On January 3rd, the Pro Football Hall of Fame released the list of finalists for induction in the 2017 class. One of the players named as a finalist was Kenny Easley. This name stands apart as Easley was selected as a finalist by the Seniors Committee. This is the first time Easley, who played between 1981 and 1987, has been named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As a finalist from the Senior Committee, Easley went through a different process and was named publicly back on August 15th.
The Senior Committee is the last hope for players passed over in the first several chances after their retirement. The single name constantly on the lips of Packers fans is Jerry Kramer.
Jerry Kramer Hall of Fame Movement
The Iconic Image
Jerry Kramer is perhaps the single most iconic guard in the history of the NFL. Vince Lombardi’s Power Sweep is perhaps the single most well-known play in history. Everyone has seen the video of Lombardi describing the play on a chalkboard. We all know you get a seal here, a seal here and you run the ball right up the alley. Kramer, along with Fuzzy Thurston, was the lead blocker who made the most iconic play of possibly the most dominant dynasty in football history.
The photos of Thurston and Kramer pulling behind the line and looking upfield for their next block is famous. One of the photos, usually titled “Guardian Angels,” is routinely the most used photo in Packers promotions and network imaging.
Then, you cannot forget that Kramer is also the key cog on one of the most famous plays in NFL history: Bart Starr‘s quarterback dive to win the Ice Bowl. Kramer was the lead blocker. Starr took the snap and ducked in behind him to secure the victory and propel the Packers to their third straight NFL Championship and fifth in seven years. You cannot think of the Packers of the 1960s without seeing the image of Jerry Kramer leading the way.
The Accolades
Despite having repeated surgeries in his 11-year career, Kramer was named an All-Pro five times. Kramer was named to the All-Decade Team for the 1960s. As a matter of fact, Kramer was named to the NFL’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. Through 50 years of the NFL, Jerry Kramer was considered the best. Also, Kramer is the only member of this team who is not in the Hall of Fame.
The NFL Network added to this line of discontentment by placing Jerry Kramer at the top of the list of Top Ten Players Not in the Hall of Fame.
Impact on Football and Culture
One of the most important things Jerry Kramer did was combine with renowned journalist and author Dick Schaap to write the book Instant Replay. This book created a first-hand account of the life of an NFL offensive lineman through the Ice Bowl game. This was an important book in presenting the story of players to the public.
Kramer combined with Schaap a few more times, including the great Distant Replay. Distant Replay details the reunion of all the still living members of the Packers 1960s teams. This work revealed the lives of NFL players after they stepped away from football, from the amazing success of Willie Davis to the heartbreak of Lionel Aldridge.
The voice of Jerry Kramer was important in the growth of football in popular culture and his stories are part of the fabric of the modern NFL. The Senior Committee should be placing Kramer’s name above any other at this point. A Hall of Fame that does not include Jerry Kramer is a travesty.
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