Will Heap make HOF like Mackey?

**AirFlacco** · 07-10-2011, 04:20 PM

We have a discussion on another board about Mackey vs Heap, all with
due respect of course. As mentioned Mackey revolutionized the TE position
with his receptions and was a dangerous weapon after catching the ball literally running over opponents.

A guy said Heap has only done that about 3 times that he can remember but
I looked up their stats and they are almost identical.

Both have a little over 5,000 yards receiving. Heap has a couple more TDs.
Mackey has the longest TD of 89 yards. Heap's longest is 65 yards.

Both were named to a couple of pro bowls. Mackey won a SB ring while
Heap hasn't yet but should have. That wasn't his fault.

Mackey had Unitas throwing to him while Heap had Boller for half his
career, which ruined his back.

Heap plays in a tougher physical division and a much faster game.

The poster makes a good point about Heap's lack of of yardage after the
catch but it seems with the same yardage, Heap should make the Hall
even if he played in more games.

Anyway, we've been treated to some of the best TEs that ever played plus Shannan Sharpe
who won the trophy for us.

What does everyone think?

**AirFlacco** · 07-10-2011, 04:29 PM

A legend.

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/News/...hn_Mackey.aspx

OUCH! Who said Heap wasn't tough?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqiN3xASLJY

Jammed at the line and still scores in NE.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-h...eap-16-yard-TD

WoW.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivtG-BUnkks

**BLSmokey** · 07-10-2011, 04:34 PM

Unfortunately he took way too much abuse early in his career. I'd say he has absolutely no chance whatsoever. Of this era, you've got Gonzalez as a lock with Gates well on his way. After those two, next will be Witten if he stays relatively healthy for a few more seasons. Heap will end up around the 4th or 5th best TE of his generation, which isn't good enough at that position to make it in.

Ring of honor should be waiting for him though.

**Maelstrom** · 07-10-2011, 04:36 PM

I think Heap needs a Super Bowl ring and at least one truly standout season in the twilight of his career to be considered for the HOF.

I love the guy to death. He is a tough, hard-nosed competitor who has taken a nasty licking over the years and keeps on ticking. (Thank you, Timex...) I just think he won;t have the juice to get elected if he doesn't have some more individual and team success before he hangs it up.

**AirFlacco** · 07-10-2011, 04:38 PM

Thanks guys. Great posts. Maybe on another team huh?

You're probably right.

Abuse is what I meant about Boller killing him all those years.

**Rxdoxx** · 07-10-2011, 04:50 PM

Sadly I agree, Heap never rocketed to national prominence... people know about him but he never had the big spotlight to burn into peoples minds, except locally where we have followed him and know how good he is. I also think injuries, and Cam keeping him in to shore up the blocking didn't help him at all.

He will be ring of honor, he will have Baltimore in his pocket if he chooses to stay here (like Lenny Moore and others), and will always be welcome if he lives elsewhere.

But I can't see enshrined in Canton unless as Maelstrom says, he produces a monster.

I know there are still a few of us who remember a TE out of ND named Mutscheller and he has 2 championships.

**Captain Silver** · 07-10-2011, 05:12 PM

Like C-Mac very good, but not great.

**JMUpurkfool** · 07-10-2011, 05:38 PM

He has zero shot of making the HOF.. but he'll make our ROH easily. A great Raven.

**Beerracuda** · 07-10-2011, 06:12 PM

I don't know if Heap will make the HOF or not. However, it would not surprise me to see him make it. I think the HOF is rather watered-down these days. Many people cherish the very good players, but overvalue them a bit. Not to take away anything from Heap, I think he's a very good player, and a great guy all around, but the game is very different now than it was in the 60s when Mackey was playing. It's not very accurate to compare them. But as I said, Heap is one of the top TEs in the game these days, and people will remember him fondly after he retires. The fond memories of a very good player MIGHT be enough to put him in the HOF. Personally, I don't think he deserves it, but I'm rather biased in that I'd like only the very very best players of all time to make the HOF. Otherwise, it kind of loses it's significance.

**Mista T** · 07-10-2011, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by Beerracuda

I think the HOF is rather watered-down these days.

Bingo! Anything is possible. I cringe each year when I see some of the players from the past couple decades make it ... media favorites who weren't exceptional. Geez ... even a nobody like Byner can get his name on a stadium facade.

Heap is a great TE for the modern era. Trap's stats notwithstanding, Heap isn't close to Mackey in his impact to the game.

**wickedsolo** · 07-10-2011, 06:37 PM

It's very difficult for a TE to be considered for the HOF these days. Shannon Sharpe may be the last TE to be considered for quite some time. I'm not even sure if Tony Gonzalez will be a 1st ballot HOF'er, though he probably should be. I think maybe Dallas Clark's name should be tossed into that mix too, but that's probably about it.

Right now, Tony Gonzalez is the only TE who has HOF numbers without having a SB.

If Vernon Davis goes to another team with an actual QB, he's talented enough that he could be that next great TE.

**wickedsolo** · 07-10-2011, 06:38 PM

I see Heap as definitely being a ROH type of player because he has been a great Raven. I'd like to see him retire as a Raven, but the NFL doesn't work that way sometimes.

**GOTA** · 07-10-2011, 06:53 PM

Tony Gonzalez played in the same era as Todd Heap. He has more than double the yards and touchdowns as Heap. No way Heap has any shot, nor should he, being that far behind the top guy of the generation.

**Irish Raven** · 07-10-2011, 06:56 PM

Definitely in the Ravens Ring of Honour

But no, he won't be going to Canton

Gonzalez will go before him.
And I'd put Jason Witten before Heap also

As said, Heap is a very good player but not a great player. And there a few (but not many) Tight Ends playing now and in the last decade I'd put above him

I too hope he can retire a Raven and with class, he deserves it. But the NFL is a business and one day he may be cut in a salary cap purge, for example it's possible this is going to happen to Kelly Gregg this offseason

**AirFlacco** · 07-10-2011, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by Mista T

Bingo! Anything is possible. I cringe each year when I see some of the players from the past couple decades make it ... media favorites who weren't exceptional. Geez ... even a nobody like Byner can get his name on a stadium facade.

Heap is a great TE for the modern era. Trap's stats notwithstanding, Heap isn't close to Mackey in his impact to the game.

I posted that Mackey revolutionized the position and quoted someone that
Heap never bowled over opponents like Mackey except maybe a couple of times,
so no, he didn't impact the game like Mackey. Nobody has.

I agree that he needs a monster year and a ring to get into the HOF but I'll
go with the above statement that anything can happen.

Sure, Gonzales goes first. We're not talking who goes first or last of the
modern area. Maybe all of the top 4 or 5 deserve to go in.

Anything can happen.

Great posts everyone.

**ravensnhokies** · 07-10-2011, 07:51 PM

Wow... Tony Gonzalez has never won a playoff game.. Never realized this..

Gonzo is definitely an eventual HOFer but I'd agree that since he is one of those regular season superstars but playoff no-shows, he should not get in on the 1st ballot. Come on Shannon didn't, who was a 3 time champion that actually did show up big in the playoffs.

**psuasskicker** · 07-10-2011, 08:00 PM

Heap's maybe been considered top five at his position once or twice in his career so far. Never been close to the most dominant TE in the game any given year. When you think about great TEs playing in the '00s, I doubt anyone thinks of him outside of Baltimore.

Tony Gonzalez
Shannon Sharpe
Dallas Clark
Jason Witten
Jeremy Shockey
Chris Cooley
Frank Wycheck
Vernon Davis
Antonio Gates

Heap is just a name among this crowd. Gonzo and Sharpe are as close to locks as can be. Vernon Davis looks to be on a pretty good trajectory. But Antonio Gates is a pretty good counter to Heap. Both just turned 30 years old. The thing is, Heap has two more seasons (started '01 vs. '03 for Gates), but has 2,500 fewer receiving yards and 28 fewer receiving TDs. Gates has 7k yards, 69 TDs, and this, to me, is likely the bar for what it takes to be a HoF player at the position at this point. There can only be so many HoF players at any given time, and TE - one of the lowest priority positions in the game - will not be sending several players to the Hall.

I'm not gonna say Heap has no shot. But he needs to completely blow up the next three or four years to have any hope of being considered.

It's not the Hall of Very Good.

- C -

**psuasskicker** · 07-10-2011, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by ravensnhokies

Wow... Tony Gonzalez has never won a playoff game.. Never realized this..

Gonzo is definitely an eventual HOFer but I'd agree that since he is one of those regular season superstars but playoff no-shows, he should not get in on the 1st ballot. Come Shannon didn't, who was a 3 time champion that actually did show up big in the playoffs.

???

Gonzalez is by a mile the greatest receiving TE to ever play the game. TE isn't a key position... Has anyone ever heard anyone say "Man, this team would get out of their one-and-done slump and get to the SB if only they could get a great tight end?"

Not saying he will or won't get in on the first ballot. But not having a playoff win certainly shouldn't be something that keeps him out. He spent years on a terrible team where he was the best or second best player. Not having a playoff win is certainly in no way his fault.

- C -

**HoustonRaven** · 07-10-2011, 08:13 PM

The Hall of Fame has devolved into the Hall of Pretty Good.

That said, I still can't envision Heap making it in. His durability is his biggest liability and the voters will remember it, rightfully so.