Edgerrin James A Hall of Famer? Does He Need A Super Bowl Victory? | NFL

more posts by author

All the talk this week has been about Arizona Cardinals Quarterback Kurt Warner needing another Super Bowl victory to cement his name in the Hall of Fame.

However, it seems as though the former Super Bowl MVP might already have done so. Cardinals running back Edgerrin James on the other hand may be the one who needs the victory.

James left the year before the Colts won the Super Bowl in 2006 and hasn’t won an NFL Championship. Although the Colts technically gave him a Super Bowl ring for his part in helping the Colts' franchise develop and win the Super Bowl, he still doesn’t have a real championship victory of his own.

In fact, if anything, the Colt’s Super Bowl victory hurt his legacy by showing people that the Colts didn’t need James to win. Since he has gone to the Cardinals in 2006, his numbers have dropped tremendously and his legacy seemed to have taken a hit.

In his three years with the Cardinals he has averaged a very poor 3.6 yards per carry. Earlier this year, things got so bad for him, that during an eight-game stretch starting in week nine he was limited to 11 carries.

James was so unhappy following a 35-16 victory over the St. Louis Rams on Nov. 16, that he asked to be released. Fortunately for him and the Cardinals, they refused to do so.

James regained his starting role in Week 17 and since then he has suddenly been playing with a chip on his shoulder. In the Cardinals' playoff stretch, James seems to be fresher, more explosive, and more importantly, he seems to be fighting for every yard he can get.

James’ performances have been vital in helping bring the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl ever. No matter what you want to say about James, you can’t deny that he has had an incredible career.

James is 11th in NFL history with 12,121 rushing yard and is only 1501 yard from passing Bettis to enter the top five of all-time.

Other career highlights and awards:

80 career touchdowns (18th all time)
4x Pro Bowl selection
4x All-Pro selection
AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1999
Led NFL with 1,553 rushing yards in 1999
Led NFL with 1,709 rushing yards in 2000
Colts career rushing leader with 9,226 yards
Colts career rushing touchdown leader with 64

I had no idea that James had so many yards in his career until I looked it up. Many people like me have forgotten just how good he was for the Colts since he has gone to Arizona.

James would probably be a sure Hall of Famer if he had stayed in Indianapolis and I wonder if his departure might have cost him the Hall of Fame.

I have no doubt that James at some point may have regretted leaving Indianapolis for more money and been envious of his former Colts’ teammates for hosting the Lombardi Trophy.

However, if James can win the Super Bowl this year, it will no longer be a mistake that he left the Colts and he may finally be at peace with himself.

If the Cardinals to do win, James can ride into the sunset like Jerome Bettis did after winning Super Bowl XLII and eventually be put into the Hall of Fame.

COMMENT

ADD FEED

24 comments

Vote!

Comment!

Your votes determine top comment

1/20/09

fred77008

5	(Edited by fred77008) "I did not come to Arizona to block. I am not an offensive lineman." These are not the words of a Hall of Famer.

1/20/09

CMAC

0	I really had no idea he had that many yards... I knew he was good, but he doesn't seem to be a hall of famer.

1/20/09

fred77008

5	(Edited by fred77008) "I did not come to Arizona to block. I am not an offensive lineman." These are not the words of a Hall of Famer.

1/20/09

0	James is not a Hall of Famer by any means

1/20/09

0	(Edited by arihoring1) Michael_Luchies wrote: James is not a Hall of Famer by any means There is more than a good chance he'll enter the top 5 in rushing all time by the time his career is over. So your saying a guy who could be in the top 5 all time is not a hall famer by any means?

1/20/09

0	(Edited by arihoring1) arihoring1 wrote: There is more than a good chance he'll enter the top 5 in rushing all time by the time his career is over. So your saying a guy who could be in the top 5 all time is not a hall famer by any means?

1/20/09

0	He is only 122 yards from being in the top 10 so it's going to happen. I'll be surprised if he doesn't get the 1501 yards he needs to enter the top 5.

1/20/09

lilkeithw

0	Hall of famer for sure.

1/20/09

0	arihoring1 wrote: There is more than a good chance he'll enter the top 5 in rushing all time by the time his career is over. So your saying a guy who could be in the top 5 all time is not a hall famer by any means? In his case yes. You honestly think he will be in the Hall of Fame? He has had a very good career, I just don't see him making into the Hall that's all.

1/20/09

0	This is a good debate...we need a poll strictly is Edge a Hall of Famer, I'll let someone else do the honors

1/20/09

(Edited by arihoring1)
Michael_Luchies wrote:

This is a good debate...we need a poll strictly is Edge a Hall of Famer, I'll let someone else do the honors

agreed it is a good debate. The problem with James is just like Curtis Martin he has had a quieter career than most hall of famers. He also played in a great system and was always overshadowed by Peyton Manning and the passing game. I think a Super Bowl ring would put him over the top though.

1/20/09

arihoring1 wrote:

Excellent point, I'll give you a thumbs up for that one. It's very hard when a players career tails off at the end and they disappear. I mean look at Shaun Alexander and his numbers...and now he's gone. is he a Hall of Fame running back? He has less yards than Edge, but 20 more rushing touchdowns.. I don't like either for the Hall but we'll have to wait and see.

1/20/09

You shouldn't need a championship ring to cement your name as an All-Time Great, there are litterally 100's of great players in the HOF that don't have a championship. Is James Brown not a great RB because he never won a SuperBowl? Is Marino not one of the best QB's to play the game because he only made it to one SuperBowl? Of course not...... if a dude was great and deserves to be in the HOF, he should go, champion or not.

1/20/09

Jubanator14

0	Edge did get a Super Bowl ring. The Colts gave him one after they won it the year after he left so he "has" one. Sorta

1/20/09

Dream_Machine

0	fred77008 wrote: "I did not come to Arizona to block. I am not an offensive lineman." These are not the words of a Hall of Famer. Which would you have, SB Ring or HOF

1/20/09

beerstudk wrote:

Ya but Edge is no Marino or Jim Brown. With border line hall of famers, a ring can push you over the top.

1/20/09

arihoring1 wrote:

Ya but Edge is no Marino or Jim Brown. With border line hall of famers, a ring can push you over the top.

I don't buy that, especially not with RB's and especially not RB's from this generation where the shelf life of the average NFL RB is 3 seasons. It's not Terrel Davis' 2 rings that put him in the conversation of being a Hall of Famer nor are his 3 rings the reason Micheal Irvin is a Hall of Famer, it's the yards and the TD's and their play on the field.... it's really nothing more than luck that got both of those players their rings. It's their skill and talent and performance that makes them HOF worthy. If a player is good enough to be in the Hall, he'll make it into the Hall regardless of how much he's won and there are literally hundreds of examples to prove that.

1/20/09

fred77008

beerstudk wrote:

"it's really nothing more than luck" that Terrell Davis and MIchael Irvin have rings? Are you saying it was luck that Denver went back to back? Or that is was luck that Dallas (with Emmit, Troy and Michael) won 3? I am not sure I follow.

I thought they earned those rings.

1/20/09

beerstudk wrote:

Terrell Davis without rings is just Priest Holmes

1/20/09

fred77008 wrote:

It was luck that those players were put together on that team. Don't you think that Denver could have won with Chris Warren instead of Davis..... or that Dallas could have won with Sterling Sharpe or Andre Rison instead of Irvin?? There are a lot of players with equal (and in some cases superior talent) to those players and it isn't really too much to assume that most parts in a scheme are, for the most part, interchangable. Bill Belicheck has tought us that if nothing else. That's what I meant by them being lucky, they're lucky to be part of a good team when they just as easily been put on the Seahawks or Falcons back in those days.

1/20/09