ESPN.com had a poll question yesterday that asked its viewers which of the two quarterbacks leading their teams into the NFC Championship game this weekend was more deserving of a selection to the Hall of Fame in Canton: Kurt Warner or Donovan McNabb?Amazingly, Kurt Warner was receiving nearly double the vote total the last time I checked. The Cardinals' QB had amassed more than 60-percent of the vote, while McNabb's total was somewhere in the 30-percent range.
Is this a joke?
A few questions came to mind. 1. Why was there such a decisive victory for Warner? 2. Why did he win every state? (Not one state was pro-McNabb) 3. Why didn't McNabb at least carry Pennsylvania? (Obviously Eagles fans have never appreciated the quarterback they have.)
I realize these poll questions are not as accurate as presidential election polls. But never have I been so shocked by an ESPN.com poll result.
Kurt Warner should not go to the Hall of Fame. Even if he wins the Super Bowl this year, there's no way you can convince me this guy has had a stable enough NFL career to be enshrined in Canton. True, he has won two MVP awards (1999, 2001) and he led the Rams to a Super Bowl victory with a storybook season in 1999. But those feats in no way qualify him for the Hall of Fame by themselves.
Look at his career statistics. Other than those two brilliant seasons for the Rams, Warner has been a below average quarterback the rest of his career. His lifetime record as a starting quarterback is 57-48 (regular season starts). Take away those two Super Bowl years and he's 30-43. Until this year, his last legitmately good year came in the Super Bowl year of 2001. Have you ever heard of a Hall of Fame player that had six seasons between his last two good years?
He had a great year this year. True. But the Cardinals only went 9-7 despite Warner's 'brilliance'. He has had great success as a post season quarterback. True. He is 7-2 lifetime in the playoffs. But aren't we talking about a guy who just had a great two year stretch and a nice renaissance year this season?
Donovan McNabb, on the other hand, has been a MUCH steadier and more consistent winner over the course of his career. And for a good five year stretch McNabb was considered one of the best quarterbacks in football. (Warner never held that status for more than a three year stretch.) With the Eagles playing in the NFC title game this weekend, this will be the fifth such championship round game Philadelphia has played in over the past eight years. And McNabb has accomplished most of his feats with miserable receivers like James Thrash and Todd Pinkston.
Listen, I'm not saying Donovan McNabb should go to Canton either. He's never won the Super Bowl, although his Eagles lost the 2005 game to New England, despite McNabb's most heroic efforts to keep Philly alive. (He vomited on the field and kept playing, trying to will his team to victory.) He has never won the MVP award. But he went to five consecutive Pro Bowls between 2000-2004, and he has finished in the top ten in passer rating and touchdowns five times each in his career. He ranks fourth among active quarterbacks in career passing yards and touchdowns, all while also being a running threat through the earlier parts of his career. And, he's 82-45-1 as a starter in his career (all regular season stars), winning 64-percent of his games.
He has suffered injuries, yes. He didn't know the rules of overtime, yes. He was benched earlier in the season, yes. But just because he's been so unfairly villified in Philadelphia for the bulk of his career doesn't mean he shouldn't be appreciated for the consistent career he has put together.
Neither one should be considered legitimate candidates to be Hall of Famers in the future based on their resumes right now. And unless Kurt Warner strings together a few more seasons with outrageous success similar to his 1999-2001 stretch, he should never be considered for a hall call. McNabb, however, if he wins the Super Bowl this year might have a serious case for enshrinement one day.
So for those of you who were read to book Warner's flight to Canton yesterday, want to give that ticket to Donovan McNabb?
Agree with your post. Lets say Tom Brady never comes back truly healthy, has his career been long enough to be a no doubter HOF'er or was he great enough over the time he has played? Could you say the system created him? Look at the unknown Matt Cassel...
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