Will Steve Smith be a First Ballot HOF?

[Ricky Spanish]

Not first ballot, but the fact he has stayed in the public eye by doing stuff for the NFL network will help his cause. No out of site, out of mind kind of deal. 

Dude deserves it though. Put up those stats in a run first offense with subpar QB play the majority of his career.

[rayzor]

Like everything else, he'll have to fight for it...but he's got other people fighting for him too. He'll get in. Most likely first ballot, imo. Won't take much longer if not. 

[Moo Daeng]

Is it that out of the ordinary to think tge odds might be against him the first year? I just give the odds of not a slight advantage 

[Bronn]

100% first ballot and GOAT WR IDGAF

[TheoJay10]

Smitty put up top all time WR with a collective of QB’s that were for the most part terrible. If that doesn’t get him in then the HOF is a popularity contest with no substance. Homerism aside if this man would’ve had any of the other recent HOF WR Qb’s his stats could’ve been top 5 all time. He should be enshrined and commended for years of playing at an All Pro level with a team that most sane people with his talent would’ve never resigned with, and that’s as real as it gets.

[Car123]

I’m going to Canton whenever he gets in.

[tukafan21]

Not deserving of first ballot, but I also have a higher standard for first ballot than most, I think they should be reserved for the a very few upper elite of even HOF standard, such as a Peyton or Woodson this year.

Love me some Smitty as much as anyone else here, but he's not on the level as someone like those two.

I don't think Calvin should have even sniffed a first ballot, great career, but it was shorter than most HOF careers and he did it in an offense and a QB that just chucked it downfield all game long, no kidding he was able to put up stats.

I was unsure of Smitty ever getting in when he retired, just cause of the log jam of WRs still out there, but a lot have been getting in finally since he retired, and as someone else noted, him being on the NFL Network has been huge, particularly since he's entertaining to watch.  He'll likely get in somewhere in his 2nd to 5th year of eligibility, which I think is fair for someone who had the career he did, if he won a ring I think he'd push for a first ballot.

[SBBlue]

13 minutes ago, Car123 said:

I’m going to Canton whenever he gets in.

I never considered it but now that you said something, that would be cool.

[L-TownCat]

Things to consider:

-Smith was the only receiving threat the majority of his career

-Smith never had a “franchise QB”

-Smith was never in a pass 1st offense

-Smith played when rules favored defense

-Smith is the only player since Sterling Sharpe to win the triple crown

-Smith is the only player in playoff history with a rush/receiving/return TD in a single post season

-Smith is behind only these Legends:

Rice, Larry Legend, Tony Gonzalez, Jason Witten, Harrison, Carter, Brown, TO, Boldin, Wayne, and Andre Johnson.

(Those other guys had some HOF QBs tossing pigskins their way or were pass heavy offenses)

Smith achieved what he achieved with less help than any of his statistical peers.  Andre Johnson might have the closest scenario, but Smitty is 5’9.  
 

There’s no other way to put it.  It should not have been possible to do what that little man did.  He did it, and he did it better than anyone else ever could in the same situation.  Not pound for pound or any of that nonsense, Smitty holds his own without qualifiers or quantifiers.

Agent 89 is a case study in will power, determination and dominance.