Predicting the Seattle Seahawks future Hall of Famers

Seahawks 3 through 5

3. Richard Sherman

Firstly, we have to assume Sherman will choose to enter as a Seahawks. In his ten-year career to date, he spent seven seasons as a Seahawk before his three years in San Francisco. So again, looking at the base requirements achieved by those already in Canton, Sherman has served seven years as a Seahawks and has 5 Pro Bowl appearances to his name.

The boxes having just about been ticked so let’s look at his stats. To date, he has tallied 535 tackles, 40 interceptions, 6 fumble recoveries and 3 touchdowns.

To assess what he needs to do to earn a place in the HOF lets look at three of the more recent Canton interns as DBs. Champ Bailey had 931 tackles, 52 interceptions, 6 fumble recoveries and 4 TDs in his 15 year career. Troy Polamalu had 783 tackles, 32 interceptions, 7 fumble recoveries and 5 TDs in his 12-year career. Ed Reed had 646 tackles, 64 interceptions, 13 fumble recoveries and 9 TDs in his 12-year career.

So as a minimum Sherman needs to play 2 more seasons, record another 111 tackles and add another TD or two. Statistically, he has probably got enough INTs and fumble recoveries.

Sherman was on the 2010’s All-Decade team, which is another plus for him. All this has given Sherman a PRF HOF factor  of 79.38, so another three productive seasons could get him close to getting him a gold jacket.

4. Earl Thomas

Thomas finished 2019 with ten NFL seasons behind him, nine of these as a Seahawk in which he made 7 Pro Bowl appearances. So like Sherman, he has those numbers that he needs.

Stats wise he has 713 tackles, 30 interceptions, 6 fumble recoveries and 3 TDs to his credit. All this earns him a place on the 2010’s All-Decade team alongside Sherman and Wagner. So he may me be an INT and a TD or two short of those that have made Canton.

Towards the end of his career Thomas was also a polarising character in the Seattle and Baltimore locker rooms, which may hurt him when it comes to getting the votes required to get him into Canton.

5. Marshawn Lynch

Again assuming Lynch would choose to go in as a Seahawk and not a Buffalo Bill, Lynch had less than 6 seasons as a Seahawk, but does have the 5 pro bowl appearances that other HOF’ers have. Overall in his 13 year NFL career, “Beast Mode” racked up 13,749 scrimmage yards and 106 TDs.

The last three RBs to get inducted into the HOF were LaDainian Tomlinson, Jerome Bettis and Emmitt Smith. So let’s look at their numbers. Smith had 23,507 yards and 196 TDs. Tomlinson had 19,100 yards and 169 TDs, Bettis had 15,842 yards and 103 TDs.

So we can see how difficult it is to reach the required level. Lynch had the same length of a career as Bettis but statistically is marginally lower in performance than Bettis.

In comparison to Bettis, he has one fewer Pro Bowl appearance but did make the All-Decade team. At best Lynch is a borderline case to get in, he had a PRF HOF factor of 69.09 which appears to be short of where he would need to be to make it to Canton.