Deion Sanders went into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player who changed the NFL and brought excitement every time he was on the field. As he looks at recent players enshrined into the hall, Sanders is frustrated over it losing its exclusivity with so many players voted in.
During an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, the Hall of Fame cornerback and former MLB star took both sports to task for letting in far too many players into the exclusive club. As Sanders sees it, the Hall of Fame in both sports is skewed.
“What is a Hall of Famer now? Is it a guy who played a long time?” Sanders said, via The Dan Patrick Show. “It’s so skewed now. Once upon a time, a Hall of Famer was a player who changed the darn game, who made you want to reach in your pocket and pay your admission to see that guy play. That’s not a Hall of Famer anymore. Every Tom, Dick and Harry, you’re a Hall of Famer, you’re a Hall of Famer, you’re a Hall of Famer. They let everybody in this thing. It’s not exclusive anymore. And I don’t like it.”
As Sanders highlights, the likes of Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds being kept out of the Hall of Fame. While both players routinely fall short of the 75% threshold to be elected into Cooperstown, baseball writers vote in less deserving players.
Sanders also takes major issue with the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Notably, following Eli Manning’s retirement, Sanders believes players who simply achieved longevity are getting into the Hall of Fame and ruining the exclusive club.
He does make a compelling argument about who should get into the Hall of Fame. If there’s a moment of hesitation or a long debate surrounding a player’s candidacy for the hall, perhaps he doesn’t belong.