FRISCO, Texas – Told you to brace yourselves last Wednesday for continued Darren Woodson Pro Football Hall of Fame disappointment, and my tea leaves were right once again.
For the third time in his 17 years of Hall of Fame eligibility making the final cut to 15, the Cowboys' Ring of Honor player, one of the most versatile defenders in NFL history, was denied entry into Canton, Ohio.
Such a rotten shame.
But this time the hurt cuts even deeper. The Pro Football Hall of Fame changed the selection process. For so many years, the pool of 167 modern-day era players was first cut to 50, then 25 and then the final 15. The selection committee would then meet the day before the Super Bowl. The pool was reduced to 10, then five, and at that point the committee members would vote yea or nay on those five candidates. Those with 80 percent yeas would be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
But this year the selection process was altered, possibly to enhance the exclusivity this institution values so greatly. So the now 49 voting members – one representative for each of the 32 teams, one from the Pro Football Writers Association and 16 at-large voters – reduced the pool to 10 as usual, but instead of then to five, they reduced the list to seven. After that, members were instructed to vote for their top five, the maximum allowed inductees for one year.
Then those with 80 percent approval in the top five would qualify for induction. Why, only three modern-day era candidates won approval: cornerback Eric Allen, defensive end Jared Allen and tight end Antonio Gates. That means there were two more available modern-day era spots available but left vacant.
So here is the hurt. It's not like five guys made the cut instead of Woody. There still was room. In fact, Woody didn't even make the cut to seven, the other four not collecting 80-percent approval being offensive tackle Willie Anderson, wide receiver Torry Holt, linebacker Luke Kuechly and kicker Adam Vinatieri.
No Woody, and under the new rules those four players advancing to the final seven automatically enter the final pool of 15 for next year's Class of 2026. And next year grows even more crowded with first-year eligible players like quarterback Drew Brees, running back Frank Gore, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, tight end Jason Witten, quarterback Philip Rivers and running back LeSean McCoy, not to mention the second year of eligibility for East Coast voting-block favorite, quarterback Eli Manning.
Dang it, there was room for the most-deserving Woodson. This three-man modern-day era Class of 2025 is the smallest in 20 years. Even if we add wide receiver Sterling Sharpe, the Seniors selection, that makes it four, having to go back to the four-man Class of 2005: quarterbacks Dan Marino and Steve Young with the Seniors selections of running back Fritz Pollard and quarterback Benny Friedman. That was all. Since 2013, each class since has included at least seven inductees, and one time even nine in the Class of 2023 that included two former Cowboys players, DeMarcus Ware and Seniors member Chuck Howley, one of three Seniors selected along with contributor Don Coryell.
Hate to even say it, but crazy, and guess for Woody, there's always next year.
- More Moore: No surprise the Saints selected former Cowboys backup quarterback, quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore as their next head coach following his Super Bowl victory Sunday while serving as the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive coordinator. Just another in a long line now of head coaches in the Moore family. Dad Tom Moore was a long-time high school head football coach in Prosper, Wash., winning multiple state championships. Kellen's granddad Bert Moore was a decorated high school basketball coach in the state of Illinois, and pointed out in our recent Mailbag, having coached at my high school in suburban Chicago (Bloom Township) from 1950-60. Now it's Kellen's turn, but brother, is he ever walking into a hornet's nest in New Orleans. The Saints finished the 2024 season with a 5-12 record, their worst season since going 3-13 in the Hurricane Katrina interrupted season of 2005, Jim Haslet's final season as head coach. At one point in 2024, the Saints lost seven straight and finished by losing five of their last six. Not good. Plus, the Saints are mired in salary cap hell entering 2025, and are unsure of their quarterback situation, since they went 5-5 last year with the oft-injured Derek Carr starting 10 games and backup Spencer Rattler going 0-7 starting the rest. But these head coach openings don't come along too often, and there is only 32 of them, so Moore jumped into the deep end despite Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni – rather playfully since he knew what was about to take place – saying after winning Super Bowl LIX, "Kellen, let's run this *&%$ back," on the Fox postgame show. And even Philadelphia tight end Dallas Goedert said of Kellen, "I expect him to be a great head coach in this league. I talked to him after the Super Bowl and gave him my spiel on why he should come back and run it back with us one more year, but incredibly happy for him." Tell you the truth, me, too.
- Real Oddity: Get this, with New Orleans somewhat up in the air at the quarterback position and not sure if it wants or can afford to have Carr back for another season, heard Rich Gannon on SiriusXM NFL Radio point out that the Saints, with the 2025 draft's ninth pick, have only once since their 1967 inception selected a quarterback in the first round of the NFL Draft, that being legendary passer Archie Manning from Ole Miss in 1971. Well, hell, technically the Cowboys have only used two first-round picks on a quarterback in their 65-year history, that being Craig Morton No. 5 in 1965 and Troy Aikman No. 1 in 1989. Now, they did spend their 1990 first-rounder in the 1989 NFL Supplemental Draft on Steve Walsh, forfeiting what became the No. 1 spot in the 1990 draft. And also traded their 1961 first- and third-round picks in 1960 for Washington veteran QB Eddie LeBaron after only being allowed Expansion Draft players other teams were willing to discard that first year. Seattle is the only other NFL team drafting no more than two first-round quarterbacks.
- All In: No, not Jerry, but sure sounds like Cowboys 11-year veteran defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, one of the team's 21 projected 2025 unrestricted free agents, is not ready to retire. Lawrence only played four games this past season, suffering that Lisfranc mid-foot injury against the Giants. Says his injury has healed, he's running and he'll be ready to go for this coming season. Except, not sure where he might be, since his 2022 three-year extension with the Cowboys has expired. But because of restructure bonuses, even though the contract voids in 2025, his dead-cap hit will be $7.45 million. Market value likely determines if the Cowboys can bring back their four-time Pro Bowl defensive end – the last two of those four in 2022-23 – or if another team gives him a sweeter deal to move on than they can match. Stay tuned come March 12, the first day of the new league year.
- Shorter Than Super: When it comes to talk of expanding the NFL season from the current 17 games the past four seasons to a league-high 18 in the future with just two preseason games – and seemingly endorsed by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who points out the 18th game is a "logical next step" – NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell said during Super Bowl Week, "Right now, I have talked to players over the last two seasons, and no one wants to play an 18th No one." … While the Eagles took a 24-0 first-half lead in Super Bowl LIX, do you realize their first touchdown came on a drive only extended by a third-down personal foul on Kansas City while facing an impending punt, the second compliments of rookie Cooper DeJean's Pick 6 and the third set up by Zack Baun's interception at the Chiefs' 14-yard line? Meaning, the Eagles on their own generated just one field-goal drive that half … So with Moore being hired by the Saints, that means seven teams, including the Cowboys, will have new head coaches in 2025, a 21.8 percent turnover. And once Jacksonville hires a GM, that will be four new ones during this year's hiring cycle … Running the football seems fashionable once again, something the Cowboys should know full well since in their past four consecutive playoff losses to the Rams, 49ers twice and Packers, the Cowboys have given up an average of 174.5 yards rushing a game and a grand total of eight rushing touchdowns.
OK, promise this will be the last time I bring this up – for now – but thought this quote from 2017 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee running back LaDainian Tomlinson best sums up my argument for Woodson to gain induction into Canton. And this from a guy who only played against the Cowboys once during Woody's career (2001). But he did go to high school 90 miles south in Waco and spent four seasons playing at nearby TCU, so watching Cowboys game not far away, is very appropriate.
"When you think about the Cowboys during their Super Bowl dynasty run, the Triplets get a lot of credit, but they had a dominant defense, including at the safety position. Darren Woodson was the most prominent game-changer at that time. He did it all. He could play in the box. He could play in the nickel. He could play outside. Darren was a do-it-all safety He was top of the top.
"You cannot write the Dallas Cowboys story in the '90s without writing about the impact that Darren Woodson had on the franchise and their ability to win at a high level."
Rest my case. For now.
