Art Monk for Hall of Fame? I Vote No

A regular feature profiling each of the 17 candidates for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Name: Art Monk

Position: Wide receiver

Career: 1980-1993 Washington Redskins, 1994 New York Jets, 1995 Philadelphia Eagles

Pros: Had 50 or more receptions nine times. Gained 1,000 yards five times. At one time held NFL records for catches in a season (106), most consecutive games with at least one reception (164), and career receptions (820). Finished career with 940 catches. Many members of th 1980s Redskins, foremost among them Joe Gibbs, insist that the great offense wouldn't have worked without Monk.

Cons: Named to just three Pro Bowls. Never led the league in receiving yards and finished in the Top 5 just twice. Never finished better than tied for ninth in the league in receiving touchdowns.

Verdict: People generally don't feel as passionately about Canton as they do about Cooperstown. But Monk is the exception: Redskins fans are adamant that he belongs, while many writers from outside the Beltway say he was just a possession receiver in a great offense. This year seems likely to be his best chance: Peter King of Sports Illustrated, one of the most vocal of the anti-Monk voices in years past, has indicated he'll vote yes for Monk this year. But I'm not convinced. Through most of his career, Monk wasn't even the first option in his team's passing game, and when you can say that about a receiver, you're not talking about a Hall of Famer. He gets a vote of NO.

Previous votes:
NO: Richard Dent, Fred Dean, Ray Guy, Michael Irvin, Bob Kuechenberg
YES: Russ Grimm, Gene Hickerson, Bruce Matthews
Note: By rule, the Hall of Fame must induct between three and six new members.