Best of YB: The Patriots' future Hall of Famers aren't done yet
Following Thursday night's Hall of Fame game that marked the start of the NFL preseason, all-time greats including Morten Andersen, Jerry Jones, Kurt Warner, Terrell Davis and LaDainian Tomlinson will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend. The newest players to get their busts in Canton headline the weekend, but all eyes will the be on the New England Patriots and their future Hall of Fame quarterback, coach and — potentially — owner this season.
Given the offseason additions the defending Super Bowl champions made, everyone expects the Patriots to be special… and annoying as all get-out: "Those holding out hope that, once Tom Brady exits, the team will cede the floor to one or several emergent contenders have had to wait as the quarterback has remained dominant until his 40th birthday and likely beyond."
Yes, Brady turned 40 years old Thursday, and despite his advanced age by NFL standards, he's expected to be an MVP candidate yet again. Naturally, he checks in as New England's player with the best odds of winning the award, but what about candidates from the NFL's other 31 franchises? We laid out one player from every team who could win the MVP in 2017:
With Brady joining the 40 and over club Thursday, it led us to the the 'What do you get the QB who has everything?' quiz:
It's pretty clear that Brady is the best 40-year-old player in the NFL this season, but who is the best NFL player at every age? We have you covered:
With Brady, Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft, it appears the Pats have at least three future Hall of Famers right now, potentially more with the likes of Rob Gronkowski and other talented players. If those three or more make it, it would get the franchise into the double digits as far far as players in the Hall of Fame. That's impressive in its own right, but it pales in comparison to the number of New York Yankees in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera will enter Cooperstown soon enough, and with even more surely on the way, the Yankees should surpass 30 Hall of Famers in the not too distant future.
The present-day Yankees aren't loaded with all-time greats like years past, but they're a talented bunch that's right on the tail of the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox. Here's how balancing the books revitalized the Yankees: "The Yankees are going to spend, because it is what the Yankees do. But they have also gone to great lengths to not only build from within, but to prioritize doing so."
Still, the Yankees could be interested in some big names in the offseason because the Yankees are always interested in big names. However, there will be no shortage of interested parties in attempting to acquire some of the trade deadline survivors who could still be moved this winter, such as a certain outfielder in Miami: "Giancarlo Stanton is the apple of everybody’s eye around the game, and for good reason. The massive contract of the NL’s current home run leader is scary in regard to its life span (10 years) and escape cause (opt out after the 2020 season), but his franchise-changing potential is undeniable and worth the risk for many."
Finally, we leave you this weekend with the most recent MLB player to reach 3,000 hits, another player who is all but certain to reach the Hall of Fame. See if you can name every player to reach 3,000 hits with the 'Adrian Beltre is now the old guy in the club' quiz:
Enjoy the Hall of Fame festivities and the fact that the NFL is now in full swing as baseball enters the homestretch in the race toward fall.
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