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Deion Sanders walks the red carpet before the NFL Honors. Joe Rondone / USA TODAY NETWORK

Deion Sanders says Hall of Fame voting has gotten 'soft'

By Colum Dell | Last updated 2/10/23

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 was revealed at the 12th annual NFL Honors on Thursday, with nine members selected. The number may be too high, according to Deion Sanders.

In an interview with NBC Sports' Peter King, Sanders criticized the Hall of Fame voters for being too lenient in the selection process.

"We've gotten soft, you know we've gotten soft," Sanders told King. "What do you call a Hall of Famer? A guy who changed the game."

King asked Sanders how he would separate the people he considers game-changing talents from the less deserving members of the Hall of Fame. Sanders believes a wing or "upper room" should exist for the Hall of Fame's most elite.

Taking issue with some of the recent inductees, Sanders feels that people shouldn't be voted in just because voters have to make yearly selections, "You shouldn't have to meet a quota every year to send guys in. If they ain't that, they ain't that. That's not right," he stated.

.@DeionSanders says that current Hall of Fame voting has gotten "soft" and makes a strong case for Devin Hester to get voted to the Hall of Fame after getting passed over.

"You couldn't even go pee on fourth down because of Devin Hester!"pic.twitter.com/unYqd5YOwf
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 10, 2023

Building off his Hall of Fame criteria definition, Sanders passionately argued that former kick returner Devin Hester should be enshrined into Canton. It was the second year the all-time return touchdown record holder was a finalist for the Hall of Fame, but he was again not selected.

"How can Devin Hester not be in the Hall of Fame? Devin Hester changed the game," Sanders said. "When you think about returners or anything, he changed the game. For the second year straight, that stuff makes me mad, man."

A Hall of Fame voter, King admits he voted for Hester and believes Hester has yet to get voted in due to the number of snaps he played.

"He's unique. You've got to look at the situation uniquely," Sanders replied. "You couldn't even get up to go pee; you would hold it on fourth down because of Devin Hester."

It's valid to argue that Hester shouldn't be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but not voting him in again is unacceptable. He's undoubtedly the greatest returner of all time, and special teams are a part of the game.

In his 11-year career, Hester totaled 11,028 return yards and an NFL-record 20 return touchdowns. His 14 career punt return touchdowns are also the most all-time. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and earned First-team All-Pro honors three times.

Additionally, Hester was named a member of the NFL 2000s and 2010s All-Decade Teams and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

Hester should be inducted into the Hall of Fame one day, but Sanders' "upper room" is unlikely to materialize. Many other Hall of Famers probably feels the same way he does.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 will be enshrined on Aug. 5.

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