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The likes of Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware, JJ Watt, Cam Jordan, Dwight Freeney, etc. are some of the best edge-rushers of the last two decades. One of the most underrated edge-rushers that doesn't get mentioned enough is former first-round pick John Abraham.
The former Jet, Falcon, and Cardinal was a very consistent passer for all three of those teams, from 2000 to 2014.
Specifically, he helped turn the Atlanta Falcons into a championship-level team (four playoff appearances in seven seasons with Abraham).
The question is whether or not he is deserving of a Pro Football Hall of Fame bid due to that consistency. Let's dive deeper into the stats and production of the former South Carolina star to see if he fits the bill.
Elite sack master
John Abraham was a franchise edge-rusher in New York, Atlanta, and Arizona. He was one of the most feared edge-rushers in the game.
According to Pro Football Reference, Abraham recorded at least 10 sacks in over half of his career years (8 out of 15 seasons). He recorded over nine sacks in 10 career seasons. Every NFL team needs a pass-rusher like the one Abraham was during his long career.
His 133.5 career sacks put him ahead of Hall of Famers Claude Humphrey, Derrick Thomas, and Charles Davis. His 148 career tackles sit him at 11th all-time in front of Hall of Famers Brian Urlacher, Michael Strahan, and Ray Lewis.
John Abraham was always in the opponents' backfield. A player like that undoubtedly deserves to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
All-Pro Abraham
No, John Abraham did not win a Super Bowl in the NFL. But that doesn't mean he wasn't generally the best player on the field when healthy. His NFL peers certainly took note of his superstardom.
He was voted to five different Pro Bowls and named to three All-Pro teams (two First-Team All-Pro nominations). He was also the league's co-forced fumbles leader in 2001 when he recorded six.
Abraham gets lost in the shuffle of great edge-rushers because there are so many to count over the last 20 years. Again, it also doesn't help that he doesn't have a Super Bowl ring to his name. But that can't mean he wasn't one of the best edge-rushers of his generation.
John Abraham is certainly gold jacket material. Opposing quarterbacks know that. He belongs in Canton, Ohio for sure.
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