The Matt Forte Hall of Fame discussion is going to be a pretty nasty one. It’s almost certain to involve Chicago Bears fans lashing out at anybody who thinks the former running back wasn’t a star (he was). Never mind the fact that many football writers seem to have a problem with the Bears. For whatever reason. The fact is Forte wasn’t flashy like Hall of Famer are apparently supposed to be.
He’s just a guy who is really good at his job and done everything asked of him. Therein lay the problem. It’s proof that the voting system for Canton is flawed. Like the Pro Bowl it can sometimes come not from being the best player but being the most popular names. Don’t roll your eyes. You know it’s true. There are a number of names already enshrined who probably don’t deserve it. Meanwhile there are plenty of others not in that are mind-boggling oversights.
One man who made that point and others was Adam Rank of NFL.com. He broke down exactly why it’s not fair to keep Forte out of the Hall.
Matt Forte Hall of Fame push should be about the bottom line
“Some [jerk] questioned Matt Forte’s Hall of Fame credentials the other day, and let me tell you, that’s my trigger. Because I won’t stand for the heresy. I would imagine part of the problem stems from the Bears having two of the five greatest running backs of all time in their history (G.O.A.T. Walter Payton and Gale Sayers). It’s something that dogged Neal Anderson, too, post-Walter. But let me put it to you this way …
My best friend, I mean Forte, is closing in on 15,000 all-purpose yards. He was clearly one of the best running backs of his generation. And I like to now measure all HOF credentials against Jerome Bettis (who shouldn’t be in the HOF, but he played for the Steelers and people liked his nickname). And really, find me an NFL fan who would have rather had Bettis than Forte in their primes. You can’t (unless they are a lying Steelers fan).”
He’s got a point. Forte is 1,318 total yards and three touchdowns away from topping Bettis on the stat sheet. On top of that he’s already eclipsed both O.J. Simpson and John Riggins in total yardage and should have both beat in touchdowns by the end of this year. Each of them are in the Hall of Fame as well and the kicker is Forte eclipsed both of them in fewer games. How does that not make him a serious candidate?
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Okay sure the guy doesn’t have a Super Bowl ring. Neither did Barry Sanders, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Eric Dickerson, Thurman Thomas, Simpson or Earl Campbell. If that’s the reason he gets held out, it’s a stupid one. This has to be about the bottom line. Was Forte one of the best at his position in the NFL for a long period of time? Yes.
Then that should be all that matters.
