Seven inducted to Hall; Martin falls short
Former-Jet Curtis Martin fell short of induction into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
DALLAS - Former Jets running back Curtis Martin considers getting into the Pro Football Hall of Fame the greatest honor anyone could ever want, but he also knew there was a chance he wouldn't be given that honor in his first year of eligibility.
"I'm totally prepared for ," he said last Tuesday. "I'm the type of guy that takes things as they come."
Martin will have to wait at least another year, because he didn't make it this time. One of 15 finalists considered for Hall of Fame induction, Martin didn't make it into the final 10 in yesterday's voting by a 44-member voting committee.
The news was better for NFL greats Deion Sanders, Marshall Faulk, Shannon Sharpe, Richard Dent, Les Richter and Chris Hanburger. NFL Films founder Ed Sabol also got in.
Martin, arguably the greatest Jets player ever, is fourth in NFL history with 14,101 rushing yards. The three players ahead of him - Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders - all were elected on the first ballot.
Martin said before the vote that whether he got in or not, "it's been such an honor for me to accomplish what I accomplished in the NFL. Nothing will take that away from me, or the joy of being able to play the years I have and accomplish what I have."
Martin said on Twitter: "I want to thank every member of the voting committee for considering me as a top 10 finalist. Think you guys picked a great class.'' He also tweeted: "Maybe next year . . . I truly believe those guys who made it deserve it. I enjoyed the process.'' He later tweeted, "Hypothetically, if I were to get in next year with Parcells (my mentor), I would be glad I didn't make it this year.''
Martin later issued a statement saying: "I think the voting committee did a great job selecting the 2011 class. If I were a part of the committee, I can't say that I would have voted any differently. I'm not being modest at all, but I truly don't feel that there's anyone in this year's class that I should have bested in the voting process. Of course I would have loved to get in this year but, number one, the inductees truly deserved it; number two, there's always next year! I thank you all for the recognition, and congratulations to this year's inductees!''
He said last week, "It's hard to compare to the Pro Bowl, but sometimes a lot of players feel they should get in. The Hall of Fame is special. If it doesn't happen for me this year, hopefully it will some other year."
Sanders, known as "Prime Time" during his career as a standout cornerback and kick returner, was a two-time Super Bowl winner and was the 1994 Defensive Player of the Year.
Faulk won the Super Bowl with the Rams in 1994 and was the 1994 Offensive Rookie of the Year. He was the 2000 NFL MVP and a three-time Offensive Player of the Year (1999-2001). He finished as the NFL's 10th-leading rusher with 12,279 yards.
Sharpe played 14 seasons and won three Super Bowls, two with the Broncos and one with the Ravens. He held NFL records for a tight end in receptions, yards and touchdowns when he retired in 2001.
Former Bears defensive end Dent was the MVP of Super Bowl XX and had 137 career sacks. He was a key member of the 1985 Bears defense that many considered the greatest single-season unit in NFL history.
Richter, a Rams linebacker from 1954-62, played in eight straight Pro Bowls. He also played center and kicker. Richter died last June.
Hanburger played 14 years with the Redskins and made it to nine Pro Bowls. He was known as "The Hangman" for his habit of tackling players near the head with his forearm, a technique that eventually was banned.
Sabol was the founder of NFL Films, and his work helped build the NFL's brand into the most popular in professional sports.
More football news
