5 biggest NFL Hall of Fame snubs of all-time

Canton's not Cooperstown...but controversy still lingers when it comes to the NFL's Hall of Fame discussions.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame's reveal of its latest induction class includes some legends of the 21st century (including defenders Richard Seymour and Bryant Young), though several others were supposedly snubbed in the wake of the elections: Devin Hester, for example, has seen his candidacy questioned, thanks to his exploits that primarily occurred on special teams, while DeMarcus Ware failed to earn his bust on his first year of the ballot.

They're far from the only legends for whom Canton's call has yet to be dialed.

Which NFL legends still lack a Canton induction?

-WR Torry Holt

You've heard of the lauded "99 Club" from the "Madden" franchise, named for the highest rating a player can be awarded in the virtual settings. But, when 2K Sports briefly took over the NFL's video game scene, they literally one-upped EA Sports' most valuable bunch by giving out 100 ratings. Holt was one of those players who earned triple digits. He got his start through the St. Louis Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf" antics at the turn of the century. Despite his career ending with a bit of a fizzle (injuries ate away at his final NFL years, including a forgotten pair of seasons with Jacksonville and New England), he continues to hold several major professional receiving records, including six consecutive seasons with, at least, 90 receptions and 1,300 yards (six).

-DL Joe Klecko

The New York Jets' star-crossed nature is partly defined by Joe Klecko's lack of a bust in Canton. Klecko was part of the famed "New York Sack Exchange" that dominated the 1980s. He was a defender that might've had a better chance at the Hall if the NFL had recognized the sack as an official stat earlier. In 1981, the final year before it entered the ledger, Klecko put up 20.5 sacks for Gang Green. Inducted offensive line opponents, such as Anthony Munoz and Dwight Stephenson, would often label Klecko the toughest opponents they'd ever faced. Klecko and the rest of the Sack Exchange were among the earliest members of the Jets' Ring of Honor, but that's not enough quiet yet.

-WR/ST Steve Tasker

Hester's candidacy as a special teamer should be a hot topic of discussion over the next few Hall of Fame elections, but it's not like a debate over a specialist's NFL bust is anything new. Advocates for Tasker, many hailing from his former stomping grounds of Buffalo, constantly label him the greatest gunner in NFL history, as he made sure his impact was felt, despite his small size. Tasker may not have reached the heights that fellow specialists like Morten Andersen have arrived to just yet, but his resume is, nonetheless, incredible, a ledger to the tune of 204 tackles and seven blocked punts and Pro Bowl selections each. Meaningless as the game has become, Tasker was named the game's lone special teams MVP during the 1993 edition. Furthermore, Tasker is no stranger to accolades from Canton. The Hall of Fame named him one of the best players of the 20th century back in 2000.

-LB Zach Thomas

The longtime Miami Dolphin was also among those spurned in the most recent edition. This was his fourth time on the final ballot without moving forward to gridiron immortality. Countless lists of defensive accomplishments feature Thomas, and often he's the only one on such rankings that doesn't have the asterisk to denote the fact he's in the Hall of Fame. Only two current inductees, for example, have more combined tackles than Thomas (that pair being Ray Lewis and the late Juniore Seau). If it's any consolation, Thomas does reside in Atlanta's College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta for his endeavors with Texas Tech.

-WR Hines Ward

Nothing was going to stop Hines Ward from scoring a touchdown. Losing a shoe? The road to six was a little less heavy. Fellow receiver Antwaan Randle El throwing the ball to him in the Super Bowl? It became just one of the reasons why he won the MVP award. Tom Hardy's Bane blowing up the playing surface in "The Dark Knight Rises"? That one's (thankfully) fictional, but a score's a score. Ward's stats weren't always eye-popping, but there's no denying he helped co-author some of the most victorious chapters of 21st century NFL football. If the Pro Football Hall of Fame truly hopes to describe the game's illustrious history, Ward's bust belongs.