It was by no means a lock, but 2012 was considered one of Andre Reed's best chances to earn induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Unfortunately as has been the case each of the last five times that Buffalo's all-time leading receiver has been a finalist, Reed again did not make the cut to be named a member of a Hall of Fame class Saturday in Indianapolis.
In an all too familiar scenario three receivers counting Reed made the list of 15 finalists for the 2012 Hall of Fame as Tim Brown and Cris Carter were again finalists this year. None of the wideouts however, earned induction.
In the previous two years Reed has advanced past the first reduction of finalists from 15 to 10, and that was again the case this year with both Carter and Reed making the first cut. Brown was eliminated in the initial reduction.
But once again when the Selectors Committee reduced the list from 10 to five, Reed as well as Carter did not advance to the final round for a yes or no vote requiring 80 percent of the vote for induction.
Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon, who appeared as an analyst on NFL Network during the announcement ceremony, believes Brown, Carter and Reed are so close in terms of career numbers and accomplishments that they're impacting one another's chances for enshrinement.
"When you have three receivers like Tim Brown, Cris Carter and Andre Reed I think it's hard for the committee to determine which stands out over the others," Moon said. "I think that has a lot to do with the voters not knowing exactly which one deserves to be in. So I think again that's why they were canceled out."
Fellow Hall of Famer Dan Fouts, also an analyst during the announcement, believes that with the NFL game gravitating more and more to the passing game each year that the career accomplishments of the aforementioned receivers might become harder and harder to make a case for enshrinement.
"The statistics have a lot to do with it too and the wide receivers this year were pretty much even," said Fouts. "I think as we go forward it's going to be more difficult with receivers getting in because of the proliferation of the passing game."
Though receivers were shut out of the 2012 Hall of Fame class, the Selectors did choose a pair of offensive linemen in Dermontti Dawson and Willie Roaf. Others to be inducted on Aug. 4th in Canton included DE/OLB Chris Doleman, DT Cortez Kennedy, RB Curtis Martin and Veterans Committee nominee CB Jack Butler.
