Why isn't Ricky Sanders in the Ring of Fame
Just to give more context, for the Commanders best single season, he's #2 for TD receptions, his best season ranks 14th for receptions, and for receiving yards is 17th. Career receptions he's 8th, yards he's 7th, TDs he's 9th. His Super Bowl record for receiving yards in a game was broken by Jerry Rice, but he's still #2. Never made a pro bowl or anything like that.
I think taking into account changes in the game (that have pushed him down on some of the season lists), he's at least a top 10 Commanders receiver.
(In terms of why he's not, I think he was/is over shadowed by Monk and Clark. He was a very good WR that happened to play with 2 that were probably better.)
Though if they are going to add another player from the offense in from that era, I think I would lean towards Byner. 8th in career rushing yards and TDs despite only playing 5 season here. No single season rushing stats are great, But he was better out of the back field as a pass catcher then many of the people in front of him. Made 2 pro bowls here and 1 all pro. He was really the engine of some of those teams. In 1990, he lead the league in touches from scrimmage. In 1991, he was 4th in the NFL (behind the 3 HOF Players (Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith, and Thurman Thomas)).
I think taking into account changes in the game (that have pushed him down on some of the season lists), he's at least a top 10 Commanders receiver.
(In terms of why he's not, I think he was/is over shadowed by Monk and Clark. He was a very good WR that happened to play with 2 that were probably better.)
Though if they are going to add another player from the offense in from that era, I think I would lean towards Byner. 8th in career rushing yards and TDs despite only playing 5 season here. No single season rushing stats are great, But he was better out of the back field as a pass catcher then many of the people in front of him. Made 2 pro bowls here and 1 all pro. He was really the engine of some of those teams. In 1990, he lead the league in touches from scrimmage. In 1991, he was 4th in the NFL (behind the 3 HOF Players (Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith, and Thurman Thomas)).
I loved both sanders and byner of course and I'd probably try to put too many guys in the ring, but I'd like to see both those guys make it, giving an edge to byner between the two. He was often the bread and butter.
It ain't what you don't know that's a problem. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.~~~Mark Twain
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Darrell Green Fan
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Looking at his stats I was surprised to see that he had back to back 1,000 yard seasons and one season with 12 TD. But my standards for Ring of Fame or Hall of Fame are higher than most, I believe the player needs to have been excellent for a sustained period of time or great for a short amount like London Fletcher. Ricky just doesn't have the resume for me personally.