Pro Football Hall of Fame Nomination Sends Big Message

For years the Pro Football Hall of Fame has held to a rigid system of entry for players. It seems something has changed, and a recent nomination proves it.

One of the long-standing stipulations in the NFL when it comes to the Hall of Fame is how long a player was in the league and how well he played over that span. However, with the entry of Ken Stabler into the mix it’s proof that the selections can’t solely be based on length of career. Quality of career matters just as much. Even if a player only last a handful of seasons. If he was dominant enough throughout that stretch he should be considered.

That is what many have argued regarding former Seattle Seahawks safety Kenny Easley. For a good seven-season run in the 1980s there was only one defensive back in football better than him and he might be the greatest ever in Ronnie Lott. Easley was a forced that struck fear into offenses because there was no escaping him. Run the ball or pass the ball. It didn’t matter. He would make plays regardless.

Chris Wesseling explained who Easley was in the context of the game on NFL.com.

"“The rare defensive back to combine intimidation, sure tackling and elite ball-hawking skills, Easley’s career arc was every bit as promising as that of 49ers Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott before a severely damaged kidney forced him to retire at age 28.Just how dynamic was Easley? Seahawks blogger Bob Kaupang recently invoked the best traits of the current Legion of Boom stars to describe the five-time Pro Bowler.“If younger fans want to fully comprehend what Easley was like,” Kaupang wrote, “all they have to do is think of a super-safety who possesses the physical intimidation skills of Kam Chancellor combined with the ability of Earl Thomas to roam the back end of a secondary.”"

In just 95 career games Easley had 33 interceptions, nine sacks and three defensive touchdowns. If not for some misinformed medical practices by teams back in those days, namely the irresponsible distribution of painkillers, he might’ve played longer. Instead he was forced to retire at age 28 due to kidney disease brought on by overuse of such drugs. He later sued the Seahawks for not better informing him about the dangers.

Now he’s a senior finalist for entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It’s an overdue honor that he deserves, regardless of whether he was able to play seven or seventeen years. The tape, numbers and reputation speak for themselves. During his brief window, Easley was as close to unstoppable as a defensive player gets.