Several Bengals greats omitted from ESPN's NFL All Quarter Century team, but one manages to strengthen his Hall of Fame argument

25 NFL seasons have taken place since the calendars turned from 1999 to 2000, which has ESPN looking at the best players from the last quarter century with its All Quarter Century 53-man roster and practice squad.

A total of 70 players made the cut in some fashion, and only one of them represents the Cincinnati Bengals. 

The likes of Chad Johnson, A.J. Green, Ja'Marr Chase, and Geno Atkins couldn't even get a mention from roster curators Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder. Johnson, Green, and Chase's omissions are understandable considering how stacked the wide receiver position has been in the last three decades, and while Atkins has a fantastic argument to be had at defensive tackle, losing out to a combined nine All-Pros from Kevin Williams and Cameron Heyward just for a practice squad spot is justifiable. 

But there was no keeping former Bengals right tackle Willie Anderson off this roster, and the folks who vote for the Pro Football Hall of Fame ought to know.

Anderson was one of two RTs to make the entire roster along with Lane Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles, who's still putting together his legendary career. 

Walder mentions Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Tristan Wirfs was an option, but Anderson's position-leading three First Team All-Pro honors this century made him an easy choice along with Johnson.

Even though our time span cuts off the first four seasons of Anderson's career, what he did in the nine years from 2000 on earns him a spot on this list. He played in 16 regular-season games every year from 2000 to 2006 with the Bengals. Unlike at left tackle where there were quite a few feasible candidates, right tackle was quite clear-cut, with Johnson and Anderson being the two best options. If sixth-year Bucs tackle Tristan Wirfs had more seasons under his belt, he could have been a good candidate. -- ESPN analytics' Seth Walder

Being one of the two best players at his position in the last 25 years is the precise basis of Anderson's case to be enshrined in Canton. Anderson has come close as a finalist for each of the last four years and he's already confirmed to be a finalist this year after finishing in the top seven out of 15. 

Earning as many All-Pro honors as he did despite left tackle bias and playing for a team that never won a playoff game in his career only makes his career even more impressive. Anderson also famously held 11 of the top 12 sack artists in football history sack-less during his career.

ESPN's roster is far from the be-all and end-all for the last 25 years of NFL history, but it is another definitive bullet point in Anderson's Hall of Fame resume.