On Wednesday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the 52 Modern-Era players who have advanced in the Hall of Fame selection process. While much of the discussion will be surrounding whether or not quarterbacks Eli Manning and Phillip Rivers belong in the Hall of Fame, Detroit Lions fans will be wondering if their favorites from yesteryear will make it. Sadly for those fans, two franchise legends missed the cut.
Among the 76 players to miss the cut from the 128 nominees are wide receiver Herman Moore and kicker Jason Hanson. Moore was among the initial 18 WR nominees, while Hanson was among the seven K/Punters. Only seven WRs and three K/Ps advanced.
It’s a disappointing result, given that each player is among the best at their position in franchise history. Both Moore and Hanson have already been inducted into the Pride of the Lions; Hanson in 2013 and Moore in 2018. There are currently six members of the Pride of the Lions not yet in the Hall of Fame.
Moore was a fixture of the Lions’ offense throughout the 1990s. He led the league in receptions twice, including at one point holding the NFL record in a season with 123 in 1995. Moore’s three First-Team All-Pro selections put him above notable Hall of Famers, including Michael Irvin, Steve Largent, Cris Carter, and Andre Johnson, and equal to the number Calvin Johnson had.
However, Moore’s prime, as great as it was, was short. Moore saw his greatest success across a four-year stretch. This has resulted in Moore’s career numbers of 9,174 receiving yards and 62 touchdown receptions being lower than what has been expected of a Hall of Famer. Add in the fact that there is a massive backlog at the WR position, where notable players like Steve Smith Jr. and Torry Holt are still waiting for the call, and it’s clear that Moore’s candidacy is an uphill climb. It's entirely possible that both he and Amon-Ra St. Brown will one day find themselves competing for enshrinement.
Hanson is the Lions’ all-time leading scorer with 2,150 points. Hanson holds numerous NFL records, including most seasons (21) and games played (327) for a single franchise, most field goals above 40 yards (189), and most game-winning field goals in overtime (9). Where Hanson’s résumé falls short is his individual accolades. Hanson only has two Pro Bowl selections to his name and a single Second-Team All-Pro nod. By comparison, Gary Anderson has four Pro Bowl selections, two First-Team All-Pros, and a Second-Team All-Pro, and has still not been enshrined.
Former Lions who did advance in the Hall of Fame selection process
All is not lost for Lions fans hoping to see a former Lion get inducted in the Class of 2026. Offensive tackle Lomas Brown is now one step closer to a deserved enshrinement. The seven-time Pro Bowler is the only player remaining in the process whose career was spent predominately with the Lions. The franchise and Brown himself have recently made a significant push to highlight Brown’s career and its Hall of Fame worthiness.
Other former Lions who have advanced include WR Anquan Boldin and defensive tackle Haloti Ngata. Boldin played his final season in the NFL with the Lions in 2016, where he amassed 584 yards and eight TD receptions. For his career, Boldin has 13,779 receiving yards and 82 TD receptions. Ngata played three seasons with the Lions from 2015 to 2017, where he started 32 games and was credited with six sacks. Both Boldin and Ngata won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in 2012.
On the coach and contributor side, separate from Modern-Era players, former Lions head coach Buddy Parker has advanced to the final 12 candidates. Parker led the Lions through their most successful period in franchise history, winning two NFL Championships. His three playoff wins are still a franchise record nearly 70 years later.
For these remaining candidates, the Selection Committee will review and vote for who advances to the 25-player semifinalist stage. The results of this are expected to be announced by the end of November. The list of candidates will further be reduced before a formal announcement of inductees is made prior to Super Bowl LX. Fingers crossed the remaining former Lions make it. As for Moore and Hanson, the wait will be at least another year.
