Ken Stabler and Ken Anderson Vs. The Pro Football Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame Dilemma in Pro Football — It is getting worse…
Secondary Argument — HALL OF FAME CANDIDACY REVISITED: Stabler and Anderson

Every generation has a selection of quarterbacks who define their position, and their accomplishments are enshrined in the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. There were two major surges of quarterbacks that entered the Hall of Fame. The first played from the 60s and early 70s, and the second from the early 80s in through the mid 90s. However, this leaves one glaring gap — the 1970s.

Johnny Unitas, Bart Starr, Sonny Jurgensen, Len Dawson, and George Blanda came before the “bridge” players that played in both the 60s and 70s, and found success in both decades, like Fran Tarkenton, Joe Namath, Bob Griese, and Roger Staubach, who started his career late, after the completion of his service in the Navy. Then there was Terry Bradshaw , because I’m going to group his Canton mate Dan Fouts with Joe Montana for later years.

Now, I’m not a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, but I like Terry Bradshaw, and any fan of black and gold can easily remind Bradshaw skeptics of Terry’s four Super Bowl rings, two Super Bowl MVPs, and 1978 MVP award. However, that generation of quarterbacks is not accurately represented in the Hall of Fame. Former quarterbacks Kenny Stabler and Ken Anderson deserve to be in the Hall of Fame, as their numbers match up favorably with Bradshaw’s.

In his career, Terry Bradshaw passed for 212 touchdowns and almost 27,989 yards. Ken Stabler threw for 194 touchdowns and 27,938 yards. Ken Anderson torched defenses for 197 touchdowns over 32,838 yards. Bradshaw, an underrated rusher, ran for 2257 yards and 32 rushing touchdowns at 5.1 yards per attempt. Anderson ran for 2220 yards and 20 touchdowns at 5.6 Y/A. Stabler was not a very good runner, but he was mobile in the pocket, and had great play-action ability. Bradshaw and Stabler both led the league in passing touchdowns twice. Ken Anderson led the NFL in passing yards twice, in completion percentage three times, and in passer rating four times.

Terry Bradshaw completed 51.9% of his passes in his regular season career. Stabler had a cannon arm, maybe not as strong as Bradshaw’s, but his accuracy was highly respected, but remains very underrated, as the lefty completed 59.8% of his career passes. Anderson, perhaps the best pure passer of the three, completed 59.3% of his passes. Both Stabler and Anderson have an advantage over Bradshaw in this aspect. Although, this argument is not necessarily concerned about who is the better strict passer. One can always mention that Bradshaw rushed for over 2000 more yards than Stabler. So… Now, the accolades — they are deservedly similar as well.

Bradshaw won his MVP in 1978, and he was a two time Super Bowl MVP. He was voted to the Pro Bowl three times. Stabler won his MVP in 1974, and he won his Super Bowl ring in 1976. He was voted to the Pro Bowl four times. Anderson won his MVP in 1981, and he was voted to the Pro Bowl four times. However, there is one big difference between these players — PLAYOFF SUCCESS.

Stabler and Bradshaw were noted for their classic battles in AFC Conference Championship games, and the rivalry between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders was incomparably fierce. Both QBs won Super Bowls, however, Bradshaw does have three more rings than Stabler. Anderson, who lost in the Super Bowl against the 49ers, was 0 – 3 in his three other playoff seasons. However, strong claims cannot be based on the possession of a Super Bowl ring.

Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, Warren Moon, Fran Tarkenton, Dan Fouts are all in the Hall of Fame, and they never won a Super Bowl. Clearly, we cannot overuse a Super Bowl win as a factor of judgment or comparison. It’s important, but it is not be-all-end-all, and it shouldn’t be treated like so. The funny thing seems to be that this factor only affects the older generations, as there are more “modern” players from non-championship teams getting into the Hall than ever before. Great teams win championships. Great players are sometimes lucky to even play in a championship game. Great players are always unlucky to not make it.

Bradshaw and Stabler had legnedary defenses to back them up, and they had talent around them year in and year out. That was something that Anderson had to deal with. Greg Cook and Ken Anderson were two of the first true NFL students of the Bill Walsh quarterbacking school, as Walsh was a quarterback coach and coordinator in Cincinnati under coach Paul Brown at the time. If Cook did not have a career ending injury in 1969, Ken Anderson’s career may have followed a different path. However, things as they are, Anderson developed what Joe Montana would come to perfect in San Francisco.

He was the first career prototypical quarterback for the West Coast offense — a player with a focus on accuracy, the speed to move in the pocket and make mobile throws, and an ability to be a part OF a great system rather than become a player who IS the system.

Stabler was much more of a personality during his playing career. Few players, past or present, can match the clout of some stories of Stabler’s crazier times. He was the perfect leader for a team of talented misfits, and he had the talent to not only back it up, but also to hold the wild bunch together. Raiders nation believed from the second Stabler retired that he was worthy of the Hall of Fame. Then, they were shocked he didn’t get in. Now, they are satisfied in fully knowing Stabler’s greatness and flipping one off, and they truly understand how misjudging Hall of Fame voters are — look at Ray Guy, Cliff Branch and, still, “The Snake” Stabler.

Bradshaw, Anderson and Stabler are grouped together for many reasons, and I would include former Colts QB Bert Jones in their group. Roger Staubach found his success through the entire decade of the 70s, but he was drafted in 1964, and was older. Bob Griese played until 1980, but he was drafted in 1967, and I would group him with Hall of Famers Staubach and Namath, and players like Jim Hart . Griese is a worthy comparison to Bradshaw, Stabler and Anderson, but Don Shula ran a different system, and Griese was more known for being a meticulous leader than a man with a golden arm. He’s in the Hall of Fame, but his numbers are not obvious matches to measure with Stabler and Anderson, which is why I’m not concerned with bring Bob Griese too much further into the debate.

Joe Namath’s career would have extended further into the 70s had injuries not taken their total toll. Dan Fouts was drafted in 1973, but he found his greatest success in Don Coryell’s pass happy “Air Coryell” offense of the 80s. So, that is why it might be easier to include Fouts with Joe Ferguson , Joe Theismann, Jim Plunkett, Joe Montana and Phil Simms in the class of quarterbacks that came before the surge of household name quarterbacks in the mid to late 1980s — Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, John Elway, Warren Moon, Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Randall Cunningham, Boomer Esiason, Bernie Kosar, Mark Rypien, Jim McMahon and even Jim Everett.

So, who represents the bridge between Tarkenton, Staubach, Namath, and Griese to Fouts and Montana? … Terry Bradshaw? alone??

If Fouts and Montana are in the Hall of Fame, and six of the twelve former quarterbacks I just mentioned above (Marino, Kelly, Elway, Moon, Aikman, Young) are enshrined as well, it appears quite obvious that Bradshaw, Stabler and Anderson are in a class of their own, as far as time in concerned, and that class is under-represented. Anderson won 91 games, Stabler won 96, and Bradshaw won 107. When looking at all this information, it can be concluded that Anderson doesn’t get the credit and recognition he deserves, and Stabler is incredibly underrated, and will remain so until he gets into the Hall of Fame. Both men are deserving and worthy, and by looking at Bradshaw, we can sense that Bradshaw’s four Super Bowl wins had a lot to do with that, and that’s not fair. That’s certainly no knock on Terry though. He’s TB.

The quarterback position and its relationship with the Pro Football Hall of Fame serves as a generational bridge connecting the many changes in the game through its history, with names, faces and careers of men who are forever enshrined in Canton, and others who, although overlooked in later times, are not forgotten because people still bring up their names — and with good reason. The voting process for the Pro Football Hall of Fame is beginning to produce the same results as the voting productivity Major League Baseball and its Hall of Fame. In 2013, when the voters failed to elect anyone to the baseball Hall of Fame, a serious problem was perpetuated. Players from older generations remain overlooked, and are further ignored, until the final years of their eligibility, and even then, all those years down the road, these same men knew they deserved in a long time ago. Great players from the 60s, 70s and 80s are getting skipped over, and seeing the years pass like a gust of wind won’t help anybody’s case. This is happening with former NFL players now. In baseball, the Hall of Fame’s failure to elect anybody was intended to be both a bold statement and a first response to players of the steroid era. In the NFL, it just seems like a weak oversight and basic misrepresentation, one that ends up in terms of disrespect.

In an uneven time for the NFL as an industry, with so many concerns being raised about former players, maybe it’s time to start offering a little more respect to them. When more and more younger players, who are record breakers and statistic machines, get their chances to enter the Hall of Fame, opportunities for older players grow slim. Moreover, this article concerns just two guys, two guys on the short list of people who deserve to be in the Hall of Fame because they are not borderline candidates. It’s also easier to argue Hall of Fame candidacy for Stabler and Anderson because they didn’t have to compete with the kind of concentrated positional depth that Boomer Esiason and Randall Cunningham had to face during their primes.

There are a handful of players who people and fans, sportswriters and families believe should be in the Hall of Fame. It happens in every sport, but it’s getting bad in the NFL. In 2013, when the great Cris Carter had to wait six years until he got into the Hall of Fame, he accepted that reality with dignity, but that was disrespectful by the NFL. Cris Carter? If Sterling Sharpe had played, the NFC Pro Bowl roster of Rice, Sharpe and Carter would have been the best of all-time. However, the Carter situation shows how the voting tradition continually hurts other candidates from all tiers, with certain focus on specific positions. Andre Reed is still not in. Neither is Charles Haley. Safeties are vastly overlooked — Steve Atwater. Ray Guy should be in, but what respect do punters get? The list is short, but it shouldn’t be as long. In the history of the NFL, the quarterback is the general, and most of the great teams were fronted by successful quarterbacks.

The 1970s were a great time for football. The balance of power shifted from the NFC to the AFC, as the former AFL became fully adapted into the NFL. Super Bowl wins by the Chiefs, Colts, Dolphins, Steelers and Raiders display that dominance with ease and pride.

As one of the best players in the AFC, Ken Anderson, in his time, might have been the best pure passer since Sonny Jurgensen. Kenny Stabler and Kenny Anderson are two of the most underrated players in NFL history, and sometimes, when the term “underrated” is a compliment, it seems fitting. This is not the case here. This is a snake skin that needs to be shed, no Stabler pun intended.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame can no longer afford to wait five, six, seven, eleven, eighteen years to elect players who shouldn’t have to wait. Should they make certain players wait? Well, yes — There would be no distinction of being a first-ballot Hall of Famer then. However, Canton can’t let this situation become even close to what Cooperstown has been dealing with. The argument is simple, if statistics and numbers don’t satisfy Hall of Fame measures, then why is Terry Bradshaw enshrined? It’s the four championship rings. Otherwise, the numbers speak for themselves. Nobody threw more interceptions in the 70s than Bradshaw, and his completion percentage was a decade lowest. He made up for that with a cannon for an arm, a determined will to lead men and a surprising ability to run for positive yards. If we look at the best quarterbacks by the decade, it’s obvious that the 1970s could be better represented. There were 5 Hall of Famers playing in this decade, including Fran Tarkenton, who was drafted in 1961, and Dan Fouts, who was more dominant in the 80s. It’s easy to compare that figure with figures from other decades. We can analyze the top ten quarterbacks from each decade, and see if everyone in the top five is a Hall of Famer, or who might be overrated or underrated. We can start with our main focus the 1970s.

(+) signifies Hall of Famer
The Best QBs of the 1970s (5 Hall of Famers)

1. Roger Staubach (Dallas)+
2. Fran Tarkenton (Minnesota/New York)+
3. Terry Bradshaw (Pittsburgh)+
4. Ken Stabler (Oakland)
5. Ken Anderson (Cincinnati)
6. Bob Griese (Miami)+
7. Bert Jones (Baltimore)
8. Dan Fouts (San Diego)+
9. Joe Ferguson (Buffalo)
10. Jim Hart (St. Louis)

Best QBs of the 1960s (8 Hall of Famers)

1. Johnny Unitas (Baltimore AFL)+
2. Bart Starr (Green Bay NFL)+
3. Len Dawnson (Kansas City AFL)+
4. Sonny Jurgensen (Washington/Philadelphia NFL)+
5. Fran Tarkenton (Minnesota/New York)+
6. Joe Namath (New York)+
7. Roman Gabriel (Los Angeles/Philadelphia)
8. George Blanda (Houston – AFL)+
9. Y.A. Tittle (New York)+
10. Daryle Lamonica (Oakland)
11. Don Meredith (Dallas – NFL)
12. Jack Kemp (Buffalo – AFL)
13. Earl Morral (Miami)
14. John Hadl (San Diego AFL)
15. John Brodie (San Francisco NFL)

Best Quarterbacks of the 1990s (8 Hall of Famers)

1. Steve Young (San Francisco)+
2. Brett Favre (Green Bay)
3. John Elway (Denver)+
4. Dan Marino (Miami)+
5. Troy Aikman (Dallas)+
6. Warren Moon (Houston)+
7. Jim Kelly (Buffalo)+
8. Randall Cunningham (Philadelphia)
9. Joe Montana (San Francisco/Kansas City)+
10. Drew Bledsoe (New England)

Best Quarterbacks Since 2007

1. Peyton Manning (Indianapolis)
2. Tom Brady (New England)
3. Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay)
4. Drew Brees (New Orleans)
5. Ben Rothlisberger (Pittsburgh)
6. Kurt Warner (Arizona)
7. Philip Rivers (San Diego)
8. Joe Flacco (Baltimore)
9. Brett Favre (Green Bay/Minnesota/New York)
10. Eli Manning (New York)

Peyton, Brady, Brees, Warner and Favre are all Hall of Fame bound already. Rothlisberger is some good seasons away, but he’s on track. Rodgers is well on track. Rivers, although controversial, is underrated and one of the best in the league. Flacco has established himself, and Eli has as many rings as Big Ben. However, before the watershed career marks, rings might be an accurate way to judge. I don’t mean to contradict myself, but we’re not working with a full body of work yet. In my estimation, there at least 8 future Hall of Famers.

This list didn’t even include Donovan McNabb, a borderline Hall of Fame candidate himself. As a passionate Eagle, I’m not sure I could write that argument, but I would be willing to make it in a heartbeat — but, I don’t know if I would believe in my heart that he should be in. It wasn’t the rings, it was a poor end to what was a great career. McNabb is a counterexample for my argument for Stabler and Anderson. McNabb didn’t need the ring, he needed two or three more solid years. He’s one of my favorite players of all time, and I wouldn’t put him in the Hall of Fame. He’s the greatest quarterback the Philadelphia Eagles ever had. Further reason to examine Anderson and Stabler, as they are also the best quarterbacks in their teams’ histories.

I know these opinions seem arbitrary, but even if rankings are arguable, the results are not. Had Randall not “retired,” he might have had a shot at the Hall- but since Favre is Hall of Fame bound, that makes eight in the 90s. In the 60s, between the AFL and the NFL, my list serves up eight Hall of Famers. So the 70s present five to both eight and eight …? And two of the five also belong in other decades, and one of the five also served in the Navy for four years after being drafted by Dallas in 1964? That would make three Hall of Famers from the 70s who belonged to a different player generation, just as Aaron Rodgers is to Peyton Manning.

The mid 80s and early 90s were considerable pinnacles, and we haven’t seen anything like that until the past couple of years. Two years ago, it was proclaimed the year of the quarterback. This year, Peyton Manning was back, three rookies shined, more stars were revealed, and Joe Flacco established himself — we all say it again. It’s been a renaissance for the quarterback, and in the future, there will be the same age old debate over a player’s strength of candidacy for the Hall of Fame.

That’s why it is impossible to not feel inclined to represent the 1970s QB more properly in the Hall before it gets too late. Anderson and Stabler were better passers than Bradshaw and Griese. Their personal accolades are all similar. Yet, Anderson and Stabler are out. If the voters base their persuasions on Super Bowl rings, then Stabler should be in. Since they shouldn’t base it on rings, then Stabler and Anderson should be in on numbers alone. To go beyond career averages, we can compare some of their best seasons.

Ken Anderson (1971 – 1986 )

1975: 228 Completions — 60.5% Completion — 21 TD 11 INT — 3169 Yards — 93.9 Passer Rating — 2 Game Winning Drives (Pro Bowl)
1981: 300 Completions — 62.6% Completion — 29 TD 10 INT — 3754 Yards — 98.4 Passer Rating — 3 Game Winning Drives (MVP, All-Pro, Pro Bowl)

Ken Stabler (1970 – 1984 )

1974: 178 Completions — 57.4% Completion — 26 TD 12 INT — 2469 Yards — 94.9 Passer Rating — 3 Game Winning Drives (MVP, All-Pro, Pro Bowl)
1976: 291 Completions — 66.7% Completion — 27 TD 17 INT — 2737 Yards — 103.4 Passer Rating — 5 Game Winning Drives (Pro Bowl, Super Bowl Champ, Bert Bell Award Winner)

Terry Bradshaw+ ( 1970 – 1983 )

1975: 165 Completions — 57.7% Completion — 18 TD 9 INT — 2055 Yards — 88.0 Passer Rating — 3 Game Winning Drives (Pro Bowl, Super Bowl Champ)
1978: 207 Completions — 56.3% Completion — 28 TD 20 INT — 2915 Yards — 84.7 Passer Rating — 2 Game Winning Drives (MVP, All-Pro, Super Bowl Champ, Bert Bell Award Winner, Pro Bowl)

Bob Griese+ (1967 – 1980)
1971: 145 Completions — 55.1% Completion — 19 TD 9 INT — 2089 Yards — 90.9 Passer Rating — 3 Game Winning Drives
1977: 180 Completions — 58.6% Completion — 22 TD 13 INT — 2252 Yards — 87.8 Passer Rating

Both Anderson and Stabler’s best seasons and efficiency-based career passing statistics surpass those of Bradshaw and Griese. In fact, they compare more favorably to Bert Jones’ magnificent 1976 MVP campaign or to the decade’s best, Roger Staubach. Bert Jones was off to a Hall of Fame career as Johnny Unitas’ successor in Baltimore before a shoulder injury derailed him. He had speed as a rusher, gaining over 300 yards on the ground in 1975 at 6.8 Y/A, and could have been in this discussion paired with Dan Fouts and Ken Anderson.

Bert Jones ( 1973 – 1982 )

1975: 203 Completions — 59.0% Completion — 18 TD 8 INT — 2483 Yards — 89.1 Passer Rating — 3 Game Winning Drives
1976: 207 Completions — 60.3% Completion — 24 TD 9 INT — 3104 Yards — 102.5 Passer Rating — 1 Game Winning Drive (MVP, All-Pro, Pro Bowl)

Roger Staubach+ (1969 – 1979 )
1971: 126 Completions — 59.7% Completion — 15 TD 4 INT — 1882 Yards — 104.8 Passer Rating — 2 Game Winning Drives
1979: 267 Completions — 57.9% Completion — 27 TD 11 INT — 3586 Yards — 92.3 Passer Rating — 4 Game Winning Drives (Pro Bowl)

At the end of the day, if Stabler and Anderson compare on paper better with Staubach than Bradshaw, and Staubach is considered the top tier, then their accomplishments properly represent their talent, even if the Hall doesn’t seem to recognize it. As I said earlier, there is a small list of former players who deserve to be in the Hall of Fame who are more than borderline candidates: Jim Marshall, Ray Guy, Charles Haley, Steve Atwater, Andre Reed, Roger Craig, Tim Brown. Marhsall and Guy should be in already. Haley will get in eventually, he’s took highly decorated and was a beast. Steve Atwater was the best at what he did, and he has rings. Andre Reed was a number one in the K-Gun where other number 2s like John Stallworth and James Lofton are Canton remembered. If Stallworth and Lofton are in, I can’t see why Cliff Branch hasn’t received enshrinement. “Bullet” Bob Hayes is in the Hall of Fame, but the original number 88, Drew Pearson, isn’t in! Tim Brown was better than them all, and he was a weapon in the return game. Roger Craig made the mold for the modern day runner-receiver in the West Coast offense, and yet nobody runs like him with the high step anymore. There are others from these times, but weaker cases can be made by me, and not me alone, but certainly not for Kenny Anderson and Kenny Stabler … We shouldn’t have to see careers become rediscovered years too late.

The last argument opens the door to examining the career of Roman Gabriel and the successes of other players from the 60s merger era.

2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame Voting Results courtesy of Pro-Football Reference

Reference:

• bleacherreport.com/articles/198713-the-10-best-quarterbacks-not-in-the-pro-football-h
• bleacherreport.com/articles/800403-the-50-greatest-qbs-from-the-last-5-decades-in-the
• sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ycn-10228155