John Mackey was voted the greatest tight end in NFL history in 2000 by the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee.
Mackey was an all-decade selection in the 1990s, a member of the NFL's 50th anniversary team and a Super Bowl champion. He went to five Pro Bowls in his 10 seasons with the Baltimore Colts, catching 331 passes for 5,236 yards and 38 touchdowns when football was played on the ground. He introduced the tight end as a downfield threat on seam routes, averaging 15.8 yards per catch.
It took Mackey 15 years to get into the Hall of Fame.
Mike Ditka was named to the NFL's 75th anniversary team. He became the first tight end to catch 1,000 yards of passes in a season, in 1961, and finished his 12-year career with 427 receptions for 5,812 yards and 43 touchdowns. He was the starting tight end on two NFL champions, one with the Bears and the other with the Cowboys.
It took Ditka 12 years to get into the Hall of Fame.
And therein lies the problem for Jason Witten in his quest for Canton: The Hall of Fame selection committee does not hold his position in as high a regard as Tony Romo and Jerry Jones do.
There are only eight tight ends in the Hall, and Charlie Sanders, an all-decade pick from the 1970s, had to wait 25 years to get in as a senior. Ron Kramer, who joined Mackey on the 50th anniversary team, has never even been discussed as a finalist. He's been eligible now for 43 years. Ben Coates, an all-decade pick from the 1990s, also has never been discussed. He's been eligible for 10 years.
So slow down on the Hall of Fame talk for Witten -- and slam the brakes on the first-ballot talk. There has never been a first-ballot Hall of Fame tight end. The shortest wait has been three years.
Sure, Witten's statistics will be impressive. He needs six catches become just the 11th player in NFL history -- and just the second tight end -- with 1,000 career catches. He's also one of four tight ends in the 10,000-yard club.
But he's lacking in other areas that could close the deal for him.
There are 295 members of the Hall of Fame, and 68.3 percent of them wear championship rings. Witten is ring-less. The Cowboys have won two playoff games in his 13-year career. Shannon Sharpe retired as the NFL's all-time leading receiver at the tight end position and won three Super Bowl rings -- and it still took him three years to get enshrined.
The question will be asked of Witten's candidacy: What did he do with all those receptions?
Not many of them have wound up in the end zone -- only 59 of 992. Tony Gonzalez set the tight end record with 111. Antonio Gates, a contemporary of Witten now in his 13th season, has 101 career touchdowns. Rob Gronkowski is in just his sixth season with the Patriots and already has 62.
And Witten has averaged only 11.0 yards per career catch. Hall of Famer Jackie Smith averaged 16.5 yards, Mackey 15.8, Ditka 13.6, Gates 12.7 and Hall of Fame Kellen Winslow 12.5. Gronkowski is averaging 14.5 yards per catch.
His longevity, durability, and career catches will guarantee Witten a Hall of Fame candidacy. But few tight ends in NFL history have ever been slam dunks for Canton. Deserving as he may be, don't assume Jason Witten is one of those slam dunks.
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