Clay Matthews, Doug Dieken H.O.F.

[BrownsfaninPa]

I have a question on how many fellow Browns fans feel that Clay Matthews & Doug Dieken should be in the H.O.F. Clay holds Browns team records at his LB position for years of service, and I feel his NFL years of service at his LB position should make him a candidate. As for Doug Dieken, I feel he should be in as well. I look at other OT players that are in, and one specifically ponders my thoughts of how or why. Iam thinking of Cardinals, Dan Dierdorf. The Cardinals had no better records as a team than what the Browns were doing diuring the same era. Doug played almost the same exact years as Dan Dierdorf. Whats your opinion?

[Tour2ma]

Clay is a no brainer.

 

Doug? Not "the other" overlooked Brown that I'd choose to champion. For me that's Jerry Sherk.

[The Gipper]

Clay Matthews is a viable HOF candidate. Dieken likely is not. In fact...if a Browns OT should be elected to the HOF, it should be Dick Shafrath.

Doug Dieken made one single Pro Bowl in his career.

Dick Shafrath made 7 Pro Bowls, and was All Pro 4 times..and SHOULD be in the HOF

Cody Risien actually made the Pro Bowl more times than Dieken.

Dieken was steady...but not spectacular.

And of course we have Joe Thomas...a certain HOF at LT

 

If there were other former Browns that deserved HOF mentioned they could include the likes of Gary Collins, Hanford Dixon, Jim Houston, Walter Johnson or MDP....but none of those will actually come close.

[hoorta]

Clay is a no brainer.

 

.

I've always said if Clay had played for the Steelers, he'd have been in long ago.

[The Gipper]

I've always said if Clay had played for the Steelers, he'd have been in long ago.

If you just go by the PFR Career Average, it breaks down to this:

Ham 148

Greene 137

Lambert 136

Blount 134

...............Matthews 124

Shell 120

 

While the most direct comparison would be Jack Ham and Clay....it is still difficult to do:

Clay, in his career played 19 years, had 32 Ints. 1561 tackles, 69.5 sacks.....but had 5 years pre 1982 when sacks where not kept as a stack.

With Ham...all we know from things is that he played 12 years, had 32 Ints....but sacks and tackles were not kept track of.

 

So...I guess I am wondering how the PFR stats for total production can be compared....when they give no tackle/sacks data for Ham.

As an entire career I would wager Matthews was far more productive. And I am wondering if they are just giving a number to Ham that seems good.

Or....as you say....are they heavily weighting his number because he played on so many title teams.

FYI: Ham played in 16 playoff games.....Matthews in 11.