10 Best NFL Players Not in the Hall of Fame

Terrell Owens, Wide Receiver

Wide receiver Terrell Owens, or T.O., is the poster boy of Hall of Fame snubs.

Many point to the legendary wideout's, um, "colorful" on-field persona and off-field shenanigans as a reason for holding him off of election on his first and second ballots, but his player profile speaks much louder than any inflammatory touchdown celebrations can.

Owens is one of only two eligible players in the top-30 all-time by PFR’s career AV to not currently be enshrined in Canton (the other is following on this list shortly). T.O.’s career receiving yardage also is second-most among wide receivers, his 153 touchdowns are third, and his 14.8 yards per reception are 15th-most among the 58 players with at least 600 career receptions.

Owens’ career Reception NEP per target since 2000 (numberFire data only goes back that far) comes out to 0.78 and his Reception Success Rate (the percent of catches going for positive value) was 88.1 percent, while he averaged 137.0 targets a year. That’s essentially the production Keenan Allen turned in this year, every year for 11 years; that’s good.

Despite Owens’ “diva receiver” attitude and his journey through five different franchises, his playing profile presents a clear case for a first-ballot (or at least eventual) Hall of Famer.