Lost in all the Super Bowl 50 hoopla were the Class of 2016 inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Many of the inductions were well deserved.  Brett Favre and Orlando Pace were well-deserved first-ballot Hall of Famers.  Kevin Green should have been inducted long ago.  Tony Dungy was a shoo-in from the coaching ranks.  Eddie DeBartolo, Jr was one of the greatest owners in NFL history.  And it’s a shame that it took THIS DAMN LONG for Kenny Stabler to be inducted, even sadder that he wasn’t around to witness it.

However, I have a problem with Terrell Owens not getting the nod – and even a bigger problem with Marvin Harrison getting the nod BEFORE Owens.

Look, I’m not knocking Harrison’s accomplishments here.  It’s not like he didn’t ball out.  After all, he and Peyton Manning formed arguably the deadliest QB-receiver combo during their days in Indianapolis.

Check out Harrison’s numbers:

• 8× Pro Bowl (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006)
• 3× First-team All-Pro (1999, 2002, 2006)
• 5× Second-team All-Pro (2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005)
• NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
• 10,000 Receiving Yards Club
• 1,000 Catch Club

While Harrison definitely had the game to be a Hall of Famer, Owens was considered more of an icon than Harrison.  His nickname “T.O.” became a big-time brand, more than Harrison could even dream of.

Owen’s career numbers underscores that claim.  Let us count the ways:

• 6× Pro Bowl (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007)
• 5× First-team All-Pro (2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007)
• 3× NFL Receiving Touchdowns Leader (2001, 2002, 2006)
• 1,000 Catch Club
• 100 Career Receiving Touchdowns Club
• 10,000 Receiving Yards Club
• 15,000 Receiving Yards Club
• NFL 2000s All-Decade Team

And then there are the league records Owens set:

• Currently, the only player in NFL history to score a TD against all 32 NFL teams.
• Currently, the only player in NFL history to score two or more touchdowns against all 32 NFL teams
• Oldest player to have a TD reception of 98+ yards (35 years, 350 days)
• Oldest player to have a TD reception of 78+ yards (36 years, 300 days)
• Oldest player to have a 200-yard receiving game (36 years, 300 days)
• Consecutive Seasons with at least 5 or more touchdown receptions, 2000-2010 (11) – tied with Marvin Harrison 1996-2006, Jerry Rice 1986-1996, Cris Carter 1991-2001, Tim Brown 1991-2001, Don Hutson 1935-1945
• Consecutive Seasons with at least 5 or more touchdowns, 2000-2010 (11) – tied with Marvin Harrison 1996-2006, Jerry Rice 1986-1996, Cris Carter 1991-2001, Tim Brown 1991-2001, Don Hutson 1935-1945
• Consecutive seasons with at least 4 touchdown receptions, 1996-2010 (15)
• Consecutive seasons with at least 4 touchdowns, 1996-2010 (15)
• Consecutive seasons with at least 3 touchdown receptions, 1996-2010 (15)
• Consecutive seasons with at least 3 touchdowns, 1996-2010 (15)
• Consecutive seasons with at least 750 receiving yards, 1997-2010 (14)
• One of six players to have at least 2 receptions of 90+ yards (John Taylor, Mike Quick, Gaynell Tinsley, Steve Watson, and Willard Dewveall)

The most impressive thing about Owen’s numbers was that he performed at a high level for MORE THAN ONE QUARTERBACK.  He balled out in San Francisco with QBs Steve Young and Jeff Garcia.  He did it in Philadelphia with Donovan McNabb.  He did it in Dallas with Tony Romo (and for a little while with Drew Bledsoe).  He put up numbers on bad teams in Buffalo and Cincinnati.

And here is one more kicker.  Owens set franchise records in San Francisco, Philadelphia, Dallas, and Buffalo.

Again, congrats to Harrison on making the Hall.  He and Manning will be able to chop it up as fellow Hall of Famers a few more years from now.

But he is no T.O.

(By the way, will Harrison say something – ANYTHING – during his Hall of Fame induction speech?  That alone merits high TV ratings…)

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