Should Ottis Anderson Be a Hall Of Famer?
Ottis Anderson was one of the greatest running backs in the history of the New York Giants and he arguably deserves to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Let’s take a look at both sides of the debate.
Anderson played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1979-1986 before he became a New York Giant. Anderson played with the Giants from 1986-1992 and was a big part of the Super Bowl XXV win under head coach Bill Parcells.
Anderson rushed for 10,273 rushing yards, which ranks 28th in NFL history. Anderson’s stats are hampered by several injuries and the 1982 NFL strike that occurred when he was on pace to have a great season. Anderson started off strong and finished strong, though there was a four year stretch where he really struggled to stay on the field.
Anderson rushed for 1,605 yards in his rookie season averaging 4.8 yards per carry. He rushed for 1,000 yards in each of his six seasons except for 1982 which was shortened due to the strike. Then Anderson’s numbers decreased as his bad luck with injuries increased.
Anderson’s career was absolutely reborn with the Giants. In 1989 he was the Giants workhorse and embodied the physical nature of the team. He had 1,023 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. He was the MVP of Super Bowl XXV. In that glorious Super Bowl win over the Buffalo Bills, Anderson rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown. One of the biggest plays of the game was a 24 yard run by Anderson.
When healthy Anderson was a sight to see on the football field. Many would argue that Anderson belongs in the hall of very good not in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame. The argument is that so much of his career was ruined by injuries and he had too many ups and downs to be in the hall of fame.
Those are perfectly valid points. I would argue that the peaks of Anderson’s career were special. He was a physically imposing freight train, a picture perfect example of an NFL running back. He certainly deserves at the very least some consideration for enshrinement.