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Lynn Swann’s Hall of Fame Numbers (?)
By Avery | November 14, 2006
Yesterday, somebody asked me of Lynn Swann deserved to be in the Hall of Fame. Of course, I said yes. Lynn Swann is an all-time great. How WOULDN’T he be in the Hall of Fame? All those Super Bowls? All those catches? That Catch?
“Look at the numbers,” he said.
So we did. I was tremendously underwhelmed. Staggeringly so. How bout these…? 8 Years, 115 Games, 336 Receptions, 5462 Yards, and 51 Touchdowns. No seasons > 61 receptions, nothing particularly remarkable. But it’s Lynn Swann. And numerically speaking, I’m thinking that he got into the hall JUST BECAUSE he’s Lynn Swann. But numbers are just numbers. Let’s contextualize these by looking at the stats for some cats who are not now, and may likely never get into the HoF. Then we’ll look at some cats who have NO SHOT.
Once again, to review, here’s Lynn Swann.
Year TM | G | Att Yards Y/A TD | Rec Yards Y/R TD | +----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+ | 1974 pit | 11 | 1 14 14.0 0 | 11 208 18.9 2 | | 1975 pit | 14 | 3 13 4.3 0 | 49 781 15.9 11 | | 1976 pit | 12 | 1 2 2.0 0 | 28 516 18.4 3 | | 1977 pit | 14 | 2 6 3.0 0 | 50 789 15.8 7 | | 1978 pit | 16 | 1 7 7.0 0 | 61 880 14.4 11 | | 1979 pit | 13 | 1 9 9.0 1 | 41 808 19.7 5 | | 1980 pit | 13 | 1 -4 -4.0 0 | 44 710 16.1 7 | | 1981 pit | 13 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 34 505 14.9 5 | | 1982 pit | 9 | 1 25 25.0 0 | 18 265 14.7 0 | +———-+—–+————————–+————————-+ | TOTAL | 115 | 11 72 6.5 1 | 336 5462 16.3 51 | +———-+—–+————————–+————————-+
Now let’s look at ohhhh….Gary Clark
| Rushing | Receiving | +----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+ | Year TM | G | Att Yards Y/A TD | Rec Yards Y/R TD | +----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+ | 1985 was | 16 | 2 10 5.0 0 | 72 926 12.9 5 | | 1986 was | 15 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 74 1265 17.1 7 | | 1987 was | 12 | 1 0 0.0 0 | 56 1066 19.0 7 | | 1988 was | 16 | 2 6 3.0 0 | 59 892 15.1 7 | | 1989 was | 15 | 2 19 9.5 0 | 79 1229 15.6 9 | | 1990 was | 16 | 1 1 1.0 0 | 75 1112 14.8 8 | | 1991 was | 16 | 1 0 0.0 0 | 70 1340 19.1 10 | | 1992 was | 16 | 2 18 9.0 0 | 64 912 14.2 5 | | 1993 pho | 14 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 63 818 13.0 4 | | 1994 ari | 15 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 50 771 15.4 1 | | 1995 mia | 16 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 37 525 14.2 2 | +———-+—–+————————–+————————-+ | TOTAL | 167 | 11 54 4.9 0 | 699 10856 15.5 65 | +———-+—–+————————–+————————-+
Now, I’m pretty sure that Gary Clark is not close to being in the Hall. Same thing for his fellow Smurf, Art Monk.
+--------------------------+-------------------------+ | Rushing | Receiving | +----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+ | Year TM | G | Att Yards Y/A TD | Rec Yards Y/R TD | +----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+ | 1980 was | 16 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 58 797 13.7 3 | | 1981 was | 16 | 1 -5 -5.0 0 | 56 894 16.0 6 | | 1982 was | 9 | 7 21 3.0 0 | 35 447 12.8 1 | | 1983 was | 12 | 3 -19 -6.3 0 | 47 746 15.9 5 | | 1984 was | 16 | 2 18 9.0 0 | 106 1372 12.9 7 | | 1985 was | 15 | 7 51 7.3 0 | 91 1226 13.5 2 | | 1986 was | 16 | 4 27 6.8 0 | 73 1068 14.6 4 | | 1987 was | 9 | 6 63 10.5 0 | 38 483 12.7 6 | | 1988 was | 16 | 7 46 6.6 0 | 72 946 13.1 5 | | 1989 was | 16 | 3 8 2.7 0 | 86 1186 13.8 8 | | 1990 was | 16 | 7 59 8.4 0 | 68 770 11.3 5 | | 1991 was | 16 | 9 19 2.1 0 | 71 1049 14.8 8 | | 1992 was | 16 | 6 45 7.5 0 | 46 644 14.0 3 | | 1993 was | 16 | 1 -1 -1.0 0 | 41 398 9.7 2 | | 1994 nyj | 16 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 46 581 12.6 3 | | 1995 phi | 3 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 6 114 19.0 0 | +———-+—–+————————–+————————-+ | TOTAL | 224 | 63 332 5.3 0 | 940 12721 13.5 68 | +———-+—–+————————–+————————-+
Now each of those guys have hardware. Not four rings in 8 years, but they do have hardware. Three rings, at least. Not breathing on the Hall. Also with three rings is Captain Cokehead, Michael Irvin. Let’s see his numbers:
+--------------------------+-------------------------+ | Rushing | Receiving | +----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+ | Year TM | G | Att Yards Y/A TD | Rec Yards Y/R TD | +----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+ | 1988 dal | 14 | 1 2 2.0 0 | 32 654 20.4 5 | | 1989 dal | 6 | 1 6 6.0 0 | 26 378 14.5 2 | | 1990 dal | 12 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 20 413 20.6 5 | | 1991 dal | 16 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 93 1523 16.4 8 | | 1992 dal | 16 | 1 -9 -9.0 0 | 78 1396 17.9 7 | | 1993 dal | 16 | 2 6 3.0 0 | 88 1330 15.1 7 | | 1994 dal | 16 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 79 1241 15.7 6 | | 1995 dal | 16 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 111 1603 14.4 10 | | 1996 dal | 11 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 64 962 15.0 2 | | 1997 dal | 16 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 75 1180 15.7 9 | | 1998 dal | 16 | 1 1 1.0 0 | 74 1057 14.3 1 | | 1999 dal | 4 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 10 167 16.7 3 | +———-+—–+————————–+————————-+ | TOTAL | 159 | 6 6 1.0 0 | 750 11904 15.9 65 |
+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+
Obviously, Michael Irvin had some off-the-field issues that might keep him from being in the Hall, although I wouldn’t mind seeing him inducted just to see what he wears. That brother has worn some SUITS in his time. At some point, I might hafta do a post on him, because he was one of my favorite players for a young minute. At any rate, he’s got issues. So does the next guy, Andre Rison.
| Rushing | Receiving | +----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+ | Year TM | G | Att Yards Y/A TD | Rec Yards Y/R TD | +----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+ | 1989 ind | 16 | 3 18 6.0 0 | 52 820 15.8 4 | | 1990 atl | 16 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 82 1208 14.7 10 | | 1991 atl | 16 | 1 -9 -9.0 0 | 81 976 12.0 12 | | 1992 atl | 15 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 93 1119 12.0 11 | | 1993 atl | 16 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 86 1242 14.4 15 | | 1994 atl | 15 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 81 1088 13.4 8 | | 1995 cle | 16 | 2 0 0.0 0 | 47 701 14.9 3 | | 1996 gnb | 5 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 13 135 10.4 1 | | 1996 jax | 10 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 34 458 13.5 2 | | 1997 kan | 16 | 1 2 2.0 0 | 72 1092 15.2 7 | | 1998 kan | 14 | 2 12 6.0 0 | 40 542 13.6 5 | | 1999 kan | 15 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 21 218 10.4 0 | | 2000 oak | 14 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 41 606 14.8 6 | +———-+—–+————————–+————————-+ | TOTAL | 184 | 9 23 2.6 0 | 743 10205 13.7 84 |
And again, I’m not dissing Lynn Swann, cuz he was my man 50 grand. What I am wondering is what the requirements are for making it to the HoF. Like I said, Swanny got it done in the playoffs, and particularly the Super Bowl, but his overall career numbers leave much to be desired.
Topics: Everwhatever |
November 14th, 2006 at 10:24 pm
I crunched these same digits on my NFL blog once, and Monk has been jobbed. They must not dig quiet wideouts in Canton (and dude could block too). 900 grabs (in an era before the 100-catch-Chris Carter-WR), 12,000 yards, four Pro Bowls, and retired with most receptions in NFL history.
November 14th, 2006 at 10:55 pm
Here are my orig. thoughts on Monk’s exclusion:
http://nohuddle.mostvaluablenetwork.com/2006/02/
B
November 14th, 2006 at 11:58 pm
Here’s an interesting take. I linked your blog in an email to a friend. here’s his response:
“Very interesting, but this person is a football fan and not a student of the game. For if he/she was it would be understood that Gary Clark, Art Monk and Michael Irvin will eventually land in the Hall of Fame. Really it is only a matter of time.
As for Lynn Swann; sure his numbers are underwhelming, but here are the facts. First, he played only 8 years. Second, he was not as durable as the receivers mentioned above. Hence, he didn’t play as many games as those above. Third, quarterbacks did not throw as much back then as they did in later years. Four, Swann played in an offense that also included Hall of Famer Franco Harris and John Stallworth. Although not a Hall of Famer both Rocky Bleier, Randy Grossman and the other tight end whose name I don’t remember right now caught a few passes as well. The point is that Terry Bradshaw had many people to whom he could throw the ball. Swann had to share the ball. Fifth, there has been no receiver before or since who was or is as acrobatic as Swann was. Some of the most impressive catches that a receiver ever caught were caught by Swann. Sixth, some of his biggest games came on football’s biggest stage–the Super Bowl. Finally, it took quite while for Swann to be inducted–nearly twenty years after his playing days. The reason for the length of time is because his numbers were underwhelming, but his play was overwhelming.
Oh, that tight end was Bennie Cunningham. I just remembered. Yeah, it doesn’t take me long
Feel free to forward this to that particular football fan.
Dr. J.L. Jeffries
Professor
The Ohio State University
November 15th, 2006 at 1:10 am
Yeah, but Monk still has been wronged. Acrobat schmacrobat.
BCB
November 15th, 2006 at 9:43 pm
I’ll readily concede what I don’t know. I never questioned Swann’s qualification for the Hall. It was more a question of “if he’s in there, then why ain’t so-and-so?” Now I will admit that I didn’t know how long it took for him to get in there, so that’s certainly a mitigating circumstance. If I remember, there’s also the question of who a given player gets nominated along with, so it’s possible that Swann could’ve gotten in with a relatively weak class. I’m just sayin’. When my friend made me look up Swanny’s numbers, I was really surprised.