Does Tom Brady have a direct entry to the Hall of Fame in 2022?
All signs point toward Tom Brady officially announcing his retirement very soon. The news was scooped by several top NFL reporters, however, the legend himself has not come out and made it official.
Let's assume Brady does indeed choose to retire. That would mean he is set to headline the 2027 Hall of Fame class in Canton, Ohio. The NFL has a five-year waiting period upon retirement before a player's enshrinement.
The 2027 class will now be set to include Brady and Ben Roethlisberger. Legendary tight end Rob Gronkowski could even be a part of that group if he decides to retire once again. But does everyone have to wait?
Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III brought up an interesting idea, suggesting that Brady should be the exception.
"Tom Brady should be eligible to go into the Hall of Fame THIS YEAR. That's how great he was. No doubt the greatest of all time."
Tom Brady should be eligible to go into the Hall of Fame THIS YEAR. That’s how great he was. No doubt the greatest of all time.
Griffin believes Brady should be a part of the 2022 class. But could that become a reality?
Can Tom Brady make the Hall of Fame in 2022?
Unfortunately, this does not appear to be a possibility. The NFL has its system in place and changing the rules would surely lead to some controversy and claims of favoritism toward Brady. Even someone like Roethlisberger, who ranks fifth all-time in passing yards and has two Super Bowl rings, could make a case he should skip the line too.
So no, he cannot get in early. But Griffin does make an interesting point. The quarterback is often called "the GOAT," an acronym for the "greatest of all time." If that is the case, then waiting five years may just prove to be an unnecessary formality.
Legit question since it happened with Wayne Gretzky in Hockey: If Tom Brady does retire this offseason [or whenever he does], should the Hall of Fame waive the standard 5-year waiting period and allow him to walk in right away?
He's the best QB in sports history, had best career https://t.co/WRhBRKX7MM
Brady has seven Super Bowls, a mark no other quarterback or NFL player in general may ever reach. He also leads the NFL in all-time touchdowns (624) and yards (84,520). He played until he was 44 years old and led the league in passing yards (4,806) and passing touchdowns (50) suggesting that a decline in skills was not the reason for his retirement.
The Hall of Fame is supposed to be a representation of the best to ever play the game of football. It is widely accepted that Brady will be inducted on his first ballot appearance. So including him in the 2022 class would overshadow past, current and future ballot members, making them all wonder why they are/were forced to wait, while he seemingly gets to jump the queue.
Given the retirement becomes official, he will be in the Class of 2027. Where he can wait his turn, as is customary. While giving fans the chance to start planning their trip to Canton for what will be a historical day.
Also Checkout: Rob Gronkowski super bowl wins