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The Main Reason Jessie Tuggle Isn't In The Hof...


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Im showing my age here.Years ago ,the players went on strike,and teams were filling their rosters with "almosts"and "you're too"...a player from then Valdosta Stsate College tried out for the Falcons,who were running a 3-4 and the rest is history.So he's remembered as a strike player by the HOF voters.

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I think its more of a combination of playing mostly on bad teams, and a lack of flashy stats like sacks or turnovers.

I have to agree with your assessment. I honestly don't consider him a hall of fame type of player. He made a lot of tackles. Well, tackles are what you are suppose to do. He was never a stand out player. Sure he may have been one of the best the Falcons had, but that was not always saying much.

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I loved Tuggle, definitely one of my favorite players of all time. With that said, I don't think he's Hall of Fame worthy. Flame me all you want, but I just don't see it right now. Maybe later.

Nobis and Kenn on the other hand? It's criminal that neither have made it. Tommy Nobis was one of the greatest linebackers of all time, and Mike Kenn was a prototypical shutdown left tackle for nearly 2 decades.

+1

It's almost criminal that Kenn isn't in the Hall of Fame. If any Falcon deserves to be in there who isn't, it's him.

Seeing Kenn ignored year after year makes me fear for Joe Thomas, who has been a Top 3 LT in the league since his rookie season, but is wasting away in the hellhole that is Cleveland.

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"Given that these Power Rankings are coming just after Hall of Fame weekend, can we discuss the dearth of Falcons in the Hall -- and the lack of talk about them? Maybe Atlanta doesn't have any stout, shoo-in candidates, but certainly some deserve to be mentioned, starting with Mike Kenn and Tommy Nobis. Billy "White Shoes" Johnson was one of the greatest punt returners ever -- and he's never brought up. Tony Gonzalez will get in. Ditto Devin Hester. But they spent their respective primes with other teams. Am I missing anybody? (@HarrisonNFL)"

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000508650/article/nfl-power-rankings-packers-seahawks-rule-to-start-preseason

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Tuggle was a Falcon before the strike in 1987. He tried out in training camp and made the team.

Here he is in week 2 right before the strike in 87.

http://youtu.be/EHColSvazaA?t=1h23m9s

thanks for showing that! man we had some talent on that team, but only won 3 games that year. Nice to beat the skins though, as they went on to win the SB.

but no OP, Tuggle was not a 'scab' or 'replacement player'

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+1

It's almost criminal that Kenn isn't in the Hall of Fame. If any Falcon deserves to be in there who isn't, it's him.

Seeing Kenn ignored year after year makes me fear for Joe Thomas, who has been a Top 3 LT in the league since his rookie season, but is wasting away in the hellhole that is Cleveland.

Thomas has already made 8 Pro Bowls by the age of 30 and will probably make a few more. Kenn made 5 in his career. Thomas gets an uncommonly high level of respect despite playing for a lousy organization.

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Jessie Lloyd Tuggle, Jr. went undrafted in 1987 despite having a career at Valdosta State University that had him inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

He signed with Atlanta and soon found himself starting at left inside linebacker after 1980 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Buddy Curry went down with a career-ending injury.

He split time with Joel Williams the next year, starting in eight games. He was still able to rack up 103 tackles and score a touchdown off of a fumble recovery. Atlanta then handed him the job full-time the rest of his career and he missed just three starts over that time.

After getting 183 tackles in 1989, he had 201 tackles and a career-high five quarterback sacks the next year. He also took a fumble 65 yards for a touchdown.

He followed that up in 1991 with a career-best 207 tackles and scored again off of a fumble recovery. He also had his first career interception.

The 1992 season saw him finally get recognized as a Pro Bowler after somehow not being named in either of his two previous stellar seasons. He had 193 tackles, an interception and he scored off a career-long 69 yard fumble recovery.

After getting 185 tackles the next year, he returned to the Pro Bowl in 1994 after getting 93 tackles. The 1994 season was the last time he exceeded 100 tackles, when he had 111.

He also had a career-high three interceptions, the last of his career. One was returned for a touchdown and he made the Pro Bowl again.

After making the Pro Bowl in 1997, he made his last Pro Bowl the next year. He also scored his last touchdown, which happened off of a fumble recovery.

The Falcons would reach Super Bowl XXXIII, their only championship appearance in franchise history but lost.

He had 3.5 sacks in 1999 but missed two games. After missing half of the 2000 season, he retired with a Falcons record of 1,640 tackles.

His five fumble recoveries for touchdowns was an NFL record until Jason Taylor of the Miami Dolphins surpassed it by one in 2009.

"The Hammer" has his jersey retired by the Falcons and he is a member of the team's Ring of Honor.

Tommy Nobis may be the best Falcon middle linebacker ever, but Tuggle is right up there with him. Being the ultimate team player that he was, Tuggle still has a shot at induction into the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/668175-the-best-middle-linebackers-not-in-the-pro-football-hall-of-fame/page/9

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