It’s hard to predict who will become possible Hall of Fame inductees in the National Football League. Many players of the NFL have had the distinction of reaching the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Sadly, not all are guaranteed it. The players who reach such a huge milestone were inducted in because of their outstanding careers.
The Seattle Seahawks have had the honor of seeing eight of their former players become inducted, including Steve Largent, Carl Eller, Walter Jones, Cortez Kennedy, among others. Can more join them in the coming years?
Possible Hall of Fame Inductees from the 2016 Seattle Seahawks
Richard Sherman
Richard Sherman has 274 combined tackles, 26 interceptions for 338 yards, and two touchdowns in his career. Despite the former Stanford Cardinal’s drop in performance in 2015, the experienced corner is predicted to have an explosive 2016 season for the Seahawks, with hopes of reaching a third Super Bowl appearance in four years.
Sherman has proved himself to be a top cornerback in the National Football League. He has garnered praise for his ability to defend the field against some of the league’s best receivers, most notably against Michael Crabtree in the 2014 NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers. That was only one of the many players Sherman has dominated thus far. Plus, he has one Super Bowl ring already.
Sherman is ranked number 20 on the NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2016.
Earl Thomas
Earl Thomas had 64 tackles, 12 assisted tackles, and five interceptions for 68 yards in his first season in the NFL. He is expected, along with a handful of other Seahawks, to have a tremendous 2016. Along with his Super Bowl ring, Thomas has made the Pro Bowl for the past five years, and has three first-team All-Pro selections.Thomas, who played college football for the Texas Longhorns, is entering his seventh season in the NFL with just over 500 combined tackles and 20 interceptions for 290 yards.
Thomas is ranked number 66 on the NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2016.
Bobby Wagner
Bobby Wagner has shown to a be a strong linebacker among not just the Seahawks but the National Football League too. Although Wagner did not rank among the NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2016, it only shows more motivation to be bigger and better for the fifth year veteran in 2016. Wagner has accomplished one Super Bowl victory in his career out of two appearances, along with two Pro Bowl ballots and one First Team All-Pro.
Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson demonstrated dominance over the league in his first year of playing after being drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Now, going into his fifth season, Wilson is considered a top quarterback by many. The 2016 season is expected to be Wilson’s top performance. In 2015, the former Wisconsin Badger set numerous Seahawks records including single season passing yards (4,024), touchdowns (34), and passer rating (110.1).
Wilson is ranked number 17 on the NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2016.
Jimmy Graham
Jimmy Graham showed a promising first four seasons after being drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the 3rd round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Graham was traded to the Seattle Seahawks on March 10, 2015 but his first season with the team came to a close late in the season when he suffered a season ending tear to his right patella tendon. Graham has taken the offseason leading up to 2016 to regain his strength and ability. The former Miami Hurricane shows potential to come back stronger than ever and have a successful season.
Graham did not rank on the NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2016.
Conclusion
Many may argue that regardless of their hard play and tough mentality, these players don’t have what it takes to punch in their ballot for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The thing to keep in mind, though, is that their careers are not over. There is more time left to prove themselves among the best of the best.
