Bengals Ken Anderson deserves respect, spot in Hall of Fame | Opinion

Just like Rodney Dangerfield, it certainly looks like Ken Anderson, too, gets no respect. At least from the voters for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Three senior candidates have moved one-step closer to making the coveted Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Hall’s Seniors Committee recently named three finalists to be considered for the Class of 2024 − linebacker Randy Gradishar, defensive tackle Steve McMichael and wide receiver Art Powell.

They forgot Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson.

The three senior finalists were chosen from a list of 12 candidates, which had been cut down from an initial group of 31 semifinalists. Each senior candidate finished his career during the 1998 season or earlier. And in order to be elected to the Hall, each of the senior finalists − along with the 15 modern-era player finalists, plus one coach/contributor candidate (Buddy Parker in ’24) − require 80% of the vote from the entire 50-person selection committee when they meet early next year.

Let’s take a quick look at these three:

Gradishar was the Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1978 and was a key member of the Denver Broncos’ "Orange Crush" defense. He was named to seven Pro Bowls.

McMichael − nicknamed "Mongo" − was a centerpiece of the Chicago Bears’ famed defenses of the 1980s, and like Gradishar, both never missed a regular season game because of injury, spanning 15 seasons. His 95 sacks rank fourth all-time among defensive tackles.

For Gradishar, it was 151 games in his 10-year career.

As for Powell, he was a standout in the CFL, AFL and NFL starting as a defensive back before being moved to a receiver. He starred for the New York Titans starting in their 1960 inaugural season. He became a star with the Oakland Raiders, leading the AFL in receiving yards (1,304) and receiving touchdowns (16) in 1963 and leading the Raiders in receiving yards four straight seasons.

Now for the man left out − Anderson.

In his 16 seasons with the Bengals, he completed 2,654 of 4,475 passes (59.3%) for 32,838 yards and 197 touchdowns and 160 interceptions and also gained 2,220 rushing yards and scored 20 rushing touchdowns on 397 carries. His passing yards (32,838) is a Bengals record, followed by Andy Dalton and Boomer Esiason with 31,594 and 27,149 respectively. His 197 career touchdowns trail Dalton’s 204. As for completions, Anderson had 2,654 in 192 games, while Dalton compiled 2,757 in 133 games for the top spot.

A third-round pick − 67^th player selected overall − in the 1971 NFL draft, Anderson led the NFL in passer rating four times, completion percentage three times and passing yards twice. In 1981, he was awarded AP NFL Most Valuable Player and AP Offensive Player of the Year, a season in which he led the Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance. In 1982, Anderson set an NFL record for completion percentage of 70.6% − a record he held for over 25 years until it was broken by New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees in 2009.

He was selected to four Pro Bowls (1975-76 and 1981-82); was voted All-Pro in 1981, and Second Team All-Pro in 1975. He led the NFL in quarterback rating four times during his career (1974, 1975, 1981 and 1982) and led the league in passing yards twice (1974, 1975).

But here’s the key − something Hall of Fame voters probably overlooked. In the time of 1973-84, Dan Fouts − a Hall of Fame quarterback who played for the San Diego Chargers − and Anderson had similar completions and completion percentages, while having different touchdowns/interceptions. Fouts threw more of both.

Anderson dominated Fouts in rushing − over 2,000 yards for 16 touchdowns to Fouts’ 480 for 11.

Perhaps the difference is most of the quarterbacks to have been inducted into the Hall of Fame have won at least one NFL/AFL Championship or a Super Bowl. There have been just eight to have been inducted who did not win a title.

And Fouts is one of them, Class of 1993.

With stats complied of fellow 1970s quarterback Hall of Famer Ken Stabler, Anderson outranks him in games played/started, yards, touchdowns (197 to 194) along with less interceptions (160 to 222). Stabler was inducted to the Hall posthumously in 2016.

Among quarterbacks to have been the primary starter at the position, Anderson is tied for the second-most seasons (13, with Jim Hart) at the position of those eligible for the Hall of Fame to not be inducted. Vinny Testaverde with 15 is the most.

Now that’s a lack of respect − agree?

Andy Furman is a member of the Enquirer Board of Contributors. He also talks sports nationally on Fox Sports Radio, serves as PR coordinator for The Point/Arc in Northern Kentucky and writes for the Brooklyn (NY) Daily Eagle.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bengals Ken Anderson deserves respect, spot in Hall of Fame | Opinion