It’s become an annual ritual that does bring some level of excitement, yet it’s one that I hope we don’t have to perform anymore come next fall. Of course, I am talking about the Third Annual “What are Andre Johnson’s Chances of Making the Pro Football Hall of Fame?” discussion. We engage in this conjecture each September when the new ballot for the Hall is released.
It’s fun to read all of the names (which you can find below), and bask in the memories of yesteryear, and yet, when it comes to Andre Johnson, my hope and prayer is that he rightfully gains induction into the Hall in 2024 so that we can celebrate his enshrinement instead of dream about it. Here are the 173 names on this year’s ballot (including a few other former Texans), with some thoughts below:
QUARTERBACKS (10): Marc Bulger, Randall Cunningham, Jake Delhomme, Doug Flutie, Rich Gannon, Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Michael Vick.
RUNNING BACKS (33): Shaun Alexander, Terry Allen, Mike Alstott, Jamal Anderson, Tiki Barber, Michael Bates (also KR), Jamaal Charles, Larry Centers (FB), Stephen Davis, Corey Dillon, Warrick Dunn, Charlie Garner, Eddie George, Ahman Green, Priest Holmes, Steven Jackson, Chris Johnson, Daryl Johnston (FB), Thomas Jones, John Kuhn (FB), Vonta Leach, Dorsey Levens, Jamal Lewis, Eric Metcalf (also WR/PR/KR), Glyn Milburn (also WR), Lorenzo Neal (FB), Tony Richardson (FB), Robert Smith, Fred Taylor, Chris Warren, Ricky Watters, Brian Westbrook, Ricky Williams.
WIDE RECEIVERS (23): Anquan Boldin, Troy Brown (also PR/KR), Donald Driver, Antonio Freeman, Irving Fryar, Dante Hall, Devin Hester* (also PR/KR), Torry Holt*, Joe Horn, Andre Johnson*, Chad Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Derrick Mason, Herman Moore, Muhsin Muhammad, Jordy Nelson, Andre Rison, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Steve Smith Sr., Hines Ward, Reggie Wayne*, Wes Welker.
TIGHT ENDS (3): Ben Coates, Antonio Gates, Wesley Walls.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (25): Willie Anderson* (T), Bruce Armstrong (T/G), Matt Birk (C), Lomas Brown (T), Ruben Brown (G), Jahri Evans (G), Kevin Glover (C/G), Olin Kreutz (C), T.J. Lang (T), Matt Light (T), Nick Mangold (C), Logan Mankins (G), Tom Nalen (C), Nate Newton (G/T), Jeff Saturday (C), Mark Schlereth (G/C), Josh Sitton (G), Chris Snee (G), Mark Stepnoski (C), Dave Szott (G), Max Unger (C), Brian Waters (G), Richmond Webb (T), Erik Williams (T), Steve Wisniewski (G).
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (20): John Abraham (DE also LB), Jared Allen* (DE), Dwight Freeney* (DE), La’Roi Glover (DT/NT), Casey Hampton (DT/NT), Robert Mathis (DE), Haloti Ngata (DT), Leslie O’Neal (DE), Julius Peppers (DE), Simeon Rice (DE), Justin Smith (DE), Neil Smith (DE), Dana Stubblefield (DT), Henry Thomas (DT/NT), Justin Tuck (DE), Ted Washington (NT/DT), Vince Wilfork (DT/NT), Jamal Williams (DT/NT), Kevin Williams (DT), Pat Williams (DT).
LINEBACKERS (25): Jesse Armstead, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Cornelius Bennett, Lance Briggs, Keith Brooking, NaVorro Bowman, Tedy Bruschi, Karlos Dansby, Donnie Edwards, James Farrior, London Fletcher, James Harrison, Larry Izzo, Willie McGinest (also DE), Hardy Nickerson, Ken Norton Jr., Bryce Paup, Julian Peterson, Joey Porter, Takeo Spikes, Jessie Tuggle, Mike Vrabel, Patrick Willis*, Al Wilson, Lee Woodall.
DEFENSIVE BACKS (17): Eric Allen (CB), Kam Chancellor (S), Nick Collins (DB), Antonio Cromartie (CB), Dré Bly (DB), Merton Hanks (S), Rodney Harrison (S), Carnell Lake (DB), Tim McDonald (S), Eugene Robinson (DB), Samari Rolle (DB), Allen Rossum (DB), Bob Sanders (S), Charles Tillman (CB), Troy Vincent (CB), Antoine Winfield (DB), Darren Woodson* (S).
PUNTERS/KICKERS (15): David Akers (K), Gary Anderson (K), Darren Bennett (P), Jason Elam (K), Jeff Feagles (P), Jason Hanson (K), John Kasay (K), Sean Landeta (P), Shane Lechler (P), Brad Maynard (P), Pat McAfee (P), Brian Moorman (P), Matt Stover (K), Matt Turk (P), Mike Vanderjagt (K).
SPECIAL TEAMS (2): Josh Cribbs (KR/PR also WR), Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB).
Here are the former Texans on this ballot, in descending order of their percentage chance of making the Hall of Fame:
ANDRE JOHSNON, WR
We’ve laid out Johnson’s credentials in this space countless times. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler, and four-time All Pro (two first team, two second team), and was one of the three best receivers in the game from 2008 through 2013, and did so without ever playing with an elite quarterback, unlike some of his Hall of Fame ballot contemporaries like Reggie Wayne and Torry Holt. Hopefully, this is the year.
EVENTUAL ANDRE HOF ODDS: 90 percent
SHANE LECHLER, P
Lechler checks a ton of boxes for eventual enshrinement in Canton, including the rare TWO time All Decade performer (2000s, 2010s). Lechler was a six-time first team All Pro, three-time second team All Pro, and seven-time Pro Bowler, all with the Raiders. He was merely solid for the Texans from 2013 through 2017.
EVENTUAL LECHLER HOF ODDS: 85 percent
VINCE WILFORK, DT
Wilfork spent the majority of his career winning multiple Super Bowls with the Patriots. His final two seasons, 2015 and 2016, were spent with the Texans as a veteran leader. At his peak, Wilfork was an All Pro level performer (2010-2012), and he made five Pro Bowls. If Wilfork gets into the Hall, his association with the Patriots dynasty will be as much a reason as his individual greatness.
EVENTUAL WILFORK HOF ODDS: 30 percent
VONTA LEACH, FB
Leach had a nice ten year career in the NFL, five of those (2006-2010) with the Houston Texans. He was a first team All Pro fullback from 2010 through 2012, those last two seasons as a Baltimore Raven, where he won a Super Bowl in 2012. Fullbacks very rarely make the Hall of Fame, so it’s tough to see Leach getting any sort of consideration.
EVENTUAL LEACH HOF ODDS: 0 percent
DERRICK MASON, WR
Mason was a solid wide receiver for over a decade, with his most successful seasons in Tennessee. He was first team All Pro once, and a Pro bowler twice. As a Texan, he spent a couple months (and six catches) with the team in 2011. He was released in December of that season.
EVENTUAL MASON HOF ODDS: 0 percent
JEFF GARCIA, QB
Garcia did most of his damage as an NFL player in San Francisco, where he made four Pro Bowls in the early 2000’s, and di most of his damage beyond that in Canada, where he won a Grey Cup in the CFL. He was a Texan for a cup of coffee at the end of the 2011 season, after Matt Schaub went on injured reserve.
EVENTUAL GARCIA HOF ODDS: 0 percent
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This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
