by Mighty-Pen

Created on: June 09, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

In my humble opinion Art Monk should have been a first or second ballot nominee to the Hall of Fame. Maybe he was a victim of his time, or maybe a victim of sportswriters catching up from the past to bridge the future.

When Art Monk left the game he had already surpassed Steve Largent's new record for most catches throughout a career. Monk left the NFL at the top of the record books until Jerry Rice ( or some other phenom came along). He was Jerry Rice's predessesor in a "quiet" way.

Let me digress, Steve Largent was a first ballot Hall of Famer. Yes, Steve and Art were playing in entirely different systems. Their roles may have been similar but the quarterback has to be a factor in this argument. Steve Largent played in a system where they had a left handed QB, in Jim Zorn, who also was a good runner for a QB. They used Largent as a possession type of receiver (in my opinion), of course he went down field, and they often connected on big plays. Steve being a small, receiver with good speed, knew how to manuever after making the catch. He was as sure handed as they come.

Art Monk, could have played any place they asked him to play. He could have been that speed guy early in his career, used to stretch the field. He could have come out of the slot and played flanker, or slot receiver, in today's game. He went across the middle and made the tough catch. Art relished in the role that they asked him to play. That role was a go-to possession type of receiver. He was not a possession type of receiver who was asked to only go short. He didn't get all of the balls thrown his way either. Like Steve Largent, he was sure handed, he dropped very few passes. Being a former running back in college, at Syracuse, Art was very tough to bring down in the open field or with one tackler. Being a Redskins fan, I saw Art Monk break many tackles, no kidding.

He also wasn't the only receiver or "wide-out" who got the ball thrown his way. Remember he played with Gary Clark who was a very productive receiver for the Redskins. The Fun bunch with Charlie Brown, Alvin Garrett, and the others had to share the ball with Art. Art played with a few more quarterbacks than Largent and some of the other greats. However, his production did not suffer. Some were great, most were okay. But when he retired, he left the game with most catches and up in the ranks with the most yards.

Art Monk also played in a very competitive division. At that time, the NFL East was the most dominant division in the league. Do you agree? I mean pound for pound it had some of the best athletes and toughest competition(s), across the board, in the NFL. Come on now, Redskins vs Cowboys, Giants vs Eagles, Redskins vs Giants, Dallas vs Eagles, etc., throw in the Cardinals, don't sleep on the "cardiac Cardinals" and you had one tough division. Let me further make my point...most of these teams have Superbowl Rings, except for the Eagles and the Cardinals; there are at least 10 Superbowl Champions from this one division.

Monk was one of the mold-makers for today's superstars, the Terrell Owens, and Randy Moss' of the world. He was a big body that possessed enough speed, sure hands, and like Owens, and Moss, had the ability to get "yards after catch". If Art had not been hurt in one (or two) Superbowls, that the Redskins were in, he would have easily cemented his name in the minds of many people across the country.

Knowing Art with his "humble personality" and "gracious smile" would have thanked God, thanked the fans, and eloquently spoke his piece.

It took them the writers "way too long" to induct Art Monk into the NFL Hall of Fame.

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