Jerome Bettis is annually becoming one of the most difficult cases for the Pro Football Hall of Fame to decide on. Even Bettis' former Pittsburgh Steelers teammate and friend Rod Woodson isn't sure.
Our NFL.com friend Dave Dameshek asked Woodson whether Bettis deserves to join Woodson in Canton.Â
"Man ... why do you have to go with my buddy like that?" Woodson responded.
"I think it's tough, man," Woodson said. "I look at Jerome and I love his career. I think he will get in the Hall of Fame. I just don't know if I was voting."
It feels like only a matter of time before Bettis makes the Hall, but Woodson referred to former Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis as a player he would support more. It raises a philosophical question: Is the Hall of Fame about very good players compiling numbers or is it about players that truly dominated their era?
"If I had a vote, and I had to vote between Jerome and T.D. (Davis), I'd vote T.D. first," Woodson said.
Dameshek asked the questions as part of his "Hall or Nothing" segment on the Dave Dameshek Football Program. Woodson also doesn't believe Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten is a Hall of Famer.
I agree with Woodson's philosophy: A shorter period of domination matters more than longevity.
The numbers are there for Witten, but he hasn't been one of the two best tight ends of his era. Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez have to make the Hall of Fame first.
Bettis was one of the most memorable runners of his era, but he wasn't among the top couple of players at his position often.
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