Canton about to knock on Pitt’s door yet again
By most standards, Pitt is just another college football program. It took a 7-4 record into its game at Miami Saturday night with a chance to finish with five losses for the seventh time in Pat Narduzzi’s eight seasons. It won’t crack the top 25 this season for the 34th time in the past 40 seasons. It finished 13th last season in Kenny Pickett’s magical season, its best showing since 1982.
But in one significant way, Pitt football has been extraordinary.
The 28 modern-day semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2023 were announced on Tuesday. Hines Ward and James Harrison made the list but aren’t expected to survive the next cut to 15 finalists. Darrelle Revis, who is eligible for the first time, is an absolute lock for induction.
That’s Pitt’s Darrelle Revis.
You have heard of Revis Island?
Revis will become the 10th former Pitt player to be enshrined, joining Joe Schmidt, Mike Ditka, Tony Dorsett, Dan Marino, Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson, Chris Doleman, Curtis Martin and Jim Covert. Larry Fitzgerald and Aaron Donald will make it 11 and 12 the second they are eligible. LeSean McCoy could be No. 13.
Only USC (14), Notre Dame (14), Michigan (11) and, for now, Ohio State (10) have produced more Hall of Famers.
Pitt is keeping incredible company.
Shutdown cornerback doesn’t even begin to describe Revis. He had just 29 interceptions in his 11-year NFL career — Rod Woodson had 71 in 17 seasons, by comparison — but his impact on every game was profound. Opposing quarterbacks seldom saw any benefit in challenging him.
Revis Island, remember? Revis spent most of his career with the New York Jets but became a Super Bowl champion with the New
England Patriots after the 2014 season. He was a fourtime, first-team All-Pro and was on the NFL’s 2010s AllDecade team. He made $124 million, according to spotrac.com.
The Hall call will be the topper of Revis’ football career, which featured amazing highlights at Pitt and Aliquippa High School before he became the Jets’ No. 1 pick in 2007.
Revis’ Pitt teams were the definition of mediocre — a combined 19-16 record — but he did make one of the great plays in Pitt history. His 73yard punt return in a loss to West Virginia in 2006 was ESPN’s Play of the Year in college football.
Revis led Aliquippa to the PIAA Class AA championship in 2003. In the title game — a 32-27 win against Northern Lehigh — he played receiver, running back, quarterback and defensive back and returned kicks. He scored all five of Aliquippa’s touchdowns, including an 89-yard kickoff return, a 33yard interception return and a 64-yard run that won the game.
It was easy to predict greatness ahead for Revis that day.
It would be wonderful to see Ward and Harrison go into the Hall with Revis next summer, but that seems unlikely.
Ward is a semifinalist for the seventh time but hasn’t made the cut to 15. It’s hard to understand what the voters think he is lacking as a Hall of Famer. He ranks 14th in NFL history in catches, tied for 16th in touchdown catches and 27th in receiving yards. He was tremendous in postseason games with 88 catches for 1,181 yards and 10 touchdowns in 16 starts. He was MVP of Super Bowl XL in large part because of his 43-yard touchdown catch of a pass from Antwaan Randle El against the Seattle Seahawks. He might have been the best blocking receiver of all-time. Ward belongs, right? Harrison’s resume isn’t as strong. He had five terrific seasons from 2007-2011, was theNFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2008 and made, arguably, the greatest play in SuperBowl history. His interception and 100-yard touch down return of a Kurt Warner pass was a big part of the Steelers’ 27-23 win against the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. But Harrison’ s overall stats seemcertain to keep him out of the Hall.His 84.5 sacks rank just 65th on the NFL official list, which goes back to 1982.
There is one other thing working against Ward and Harrison:
Steelers fatigue.
I truly believe the Hall electors get weary of voting in Steelers. It’s not malicious. Maybe it’s something in their subconscious. But it is there. I’m convinced that’s why it took Jerome Bettis five years to get in and Alan Faneca six.
No, there is no Jets fatigue.
Not that it would stop Revis, anyway.
Ron Cook: rcook@post-gazette.com and Twitter@RonCookPG. Ron Cook can be heard on the “Cook and Joe” show weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 93.7 The Fan.