Strahan, Favre and Sapp Could Be Canton-Bound Together

It says here that Brett Favre, Warren Sapp and Michael Strahan will go into the Hall of Fame together in 2013.

Favre is a no-brainer. He's in the discussion about the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, and being a first-ballot inductee in Canton, Ohio, is a virtual certainty.

There might be more debate about Sapp and Strahan.

But Sapp was a game-changing player, a defensive tackle who brought quickness and athleticism to the position.

Strahan's single-season NFL sack record might come with an asterisk in some minds, thanks to the flop by Favre at Strahan's feet that gave Strahan the mark. But Strahan will be remembered as one of the top pass-rushing defensive ends ever, and his retirement announcement today means that he should be enshrined with Favre and Sapp in a memorable class.

Quarterback Steve McNair also retired this offseason, but he's a more borderline Hall of Fame candidate who might have difficulty getting in on the first ballot. McNair's teammate in Baltimore the past few years, left tackle Jonathan Ogden, might join the Canton-bound group if he retires this offseason as expected.

Either way, the class of 2013 will be well represented, and perhaps only a change of heart in the fall by Favre or Strahan will keep them from being enshrined together.

By Mark Maske |  June 9, 2008; 4:36 PM ET  | Category:  Giants , Hall of Fame
Previous: Strahan Announces Retirement | Next: Bears Release C. Benson

The comments to this entry are closed.