Being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame is one of the greatest honors a football player can receive. It serves as a confirmation of a player’s contribution to the game of football and the opportunity to be remembered as one of the best that have played the sport. This is why NFL legend and Hall of Famer Deion Sanders argues that the criteria for induction should be a lot harsher.
According to Sanders, the Hall of Fame is inducting more players than it should, and this makes it “less exclusive.”
“What is a Hall of Famer now? Is it a guy who played a long time?” said Sanders during his appearance on Dan Patrick Show. “It’s so skewed now. Once upon a time, a Hall of Famer was a player who changed the darn game, who made you want to reach in your pocket and pay your admission to see that guy play. That’s not a Hall of Famer anymore. Every Tom, Dick and Harry, you’re a Hall of Famer, you’re a Hall of Famer, you’re a Hall of Famer. They let everybody in this thing. It’s not exclusive anymore. And I don’t like it.”
The number of inductees in Pro Football Hall of Fame increased in recent years, and there were six or more inductees in each year since 2006. In both 2018 and 2019, eight players were inducted. The number is expected to be high this year as well, with 15 players being on the list of potential inductees.
Deion Sanders, who played with five teams during his career, including Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers, well deserved his induction. He is considered one of the strongest pass defenders to play the game and had eight Pro Bowl selections and was First-Team All-Pro honoree nine times. Sanders also won NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1994 and has two Super Bowl rings.
