No HOF For Punter?

After reading a Bleacher Report Article that displayed 30 of the greatest snubs for the NFL Hall of Fame, one name really shone on the list, Ray Guy. Oh, and did I mention he is a punter?


For all you football fans out there, you realize the role of punter on an NFL team. They come out onto the field during the game to punt 4-5 times a game, and less if their team is doing well. They really go unnoticed, and people don't have their "favorite punter" like they do with their "favorite quarterback" (mines Brett Favre). This is why punters never find themselves getting inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. But what about the best punters of all time?


Ray Guy, punter for the Oakland Raiders from 1973-1986, is widely considered as the greatest punter of all time. Let me give you a rundown of his career in brief.

• Attended Southern Mississippi where he punted and kicked. He had so much success that has been inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, and the College Football Hall of Fame.
• Drafted in the 1st round of the 1973 draft. If you didn't know, only 3 punters have ever been drafted in the first round. Ever.
• In his NFL career, he played in 207 consecutive games.
• Led the NFL in punting 3 times
• Has a record of 111 punts in postseason history
• He has NEVER had a punt returned for a touchdown. This is the fact that I find most amazing because to not have a punt returned requires precision and placement, and to not have 1 of his 1,049 punts returned is just astonishing.
• He has been a vital part of 3 Super Bowl Winning teams
• Has a collegiate award named after him, the Ray Guy Award, which is awarded to collegiate's best punter.
• 7 time Pro Bowl selection

These are just a handful of his amazing statistics, and is incomparable to any other punter, so why is he not in the Hall of Fame? If you were not aware, a punter has never been elected into the Hall of Fame, and why not? They are a vital part of a team and every team needs a good punter.

Ray and his wife Beverly Guy had to file for bankruptcy in August, 2011. He was forced to put up all of his Super Bowl rings up for auction and sold for just over $96,000. Punters and football players alike didn't make that much money back in the 70's and 80's, so don't think that Guy was just spending-happy and wasted all of his money, he just wasn't paid that much.

People normally imitate their favorite quarterback or wide receiver when playing football. But when Ray Guy was playing, fans would imitate him. They tried to copy his picture perfect form. He was an exciting player, which is amazing to consider for just a punter.

Guy's Hall of Fame snub is considered one of the greatest of all time. Who knows, if he had been inducted to the Hall of Fame, he may not have had to file for bankruptcy and make drastic changes to his life. Why not break the trend and induct the first ever punter into the Hall of Fame? Ray Guy definitely deserves it.