Zach Not A Finalist Again..

[Rick Cartman]

Why would you say that?

JT and Zach's relationship fell apart when JT and Zach's sister got divorced.

The details are out there, but basically Zach's family doesn't like how JT treated their daughter.

 

[Andyman]

https://www.profootballhof.com/class-of-2019-finalists/

im sorry but there are many on this list that just shouldn't go in before Zach. im sorry but Seymour over Zach is mind blowing. I get he was a dlineman, but less than 60 sacks, and less than 500 tackles gets you into the hall? only 4 ff over a career. he has 80 less sacks the John Randell, tackles around the same, but 80 less sacks and 25 less Forced fumbles. shm… I don't get it. I could go on about others on this list but wont. its just sad seeing Zach not get the recognition he deserves. I know he wouldn't have gotten in this year bc of the guys that will, but he should atleast be a finalist.

I'm not disputing that five time first team All Pro selections should get serious Hall consideration but comparing him to Seymour and numbers is irrelevant. Seymour played end in a 3-4 alignment and often moved inside as well (maybe exclusively with Oakland) and that's not a big position to pick up stats. He was a great player but I would agree, maybe not a HOFer, although 7 probowls and 3 first team All Pro is very good. Multiple SB teams as well.

I think Zach suffers a bit from not dominating against good competition when he was on that stage and no playoff success in general. He got handled by more physical players and washed out a lot in the running game by them. Kevin Mawae comes to mind as a guy that abused him. I love Zach and I think he eventually gets in because the numbers on aggregate are hard to ignore, particular those five All Pro selections.

 

[Fin Fan in Cali]

JT and Zach's relationship fell apart when JT and Zach's sister got divorced.

The details are out there, but basically Zach's family doesn't like how JT treated their daughter.

Thanks bro. I thought of that after I replied.

 

[ladeback]

A lot of defenses will falter when the offense isn't good, forcing the defense on the field more. Zach was a small MLB too. My memory isn't 100%, but didn't he benefit greatly from having two monsters upfront in Tim Bowens & Daryl Gardener? I remember that being the narrative. They kept him clean pretty often which allowed him to make more tackles. Zach was a brilliant student of the game. He wasn't the most physically imposing linebacker, but damn smart and could diagnose a play quickly.

He absolutely benefited from Bowens and Gardener. The entire defense was built to funnel everything towards him. Maybe that's the main reason? Maybe he's seen as a "system LB"? I don't know. Kevin Mawae gave Zach fits. I remember ZT struggling to shed blocks at times when the scheme wasn't working properly. Maybe that's another reason he's not considered the same level LB as Urlacher? He was definitely small.

 

[jg772006]

Zach has time to get in ... He has until 2033 to get in the HOF, and the fact that he made the semi-finalists list for the first time this year (in his 6th year of eligibility), is good news. I said on a previous post about a year ago ... Once Lewis and Urlacher get in, the door would open for Zach. Lucky for Zach, they both got in at the same time last year. The result - Zach makes the semi-finalist list for the first time by voters.

That tells me, that Zach by all means will get in eventually, and quite frankly should be the next MLB to get in (unless Sam Mills gets the nod, but I doubt it. Zach's credentials are better). Zach is now the only eligible defensive player for the HOF with at least 5 "1st Team All-Pro" selections.

I still like Zach's chances sooner rather than later. In the coming years, this is who is becoming eligible for the HOF and who Zach will be dealing with:

2020 - Reggie Wayne, Troy Polomalu, Patrick WIllis
Reggie, I don't think will get in ... Polomalu might be the only "1st Ballot" guy next year ... Patrick Willis should get in, but not before Zach. Zach's career was longer and more consistent, but interestingly enough ... like Zach, Patrick was a 7x Pro Bowler, and 5x 1st Team All-Pro also. With Troy potentially being the only 1st ballot guy next year ... I see next year as a potential "clean up year", where they essentially put some guys in that have been finalists on multiple occasions but haven't gotten in yet, pending how this current year turns out (Lynch, Mawae, Hutchingson, Faneca, Boselli, Edge James, etc.)

2021 - Peyton Manning, Charles Woodson, Calvin Johnson, Logan Mankins, Jared Allen
Peyton and Woodson BOTH will be 1st Ballot ... Jared could be to, but I see him waiting a year or two ... Calvin will be made to wait, career was too short ... and Mankins will wait as well.

2022 - Demarcus Ware, Steve Smith Sr., Andre Johnson
DeMarcus Ware is going in 1st ballot, his sack stats are sexy and was a 9x Pro Bowler, and 7x 1st/2nd Team All-Pro
Steve Smith might go in 1st ballot, and Andre willbe made to wait.

2023 - Joe Thomas, Jason Witten, James Harrison, Dwight Freeney
Joe Thomas and Witten will BOTH go in 1st ballot ... Harrison will get in eventually, but might wait a year or two ... Dwight I think can wait as well. He has a strong career, but he faded at the end, playing for 5 teams in his final 5 years.


So keep the faith. Its kind of easy to decipher how the HOF will look in the coming years. I'm gonna say Zach will get in some time before 2028. I don't care how long it takes as long as it happens. If he is not in by 2029, I would seriously begin to worry. His modern-era eligibility is up AFTER 2033 ... after that he goes to the senior ballot, which would be so wrong. Zach deserves to get in, and I still have faith he will get in sooner than later.

 

[hoops]

Looks like Kevin Mawae still remains Zach’s biggest kryptonite.

Tony Boselli doesn’t belong on there. He didn’t play long enough. That’s bs

 

[volk]

Someone every year at this time ALWAYS uses this talking point.

Probably me...lol. I really believe Zach belongs in the hall. I think when one of the greatest sure-to-be first ballot HOF QB’s of the modern era holds a defender in as high a regard as Peyton holds Zach, that should speak to the quality of that defender. It isn’t the only argument, and maybe not the best, but a hallmark of HOF players is the mutual understanding and acknowledgement of each other’s standout abilities.

 

[royalshank]

Seymour, Hutchinson, Faneca and even Edgerrin definitely don’t belong ahead of Zack.

 

[royalshank]

Looks like Kevin Mawae still remains Zach’s biggest kryptonite.

Tony Boselli doesn’t belong on there. He didn’t play long enough. That’s bs

He was great though. You could make the same argument for Gale Sayers and Dwight Stephenson. I’m ok w Boselli but not a lot of the other guys like Seymour, Hutch, Faneca, Edgerrin James to name some.

 

[hoops]

No way boselli should be in the finalist list. It’s almost like the voters feel bad for him for his career being cut so short.

Jags hall of fame ok fine but pro football hall of fame? Nah

 

[FINMAN1]

Ask Peyton Manning if Zach should be inducted, and I guarantee he responds with a yes. Zach was a student of the game who Manning hated playing across from, as he said Thomas seemed to always know the play before it was called. Show me another player who accomplished more with less...remember, most thought he was too small to play the position.

Zach deserves to be in the hall.

Also ask Peyton if he remembers that broken jaw that Zach gave him.!!!!!:hi:

 

[volk]

Also ask Peyton if he remembers that broken jaw that Zach gave him.!!!!!:hi:

I remember that. Manning had his jaw wired shut and I don’t think he missed a game. I miss players like Zach.

 

[truckstick23]

It is BULLSHIT that Zach isn't in. The NFL is BROKEN!!!!

 

[Phinatic8u]

Peyton Manning also thinks Gase is a great playcaller.

I just happen to think Manning has a terrible opinion of people.

 

[Adam Strange]

Well we can always ask Kevin Mawae what he thought of ZT.