFL record.
Hester holds a few other records, including combined kick and punt returns in a season by a rookie, combined most kick and punt returns in a season overall, combined kick returns in a game with two ( twice), and the most non-offensive touchdowns in a season (twice).
Hester’s detractors will come out in droves when it’s time to discuss his worthiness for the Hall as well. They’ll point to the talented return man never being a factor as a receiver or defensive back during his first nine-years in the NFL.
The Hall of Fame doesn’t recognize the position of kick returner, and the discussion will then turn to the numbers that he put up at the skill position.
In his career, Hester has 224 catches for 2,933 yards and 14 touchdowns. In comparison, former Michigan star Jason Avant, who was also drafted in 2006 and had an okay first eight-years in Philadelphia, has 303 career catches for 3,700 yards and 13 touchdowns as a non-starter.
Calvin Johnson had 122 catches and 1,964 receiving yards in 2012 alone. That’s over half of Hester’s career total. Johnson’s totals over the past three seasons are 209 catches, 3,703 yards and 19 touchdowns, which dwarf Hester career totals as well.
I’m not comparing Hester to Johnson at all. That would just be unfair. But if you compare Hester’s numbers at the skill position to an all-time great like ‘Megatron,’ or a career backup like Avant, those detractors will have the numbers to show Hester may be undeserving on that merit.
The door to Canton was opened significantly when punter Ray Guy was elected. The selection of Guy finally symbolized that specialty guys had a positive impact on the game and their team.
There is only one player in the Hall of Fame, kicker Jan Stenerud, who never played on either offense or defense.
There are several players, including Yale Lary, Paul Hornung, George Blanda, Lou Groza, Gale Sayers, Mel Renfro, and Sammy Baugh, who contributed to their team either as a placekicker, punter or returner. However, in each case they also played either offense or defense at a level that warrants their Hall of Fame selection.
You’d have to argue that through all the changes at quarterback and wide receiver during the Lovie Smith era in Chicago, Hester was just as important to the Bears sustained excellent as that fierce Brian Urlacher led defense was.
Making it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame solely as a special teams contributor has not been done before, but I believe it indeed will happen with Devin Hester.
The Hall of Fame celebrates the best players to ever play the game. Hester is now the best return man to ever put on a jersey.
In my opinion, Devin Hester will be the first kick/punt returner in the history of the NFL elected to Hall of Fame.