It is how you go out of the league. Strahan goes out on a high note. But imagine if he had retired last year….such as in the middle of training camp. We would not even be having this conversation.

Look at Sapp. Yeah ridiculous stats, but being unknown the last 4 years of his career leads me to believe he is not a first or a second ballot hall of famer. He will get in on a down year!

I think if Jason’s attitude does not change, he will not be a Hall of Famer, and definitely not a quick one.

Great comparison and argument but Jason’s TD stats are incorrect here because he actually has 8 career touchdowns. Perhaps the 3 TD’s indicated here are just the interceptions returned for TD, of which he does have 3. However he also has 5 fumbles returned for TD in his career which ties him with former Falcon Jessie Tuggle for the NFL record. Perhaps Strahan’s TD’s only include Interceptions as well. I’m not sure. But Jason has 8 for sure.
In addition, I believe Jason’s 41 forced fumbles puts him 4 behind NFL career record holder Derrik Thomas who had 45.

No comparison of JT to Marino. Marino was the best at his position at the time.

You might have a hard time arguing JT is one of the top ten greatest DEs of all time!

JT seems like a great guy (until the last 6 months), but to say he’s a first ballot or “sure” HOF is a stretch by Dolfans who can’t see the big picture. For all the sack stats he has, I guess no one can remember that for the first 6-7 years of his career, he was terrible at the run and he and Zack had a real knack for coming up very small in the big games. Just remember all the Bills games when he would get pancaked, or the infamous Jets and Patriots defensive choke-jobs. For that reason, I would think he MIGHT get in, but wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t.

If Andre Reed hasn’t gotten in, and he was clearly one of the top 3-4 receivers in the 1990’s, how can you say JT is a lock? Strahan always had a more all-around game (ie run defense), and, face it, he played in NYC.

JT will eventually be a HOF, but if he doesn’t win a Championship he won be a first ballot HOF’er. Strahan has locked in his first ballot by winning a SB. I also don’t see JT playing 4 more years, so I don’t see him closing in on the sacks, which lets face it, is where DLinemen get their recognition and earn their HOF status.

Longevity has another phase to it – still excelling, even at an advanced age.

Taylor may average more stats now, but in 4 years will his body still be able to keep up with his present stats? It seems we’ll never know.

I’d like to compare Strahan through 4 less years to Taylor now. Was Strahan a Hall of Famer then? Were their stats so dissimilar then?

I can honestly say, Taylor didn’t have more of an impact in each game than Strahan.

I can honestly say, Taylor is no where near Reggie White.

An impact player helps impact the team to WIN games!

It’s the same reason Kirby Puckett is in the Hall of Fame and Don Mattingly is not. Puckett won a championship and Mattingly didnt.

I thought the talent was pretty good in the early 2000s. I also don’t think the Giants had that much talent this past year….(Yeah they look good now)

Teams game planned around the other great DEs too.

Listen, I am not a JT hater. My dogs name is Zach and my cats name is JT. (I also had a snake named Nick, but thats a story for another day). But if JT comes back and dedicates the next 2-3 years he will be what everyone thinks he is now! I think we have had talent and have had poor leadership in the FO, Coaching Staff and in the locker room. And I can only push that through to our supposed leader JT.

The NFL HOF is fraternity that I do not believe JT is eligible for yet. And i would also think that the other NFLers who are in see that as well. Look at the list on the HOF website for DEs. All great ones. Most won the big game, or at least played in one. Jack Youngblood didn’t win, but played in one. Leroy Selmon, didn’t play, but was so well respected among hi peers. I don’t think JT has that respect….yet.

because i think the Phins could be at least a playoff team within 2 years. (don’t ruin my vision here) But at the same time it’s a lot easier for us to say he should play several more years from behind our keyboards. I am a former athlete – baseball and wrestling in high school. Now obviously not at anywhere near this kind of level but my point is the same. I couldn’t go on to college sports because my body wouldn’t allow it. I’m 33 and have pain every day. Who knows what JT’s feeling every day. What I’m saying is it could be understandable to not want to play until his body gives out on him. JT has stayed away from major injuries but who knows how many annoying aches and pains he has from the abuse he is putting himself through. I certainly wasn’t taking on 300lb lineman like JT is. If he’s dealing with his body telling him he should only play another year then I’m ok with that. Maybe he just isn’t wanting to risk a major injury that could affect his life after football co-staring with The Rock. I don’t like that but I can appreciate it. Here’s a scenario for you…....JT plays with the Phins this year (because we’re not going to get a fair trade value) and we’re 8-8 or better…..does he realize we could make a playoff run and decide to stick around another year?

...he is primarily a sack specialist. In the NFL, sack specialists are like Closers in MLB in the ‘70’s. Sack numbers being put up now will become more common in the coming years. Chris Doleman and Kevin Greene haven’t made the HoF in their first 3 years of eligibility, and they have 33 and 43 more sacks than JT. They have more sacks than Michael Strahan. How can JT make the HoF with clearly inferior stats to these guys?

I believe that JT needs at least 3 more years of high level productivity to put himself into the sure fire HoF category. Even then, if Doleman, Greene, and Strahan have not made the HoF by then, he’ll be competing with them for votes.

How differently would the responses to this post be if JT was in camp raving about not being able to wait to win a SB with the Phins in 2-3 years? And he thinks of Parcells as a 2nd Dad?