Roddy White Nominated for Hall of Fame- Should He Get In?
The nominees are in.
Former Atlanta Falcon receiver Roddy White was one of 14 first-year players eligible for the 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame. White joins Charles Woodson, Peyton Manning, Calvin Johnson, Jared Allen, Charles "Peanut" Tillman and Logan Mankins among others.
In 11 NFL seasons, all with Atlanta, White caught 808 passes for 10,863 receiving yards and 63 touchdowns. White began his career slowly, finishing his first two seasons with 446 and 506 receiving yards, respectively. His breakout year came when superstar quarterback Michael Vick went to prison in 2007. That season, with quarterbacks like Joey Harrington and Byron Leftwich at the helm, White hauled in 83 receptions for 1,202 receiving yards.
His best season statistically was in 2010, when he grabbed 115 passes for 1,389 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, one few of his career-high he set in 2009. Once Alabama rookie Julio Jones came into play, White's numbers and role slowly decreased but he was still an integral part of the Falcons' 2012 NFC Championship game squad.
White is the one Falcon who has been on the team during the Vick era, pre-Matt Ryan, young Ryan and prime Ryan years. The city grew to love the once-young receiver who dropped open deep passes. White grew into a legitimate offensive weapon and one of the more consistent receivers in the NFC from 2007 to 2011.
His resume warranted him becoming the 11th Falcon to be inducted in the franchise's Ring of Honor in December 2019, but is it good enough for the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
For reference, the only receiver inducted in the 2020 class was former Rams great Isaac Bruce. Bruce played five more seasons and finished with nearly 5,000 more receiving yards than White. A fair comparison from this 2021's list of first-year nominees is Johnson. The Detroit Lions great played two fewer seasons, and nearly grabbed 1,000 more yards than White, on 77 less receptions. He also scored 20 more touchdowns in his career than White.
White is undoubtedly an Atlanta legend, but he shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame for at least the next handful of years.
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