For five straight years, former Bills receiver Andre Reed has been considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And for five straight years, he’s been voted down.
But Reed thinks his luck is about to change.
“I believe it’s my time this year,” Reed told the Buffalo News. “Over the last six years, I’ve seen Jim [Kelly], Thurman [Thomas], Marv [Levy], Bruce [Smith], James Lofton and Ralph [Wilson] get in. I’m not going to lie and say I shouldn’t be in there with those guys. I was just as competitive as them, if not more.”
This year’s list of Hall of Fame finalists includes three receivers who all played at around the same time and all put up big career numbers: Reed, Cris Carter and Tim Brown. Last year Carter and Brown were among the five finalists eliminated in the first round of voting while Reed made it to the second round. So the selection committee seems to favor Reed over his two fellow receivers.
Reed says he’ll be upset if his name isn’t called on the day before the Super Bowl.
“I’d be very disappointed, considering how the voting went last year,” Reed said. “I knew I wasn’t going to make it with Jerry [Rice] and Emmitt [Smith] up. I’m not putting Cris or Tim down. People always say it’s a tough class. It’s been a tough class all four years. I’m going against some great players who have great careers and are very deserving.”
Reed just hopes the voters think he’s deserving, too.
