Jerome Bettis HOF Question?

[cobrajet]

I just don't get how Jerome Bettis is in the HOF and Jamal Lewis is not. Jamal's stats are better. Better career yards per carry (4.2 v. 3.9), third in all time yards per season 2,066, second in all time yards per game 295, and Jamal was a league MVP. You can say that Jamal had the drug dealing issue, but Bettis was also a drug dealer. Bettis' main accolade is that he has more total yard for his career because he was lucky a team kept him around for four more years.

 

I never agreed with total numbers because of longevity. An average running back or receiver who has been lucky to play for many years will eventually rack up numbers to beat a great player who did not play as long. That does not mean he should be in the HOF. The only argument for Bettis is his total yards because of how long he played. He had a couple of  pretty good years but actually more were sub par, and the most were just average. Other than the total number of yards due to a long career, there is nothing great to talk about. I am not saying Jamal belongs in the HOF but he does have a single game that was almost 300 yards rushing and is only one of six players in the 2,000 yard club. Bettis never even sniffed 2,000 yards. Jamal would probably have more yards than Bettis if he would have played the four more years that Bettis did. BTW, the last four years of Bettis' career he only sniffed 1,000 yards once. Bettis only averaged over 4 yards a carry four times in a 13 year career. Jamal did it five times in 9 years and once was a mind blowing 5.3! Bettis almost single handedly cost them an AFC Championship game which would have erased a Super Bowl win. The dude was crack dealer in Detroit who used to shoot at people who didn't have the money to pay him.  I just do not know why so many people are so in love with this guy?

[Dr. Kelley]

For some reason, everyone thinks that just putting on a Pittsburgh jersey means you should be in the hall, even if you're average. Soon enough everyone will be clamouring for Hines ward to be in the hall even though he doesn't deserve it. The fact that the media puts these players in doesn't help.

Can anyone honestly say with a straight face that bettis belongs in the hall over art modell?

[Mt. Crushmore]

Bettis is 6th all time in rushing yards and Lewis is 23rd (likely to be 24th after the season as Adrian Peterson doesn't need much to pass him).  Big difference.

[BmoreBird22]

Bettis is 6th all time in rushing yards and Lewis is 23rd (likely to be 24th after the season as Adrian Peterson doesn't need much to pass him).  Big difference.

Not to mention that I think Bettis is top 10 in touchdowns. Those two stats go a very long way

[Mt. Crushmore]

Not to mention that I think Bettis is top 10 in touchdowns. Those two stats go a very long way

 

Good point.  He is tied for 10th in TDs and Lewis is tied for 50th

[harfordravenfan]

As mentioned above... the longevity of a player is and should be factored in, I loved Jamal but his career just wasn't long enough to put up the needed stats.

[Willbacker]

For some reason the HOF feels like it needs to ALWAYS induct 5 players. Henceforth now very good players get in cuz you gotta have 5. Only Will Shields(8x All Pro),Junior Seau and Bill Polian should've been inducted this year. Bettis got most of his stats cuz of longevity not becuz he was elite.

[BmoreBird22]

As far as longevity goes, Barry Sanders got in with only nine seasons.

[gtalk12]

Jamal vs Bettis in their prime advantage Jamal. HOWEVER, longevity is key here. Bettis was a beast, for a long time. He finished top 10 in total rush yards. That's a huge difference for me.

[gtalk12]

As far as longevity goes, Barry Sanders got in with only nine seasons.

 

but he finished 3rd all time

[BmoreBird22]

but he finished 3rd all time

But that's the point I'm making. Sanders was a beast in his short time, so Jamaal doing well in his few seasons and not doing it for more isn't a valid argument

[52520Andrew]

As for longevity, I think it is a highly underrated aspect of a player's career, especially at a demanding position such as RB.

Edited August 11, 2015 by 52520Andrew

[LosT_in_TranSlatioN]

As far as longevity goes, Barry Sanders got in with only nine seasons.

Barry is arguably the greatest back of all time though, and would've easily been the top rusher of all time statistic wise had he stayed in the NFL.

Jamall was a hell of a back, but he can't compare to most of the backs in the hall.

That said, Jerome was a bit overrated. But he did have a few really good seasons

[TAPLOOK]

Bettis is HOF worthy without a doubt. Lewis was solid but not HOF IMO.

[uhhhh]

As far as longevity goes, Barry Sanders got in with only nine seasons.

Barry played 10 seasons

 

If Jamal had the same longevity and was as durable as Bettis a case could've been made for him to go in the HOF. He almost has a thousand carries on Jamal.

 

The thing with Jamal was that the got too big in his later years with the Ravens. I don't know if it was his choice or that the coaches wanted him to put on more weight. When he ran for 2066 yards in 2003 he was listed at 235lbs and in his later years he played at 250.

His first year with the Browns he got back to 239lbs and he ran for 1300 yards.

 

Something I always remembered because Ray also weighed 235lbs when he won DPOY in 2003 and put on more pounds later, up to 250, before he shed all that weight in his final season.

[cobrajet]

Longevity does mean something and longevity at RB is rare but Bettis never wowed me as a RB. He just had the longevity. For the most part, the Ravens had no problems shutting him down.

[ravensdan]

Barry played 10 seasons

If Jamal had the same longevity and was as durable as Bettis a case could've been made for him to go in the HOF. He almost has a thousand carries on Jamal.

The thing with Jamal was that the got too big in his later years with the Ravens. I don't know if it was his choice or that the coaches wanted him to put on more weight. When he ran for 2066 yards in 2003 he was listed at 235lbs and in his later years he played at 250.

His first year with the Browns he got back to 239lbs and he ran for 1300 yards.

Something I always remembered because Ray also weighed 235lbs when he won DPOY in 2003 and put on more pounds later, up to 250, before he shed all that weight in his final season.

Just by the eye test Jamal was never the same player after his arrest or any of his time in cleveland. He didn't have the explosion or the extra gear.

Jamal and Holmes best backfield combo in NFL history though?

[uhhhh]

Just by the eye test Jamal was never the same player after his arrest or any of his time in cleveland. He didn't have the explosion or the extra gear.

Jamal and Holmes best backfield combo in NFL history though?

He got too big after his arrest imo. His avg per carry in his first season in cleveland was 4.4 not bad to me

[gtalk12]

But that's the point I'm making. Sanders was a beast in his short time, so Jamaal doing well in his few seasons and not doing it for more isn't a valid argument

 

ok I see what you are saying

[BmoreBird22]

ok I see what you are saying

I just don't see Bettis as being undeserving or anything, I guess

[usmccharles]

Once Barry Sanders is mentioned in a rb thread... It should be over

[berad]

The 3.9 ypc is shameful. What helped Bettis, too, was he's cozy with a lot of media members i.e. the same people who vote on the HOF. I saw Peter King wrote that Rodney Harrison was also a HOF-hopefully, potentially before Ed Reed, and I lost hope.

 

If I was a voter, he'd be Hall of Very Good where Edgerrin James, Fred Taylor, Vinny Testaverde, Drew Bledsoe, Donovan McNabb, Derrick Mason, Hines Ward, etc will rightfully sit. No disrespect to any of those players, they were all very good.