The Pro Football Hall of Fame recently released their list of 129 Modern-Era nominees for next year’s class. Regrettably, Las Vegas Raiders legend Jim Plunkett was once again egregiously left off their list. One of the most important players in the organization’s history continues to be overlooked by the Hall of Fame.
The case for Plunkett has been covered meticulously by several Raiders blogs, including us. Raiders fans were probably hoping Plunkett would finally get his due. The Hall of Fame’s list will be cut down to 25 semifinalists in November, so while other former Raiders players such as Eric Allen have a shot, Mr. Plunkett will have to once again wait for consideration.
Raiders Legend Jim Plunkett continues to be snubbed
Plunkett holds the honor (or dishonor) of being the only starting quarterback with Super Bowl rings who does not own a gold jacket. Something else that Raiders fans believe is the bias that the Hall of Fame holds towards former players. Legends of the game such as Ken Stabler and Cliff Branch didn’t receive the honor until after their passing, posthumously. At some point, you have to wonder if Plunkett is destined for a similar fate.
Many pundits continuously point to Plunkett’s individual stats as the biggest reason for his exclusion. He threw 198 interceptions in his regular-season career, compared to 164 touchdowns. That’s a fair point; the ratio obviously doesn’t help Plunkett’s case. Nevertheless, his postseason accomplishments merit a counter to that. Plunkett recorded 162 passing completions and 11 touchdowns in four separate playoff runs (1980, 1982-84), with his most impressive coming in 1980 (seven touchdowns to three interceptions). Of course, you also factor in his two Super Bowl victories and the game MVP title he received as well.
It seems like the debate surrounding Plunkett has been ongoing for years. He’s definitely the winningest quarterback in Raiders history in terms of the big game; that’s undebatable. He was the right guy in the right situation, stepping up when the Raiders needed him, and he delivered. Raider Nation still awaits the day that Plunkett joins his head coaches in Canton.
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*Top Photo: Associated Press
