I was watching a segment during “The Insiders” on NFL Network last night when reporter Stacey Dales shared an anecdote about how Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni and Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio pulled Charles Tillman clips for motivation this season.
And then, the Twitter/X algorithm did its thing by plopping this onto my timeline:
Considering that the Eagles forced three fumbles against the Commanders en route to a 55-23 win that sent Washington packing and Philly back to the Super Bowl, I would say that the message came across clearly to the players. And with that resonating with players who are set to play in the NFL’s biggest game in 11 days, it got me thinking about how the Peanut Punch could help Charles Tillman’s Hall of Fame push.
The Peanut Punch should put Charles Tillman in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
I have been banging the drum for Peanut Tillman’s Hall of Fame case since 2021 (at least) and do not plan on stopping anytime soon. This is what I wrote back in July 2021:
Sometimes a Hall of Fame case boils down to this: Can you tell the story of football without this player? I don’t think you can tell the story of football without including Charles Tillman’s contributions. The Peanut Punch was a game-changer in real time, forcing turnovers — which we know is an important aspect of winning football. On top of that, players who have arrived since Tillman have been trying to copy his patented move for years. Years into the future when we’re old, white-haired fans reminiscing about the glorious Justin Fields days, we’ll also be telling the younglings that forced fumble was inspired by a Bears legend.
BN BEARS THROWBACK: The Peanut Tillman Game
Back then, there was a part of me that believed that a lack of Pro Bowl nods and All-Pro recognition would be the thing that held him back. But every Peanut Punch seems to further legitimize Charles Tillman’s Hall of Fame candidacy and build out his Hall of Fame case. At a minimum, it gets people talking about Tillman’s legacy — and sometimes, conversations (eventually) lead to movement. Maybe that will happen with Peanut.
And it’s not as if Charles Tillman didn’t have a solid résumé. He made the Pro Bowl in back-to-back years (2011 and 2012) and earned first-team All-Pro recognition during that 2012 season. He also garnered enough votes to finish in the top 5 in AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2003. Tillman was a playmaker on defense who forced 44 fumbles (including a league-leading 10 in 2012), recovered 11 fumbled balls, came away with 38 interceptions, collected 140 pass breakups, scored nine defensive touchdowns, contributed 24 tackles-for-loss, and even came up with three sacks. Talk about stuffing the stat sheet!
DID YOU KNOW: Charles “Peanut” Tillman Became an FBI Agent in 2018?
The reality is that Peanut Tillman’s Hall of Fame case is a tough one to build for casuals because of the lack of Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods. But when you consider his contributions to the game on the field with the Peanut Punch and a spot on the 100 Greatest Bears of All-Time list, as well as his off-the-field contributions as the 2013 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award winner, I hope that more people come to support his Hall of Fame case.
It won’t be easy. But Charles Tillman deserves more Hall of Fame recognition than he is getting right now. Maybe we should hope for more Peanut Punches in Super Bowl LIX to build his case further. Hey, it would give us something to root for in a game between the Chiefs and Eagles.