NEWSLETTER
Everyone in these parts is gearing up for Super Bowl Sunday, but don’t lose sight of Valentine’s Day dropping on Monday. I, myself, am not a big Valentine’s Day guy. Frankly, my ideal Valentine’s Day probably revolves around treating myself to a good steak, a glass of red wine, and playing classic episodes of The Simpson’s in the background. But others take Valentine’s Day super serious. So make sure you treat your person to something nice on Monday. Planting this idea now gives you two days to make it happen.
May the Force be with you.
• ICYMI — Here are the inductees going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022:
Congratulations to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2022:
🏈Tony Boselli
🏈Cliff Branch
🏈Leroy Butler
🏈Art McNally
🏈Sam Mills
🏈Richard Seymour
🏈Dick Vermeil
🏈Bryant Young— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 11, 2022
• Obviously missing from this group is Devin Hester. And, yes, I’m still steaming about it. Sure, it’s just a matter of when it’ll happen at this point. To make it to the last group of 15 finalists suggests that Hester’s time will come. But is there anything that will make his résumé look better over the next 365-or-so days? Does he become a more HOF-caliber player for playing the waiting game? Will he be more worthy next year because he had to wait? It’s all poppycock. When you’re a Hall of Famer, you’re a Hall of Famer. This is nonsense and I hate that it is irking me this much 12+ hours later.
• You’re still first-ballot in our book, good sir:
First off congrats to the 2022 HOF, but this hurts for me not being a first ballot. I really wanted this one bad, but life goes on and hopefully it will happen someday 💯✊🏾🙏🏾 https://t.co/xmVYIknc4D
— Devin Hester (@D_Hest23) February 11, 2022
• Here is a list of finalists in 2022 who also didn’t get in: Jared Allen, Willie Anderson, Ronde Barber, Torry Holt, Andre Johnson, Zach Thomas, DeMarcus Ware, Reggie Wayne, and Patrick Willis. Those nine players deserve to be in, too. And I imagine their fans are as incensed as I am about Hester’s snub.
• Look, #23 getting the call to the Hall in ’23 would be neat. But this is upcoming class of first-year eligible Hall of Famers is stacked:
We're all hopeful Devin Hester makes it to the Hall of Fame next year, but the list of players entering their first year of eligibility will make that difficult.
DE Dwight Freeney
LB James Harrison
C Nick Mangold
CB Darrelle Revis
T Joe Thomas— Brendan Sugrue (@BrendanSugrue) February 11, 2022
• It gets tougher with each class. With each passing year, more Hall of Fame caliber players become eligible for induction and enshrinement. My hope is that Hester doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.
• Our pal Silvy out here making good points:
Trivia time!!
Player A:
847 tackles. 95 sacks.
13 forced fumbles.
17 fumble recoveries
2INTs.
213 games.Player B:
498 tackles 57.5 sacks
4 forced fumbles.
8 fumble recoveries
2INTs
164 games.One got into @ProFootballHOF.
One isn’t considered.— Silvy (@WaddleandSilvy) February 11, 2022
Take a look at the most underrated Bear of all time. https://t.co/BlqErQW5ML
— Silvy (@WaddleandSilvy) February 11, 2022
• Steve “Mongo” McMichael and Sterling Sharpe are on my list of old school NFL players who deserve Hall of Fame recognition, but didn’t really get it for some reason. That list is probably longer, but those two names pop up at the top for now.
• Because Bears-related snubs were all the rage last night, I’m miffed about Robert Quinn not getting a single vote for the 2021 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. No votes for Quinn. Not a single, solitary vote for the guy who went from battling through an injury plagued first year with the Bears in which he collected 2 sacks to setting the franchise’s all-time single-season sack record a year later. This isn’t to say Joe Burrow didn’t deserve the award. Or that Dak Prescott wasn’t a worthy runner up. But no votes for Quinn? That’s super whack! And an insult to Quinn’s perseverance and rebound skills.
• Aaron Rodgers won another MVP. Yawn. Justin Fields playing in Bill Lazor’s version of Matt Nagy’s broken offense put up more points against the Niners than Rodgers did in the NFC Divisional Round playoff game.
• Conspiracy theories are fun, but this better helps explain why Rod Marinelli didn’t join Matt Eberflus’ staff in Chicago:
Former #Lions head coach and most recently #Raiders DL coach Rod Marinelli is planning to retire, sources say. He’s had interest in continuing to coach, but has packed up and headed to Texas. At 72, Marinelli has been one of the game’s most respected teachers.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 10, 2022
• More Bears-Vikings crossover, because I know you can’t get enough:
The Minnesota Vikings are hiring former Chicago Bears secondary coach Deshea Townsend as their new secondary coach, according to a league source not authorized to speak publicly. @PFN365
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) February 11, 2022
Vikings hiring former Bears and Texans, University of Texas, Florida and Tennessee defensive line coach Chris Rumph as their defensive line coach, according to league sources @PFN365
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) February 11, 2022
• Good for Sean Desai finding a soft landing in Seattle:
The #Seahawks are hiring former #Bears DC Sean Desai as their associate head coach — defense, source said. At 38 years old, Desai is one of the youngest associate head coaches in the NFL. Pete Carroll made a hard sell as he retooled his defensive staff and Desai lands in Seattle.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 11, 2022
• Wowzers! Caesars Sportsbook confirms a $5 million bet has been put on the Bengals to win the Super Bowl, per PFT’s Michael David Smith. It is believed to be the largest legal (feels like a key term to note here) sports bet in American history. At +170 on the money line, the anonymous wagerer stands to win $8.5 million with a total payout of $13.5 million if the Bengals pull off the upset. And with an implied odds of 37.04%, I’d say the juice is worth the squeeze — but only if you can afford to wager $5 million, of course.
• One of the dirtiest fouls I’ve ever seen:
David Collins Jr. Was Just Ejected for One of the Hardest, Dirtiest Fouls You’ll Ever Seehttps://t.co/BmfecRmheR pic.twitter.com/FC9kW3nqPz
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) February 11, 2022
• This year began with so much hope for the Blackhawks, especially with the arrival of stud goalie Marc-André Fleury. But his future with the team is up-in-the-air:
Capitals Reportedly Put on the “Full Court Press” for Blackhawks Goaltender Marc-André Fleuryhttps://t.co/OqRNTj60oc pic.twitter.com/DzCDnt3q45
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) February 10, 2022
