Patrick Willis ought to already be within the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame. For eight seasons he was an enforcer for the San Francisco 49ers. He was drafted by a proud franchise that had fallen into disarray, and was intricate half in bringing it again to prominence. Willis did this all whereas enjoying a place of honor and glory within the NFL — center linebacker — in addition to anybody within the historical past of the league.
The semi-finalists for the 2024 Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame class had been introduced on Tuesday, and Willis is part of that group for the fifth time. He has additionally twice been a finalist, and for 4 years the voters have erred by not placing him into the corridor.
Fashionable-era gamers who’ve been inducted forward of Willis embrace LeRoy Butler, Steve Atwater, John Lynch, and Zach Thomas. Troy Polamalu completely deserved to get into the Corridor of Fame in his first 12 months of eligibility, however there isn’t any means that he was a extra impactful participant than Willis.
It is vitally probably that Willis retiring after solely eight seasons is why it’s taking him so lengthy to get the gold jacket that he deserves. Mix that with the truth that he by no means gained Defensive Participant of the Yr, some may argue that his constant excellence over a comparatively quick time frame didn’t have sufficient pop to get him into the Corridor simply but.
I assume being talked about in the identical breath with prime Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher as a rookie is one thing that the voters have forgotten. Lewis performed 14 video games in 2007 and Urlacher was within the lineup for all 16. When the votes had been solid for first-team All-Professional center linebacker, the consideration went to Willis. In reality, the previous Chicago Bear turned MAGA hair restoration billboard mannequin was solely voted first-time All-Professional 4 instances. Lewis performed for 17 years and obtained the consideration seven instances.
Willis was a first-team All-Professional 5 instances, 4 years in a row from 2009-12. For almost all of his NFL profession, there was no debate as to who was the perfect center linebacker within the NFL. With these accolades even when Willis performed solely 5 seasons he ought to nonetheless be in Canton.
The purpose of the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame is to be a museum that honors the best possible gamers within the historical past {of professional} soccer, the gamers who have to be talked about when discussing the historical past of the sport
A few of the names who’ve gone in forward of Willis, Deion Sanders was proper a couple of years in the past when he stated that his bust doesn’t belong in the identical room with them. Being an excellent, and even merely a dominant participant shouldn’t be sufficient to get somebody into the Corridor. The gamers enshrined needs to be among the many better of their period. Their names needs to be talked about when discussing the best to ever play at their positions.
Willis was that sort of nice. He was a certain and punishing tackler, who gave blockers matches. He was the anchor to a protection that may finally develop into one of many prime models within the NFL. Not solely did he deliver the ache, however he additionally possessed the extent of athleticism essential to play in the course of a protection throughout the twenty first century. Shedding lead blockers and cracking working backs will all the time be vital, however enjoying center linebackers requires a capability to make performs in cross protection. Willis tallied eight interceptions in his profession, and had two seasons with 10 or extra passes defended.
In any dialog about the perfect center linebacker of all time, his title deserves to be talked about. Dick Butkus, Jack Lambert, Mike Singletary, Lewis, and Urlacher, a authentic argument may be made that Willis is best than all of them.
That’s the kind of participant for whom the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame was constructed to honor. For some cause voters simply haven’t gotten round to placing him there.