James Farrior is my favorite Steelers middle linebacker of all time. Granted, he’s the first one I remember watching play in my childhood, but it certainly helped that he was a great football player.
Farrior, a two-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro, has yet to be seriously considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame despite his impressive career achievements.
93.7 The Fan’s Joe Starkey talked today about why the linebacker has a case for a spot in Canton.
“How many players in history have double-figures in every one of these categories?” asked Starkey. “First of all he had 1,500 tackles. Interceptions, double figures, 11 in his career as an inside linebacker. Forced fumbles, 18. Fumble recoveries, 12. Sacks, 35… Not to mention 98 tackles for loss, 50 quarterback hits.”
While I don’t have the capacity to check all players who qualify, I can tell you there is one teammate of Farrior’s who accomplished Starkey’s double-digit category parameter: Joey Porter. Porter, like Farrior, has not seen much recognition for his play on an elite Steelers defense that won Super Bowl XL.
According to teammate Chris Hoke, that overflow of talent is likely why Farrior hasn’t received much considered for the Hall of Fame.
“He was overshadowed…by so many other big-time players,’’ Hoke told Starkey. “Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, I mean there were so many great players on that defense that were selfless.”
For reference neither Polamalu, who is in the Hall of Fame, nor Harrison, who has been considered, meet the double-digit requirement. In fact, Farrior even has a feather in his cap against the aforementioned Porter due to his two Super Bowl victories versus Porter’s one.
This is not meant as an argument over different Steelers legends. They all have accomplished things unparalleled by most in the league, but Farrior’s numbers certainly look good when put up against the best.
For Starkey, he believes the problem comes in 2004 when the man out of Virginia was beat out by divisional rival Ed Reed for the Defensive Player of the Year. Had he won the award, Starkey thinks he would be more prominent in the Hall-of-Fame discussion.
Let’s do a blind career comparison before we wrap this up because I could go on all day.
Player A: 1,012 solo tackles, 98 tackles for loss, 35.5 sacks, 18 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries and 11 interceptions in 230 games.
Player B: 1,077 solo tackles, 80 tackles for loss, 56.5 sacks, 18 forced fumbles, 18 fumble recoveries and 18 interceptions in 268 games.
Any guesses? Player A is Farrior and Player B is the great Junior Seau. Outside of sacks, Farrior had eerily similar stats while Seau played 38 more games.
One is in the Hall of Fame and the other is not. Whether it’s true that Farrior is being left out due to his surrounding talent, it’s time we start acknowledging what he is: an all-time great Steeler.
