The goal of the Hall of Fame is to recognize the best players in the history of the National Football League. Too often that goal gets lost in the convoluted selection procedure.
Tim Brown was an elite wide receiver by any measure and he deserves enshrinement in the Hall of Fame in Canton Ohio. He did not have many of the flashy moments, but he was a reliable receiver who played on several bad teams. He was recognized with nine Pro Bowl appearances and was named to the NFL’s all 1990s team.
During the late 90’s there was a joke going around that Tim Brown was proof that there was still professional football in Oakland. That was the very essence of Tim Brown, he was the consummate professional. He would catch everything thrown in his congressional district. When it was third down, everyone in the stadium knew that he would be the intended receiver, but he would still find a way to get open enough to come down with the catch.
The primary knocks on Brown are that he doesn’t have any “defining moments” or championship rings.
As a wide receiver, there is only so much that can be put on his shoulders for the team not winning a ring during his tenure. Brown could only catch the ball when it was thrown near him, and considering the rogues gallery of quarterbacks throwing to him in his career, it is easy to see why Brown didn’t play on any Super Bowl winning teams.
Brown didn’t have the defining moments, because he played on bad teams. Brown was however, a model of consistency. From 1993-2001 Brown had 1000 or more receiving yards and Pro Bowl nods in all but two of those years.
Basically, it is easy to overlook Tim Brown because he wasn’t a headline chaser. He didn’t have the end zone antics of a Chad Ochocinco, or made headlines like a Terrell Owens or Randy Moss. Instead, during his career, he was one of the elite receivers in the game, and he deserved the recognition as such. It would be fitting for Brown to go in with his teammate Jerry Rice.
Twitter
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
