By Jordan Long
The 2020 and 2021 NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame classes were officially enshrined over the weekend. The class of 2020 had to wait a year because of the COVID19 pandemic. The class of 2020 was inducted Saturday while the class of 2021 was on Sunday. With that, it is time to look forward to the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2022. They won’t be enshrined until next August. The players with first year eligibility are wide receivers Anquan Boldin, Andre Johnson, and Steve Smith Sr., linebackers Chad Greenway and DeMarcus Ware, defensive ends Mario Williams and Robert Mathis, defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, and quarterback Tony Romo.
All of them deserve a shot at being in the Hall of Fame. It may take a few years for some while others will never have the chance to be in the Hall. The two who are first ballot in my mind are Anquan Boldin and DeMarcus Ware. These players should be included in the Hall of Fame Class of 2022.
Boldin started his career with the Arizona Cardinals from 2003 to 2009. His top year for Arizona was in 2005 when he caught 102 passes for 1,402 yards and 7 touchdowns. He left Arizona before the 2010 season to play with Baltimore. In a Cardinals’ uniform, Boldin ended up with 7,520 receiving yards and 44 touchdowns. Those yards are 4th in Cardinal’s history while the touchdowns are 5th.
In Baltimore, Boldin kept up his play, totaling 2,645 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns with the Ravens. Boldin helped the Ravens win Super Bowl 47 when Baltimore knocked off the San Francisco 49ers 34-31. It was his one and only Super Bowl ring.
He went on to the San Francisco 49ers from 2013 to 2015. In a 49ers uniform, he totaled 3,030 yards and 16 touchdowns. Boldin finished his career with the Detroit Lions in 2016 with 584 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns. The receiving yards were his lowest in Boldin’s career.
Boldin finished with 1,076 receptions for 13,779 receiving yards and 79 touchdowns. The receptions rank 9th while the yards are 14th in NFL history. Besides the Super Bowl ring he won, Boldin also was voted into 3 Pro Bowls. This guy did enough to be a first ballot Hall of Famer.
DeMarcus Ware started his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys, lasting from 2005 to 2013. In that time, he became one of the best linebackers in the game. Quarterbacks needed to know where he was lined up because Ware used his speed to get around the offensive lineman and sack the quarterback. He ended with 117 sacks which is the most in Cowboys’ history. Dallas never made it to the Super Bowl with him, the only thing missing in Ware’s Hall of Fame Cowboy’s career.
On March 12, 2014, Ware agreed to a 3 year, $30 million contract with the Denver Broncos. This was in hopes of winning a Super Bowl. Denver had Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning on offense. They anticipated teaming Ware with Von Miller would create pressure and sacks on defense to flip field position. Ware totaled 21.5 sacks with Denver. He won his one and only Super Bowl with Denver when they beat the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50.
Ware finished his career with 138.5 sacks, 9th most in NFL history. Ware proved he was one of the best defensive players to ever play the game. He was a force and it is a no brainer to put him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame next year.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2022 will be announced on February 12th, which is the Saturday before Super Bowl 56. Hopefully, Boldin and Ware will be part of the class of 2022. They deserve it.
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