Four fringe Hall of Fame QBs who deserve to get in

In today’s day and age there’s a lot of debate about who is and who isn’t worthy of getting into the Hall of Fame. Of course, there are the four surefire Hall of Fame quarterbacks still playing. They include: Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger.

All four of those players have been extraordinary during their careers. Brady has five Super Bowl rings. Brees became the NFL’s all-time leading passer this year and is one of four quarterbacks in NFL history with over 500 touchdown passes. Rodgers is a two-time MVP and has the highest passer-rating in NFL history. And Roethlisberger is a two-time Super Bowl champion.

But we’re not here to talk about them. Not today. Rather than making the case for the surefire Hall of Famers, let’s take a look at some players who are on the fringe. Or, who need a couple more solid seasons to ultimately make it.

Matt Ryan

Ryan isn’t talked about amongst the top quarterbacks in the NFL as much as he should be. His 2016 MVP season was one of best seasons a quarterback has ever had. He was second in the NFL with 38 touchdowns, trailing only Aaron Rodgers (40), which helped Atlanta’s offense rank inside the top-ten all-time in points scored.

During their run to the Super Bowl, Ryan had a 135 passer rating with 9 touchdowns and no interceptions. His passer rating ranks as the sixth-highest of any quarterback in a single playoff run. Had the Falcons held onto their now infamous 28-3 lead over the New England Patriots, the narrative surrounding Ryan’s career would be a lot different. Regardless of how that game ended, he deserves a tremendous amount of credit for how he played that year.

But beyond just that year, Ryan is statistically well on his way to becoming on of the top passers in the history of the game. He is 14th all-time in career passing yards, 15th in passing touchdowns, and 10th in passer rating. And at 33 years old, he still has plenty of football left in him.

If Ryan can finish inside the top 10, or maybe even top 5 in those categories, it’s going to be nearly impossible to deny him a Hall of Fame jacket.

Cam Newton

Newton is arguably the most dynamic player as a passer and rusher in NFL history. His success started immediately in his rookie season when he burst onto the scene with back-to-back 400-yard passing games, becoming the first rookie ever to do so. He finished that season with what was then a rookie record 4,051 passing yards — which Andrew Luck broke the following year. Newton also still owns the record for most total touchdowns and yardage by a rookie quarterback with 35 and 4,784 respectively.

There’s a strong case to be made that he had the best rookie season a quarterback has ever had. Furthermore, Newton as a rusher is already an all-time great, as he already owns the record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. He ranks third among quarterback’s in rushing yards with 4,672, trailing only Randall Cunningham (4,928) and Michael Vick (6,109). At his current pace, he will only need to play three more seasons to pass Vick.

As a passer, Newton is rising the all-time ranks as well. Assuming he can continue his passing production that he has averaged during his career, he would need to play at least seven more seasons to finish with over 50,000 passing yards and 300 touchdowns. At 29 years old, it’s a real question mark whether his body will hold up that long. But if it can, he will only boost what’s already a very impressive resume.

All this goes without mentioning Newton’s MVP season — when he combined for 45 total touchdowns while leading the Panthers to a 15-1 record and a Super Bowl appearance. Like Ryan, a win in the Super Bowl likely changes the narrative around Newton. But even if he never wins a Super Bowl, Newton belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Eli Manning

Eli Manning is probably the most debated fringe Hall of Famer to date. To me, it’s not even a question. Manning has to be in.

Manning is one of 12 quarterbacks in the history of the NFL to win two Super Bowls as the starting quarterback. Additionally, he is one of five players to have multiple Super Bowl MVP awards. The other four are already in the Hall of Fame or will be once they retire.

It can’t be understated who he beat in those Super Bowls as well. Taking on the 18-0 Patriots in the 2007-08 season for his first Super Bowl and leading a game-winning drive to hand them their only loss of the season is one of the most iconic moments in NFL history. He followed that up in the 2011-12 season by beating Tom Brady once again to claim his second title.

Statistically, Manning is already top-six in all-time passing yards and top-seven in passing touchdowns. Considering how limited of company he is in with the Super Bowls and where he ranks as an all-time passer, it’s impossible to justify leaving Manning out of Canton.

Philip Rivers

Although Rivers has failed to even appear in a Super Bowl, he still warrants a bust in Canton. Year in and year out he has been one of the top passers in the league.

There’s a chance he can finish within the top-five in all-time passing touchdowns (he’s currently 6th) if he plays another two years — which it looks like he’s more than capable of. He is also 8th in passing yards and passer rating. Rivers was the Comeback Player of the Year in 2013 and is a seven-time Pro Bowler.

This season, he is on pace for a career high in touchdowns. And with the talent around him, this could be his best chance to win a Super Bowl since 2007-08 — when the Chargers lost to the undefeated New England Patriots in the AFC Championship.

Statistically, Rivers has already solidified himself as an all-time great. But another deep playoff run can only boost his chances of making the Hall of Fame.