Raiders: Should Bo Jackson be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
Why he should be in
In terms of physical talent, it is arguable that no one had more than Bo Jackson. After all, he is the only player to ever be named an MLB all-star and NFL Pro Bowler. While most NFL players have to work their whole life to reach that level, Jackson was so gifted he could play football whenever he wanted.
Of course, his professional baseball career overlapped with his NFL career which caused his statistical numbers to decrease. The most games he ever played in a season were eleven in 1989 when he ran for 950 yards and four touchdowns. Spread out over a full season, Jackson was on pace for 1,382 yards and six touchdowns. In fact, Jackson’s averages would have left him short of 1,000 yards just one time.
For some, the Pro Football Hall of Fame feels incomplete without Jackson. The ultimate shrine to football excellence, it is strange to not include perhaps the league’s greatest athlete. Indeed superstar running back Marcus Allen is enshrined in the Hall of Fame and Jackson was so good that he started as running back over him when he returned to football.
To this day Jackson is an icon of professional sports. Considered by many to be the greatest athlete of all time, he is also the most captivating “What If?” in sports history. Clearly on a trajectory to place him in Canton, his status is enough for some to give him the nod.