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John Keim, ESPN Staff Writer 1/7/2016
Joe Jacoby selected Hall of Fame finalist
The Hogs were once considered the best offensive line in football. Now there’s a chance they might land another one of their linemen in the Hall of Fame. After four consecutive years as a semifinalist, and six times overall, former Washington Redskins tackle Joe Jacoby became a finalist Thursday night. The inductees will be announced Feb. 6, the day before the Super Bowl.
Jacoby was a cornerstone of Washington’s line in the 1980s and early '90s, fueling three Super Bowl titles in a 10-year span. So, too, was guard Russ Grimm, who was voted into the Hall of Fame in 2010 after four straight years as a finalist.
Jacoby was one of the best right tackles in his era, earning a spot on the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 1980s and making four trips to the Pro Bowl. He was twice named All-Pro by The Associated Press. Jacoby, who played at times on the left side as well, was one of three Redskins to play on all four of their Super Bowl teams under coach Joe Gibbs.
Jacoby made the Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 1981, helping pave the way for Washington’s success under Gibbs. Grimm, tackle Mark May, center Jeff Bostic and tackle George Starke were the founding members of The Hogs. Like Jacoby, May and Grimm joined the Redskins in 1981, as first- and third-round draft picks, respectively.
Jacoby started 171 games for the Redskins and one of his blocks helped the Redskins win their first Super Bowl, setting up John Riggins on a game-clinching, 43-yard run in 1983.
DEHog wrote:I like Keim, but does anyone else see errors in this article...John Keim, ESPN Staff Writer 1/7/2016
Joe Jacoby selected Hall of Fame finalist
The Hogs were once considered the best offensive line in football. Now there’s a chance they might land another one of their linemen in the Hall of Fame. After four consecutive years as a semifinalist, and six times overall, former Washington Redskins tackle Joe Jacoby became a finalist Thursday night. The inductees will be announced Feb. 6, the day before the Super Bowl.
Jacoby was a cornerstone of Washington’s line in the 1980s and early '90s, fueling three Super Bowl titles in a 10-year span. So, too, was guard Russ Grimm, who was voted into the Hall of Fame in 2010 after four straight years as a finalist.
Jacoby was one of the best right tackles in his era, earning a spot on the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 1980s and making four trips to the Pro Bowl. He was twice named All-Pro by The Associated Press. Jacoby, who played at times on the left side as well, was one of three Redskins to play on all four of their Super Bowl teams under coach Joe Gibbs.
Jacoby made the Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 1981, helping pave the way for Washington’s success under Gibbs. Grimm, tackle Mark May, center Jeff Bostic and tackle George Starke were the founding members of The Hogs. Like Jacoby, May and Grimm joined the Redskins in 1981, as first- and third-round draft picks, respectively.
Jacoby started 171 games for the Redskins and one of his blocks helped the Redskins win their first Super Bowl, setting up John Riggins on a game-clinching, 43-yard run in 1983.
DEHog wrote:What's wrong?
OMG! What an idiot... that is no little error...Deadskins wrote:DEHog wrote:What's wrong?
About him playing mostly right tackle.
And here's the link: http://espn.go.com/blog/washington-reds ... e-finalist
Countertrey wrote:OMG! What an idiot... that is no little error...Deadskins wrote:DEHog wrote:What's wrong?
About him playing mostly right tackle.
And here's the link: http://espn.go.com/blog/washington-reds ... e-finalist
The point being that he was the STARTING left tackle for 3 Superbowl teams...welch wrote:Joe J. was the starting left tackle until the Redskins got Jim Lachey. Lawrence Taylor was too fast for Jacoby, but could not beat Lachey one-on-one. Lachey was nimble...quick feet...frustrated Taylor, who could not go around or through Lachey. Great trade: Jay Schroeder for Jim Lachey.
Countertrey wrote:The point being that he was the STARTING left tackle for 3 Superbowl teams...welch wrote:Joe J. was the starting left tackle until the Redskins got Jim Lachey. Lawrence Taylor was too fast for Jacoby, but could not beat Lachey one-on-one. Lachey was nimble...quick feet...frustrated Taylor, who could not go around or through Lachey. Great trade: Jay Schroeder for Jim Lachey.
DarthMonk wrote:Ya know ... it's not the Hall of Stats. It's the frickin' Hall of F A M E !!!
His dominance + the club on his hand should be plenty.
Why can I not find a pic of him with the club? Am I confusing Jake w/ someone else ???
Good luck, Jake.
DEHog wrote:DarthMonk wrote:Ya know ... it's not the Hall of Stats. It's the frickin' Hall of F A M E !!!
His dominance + the club on his hand should be plenty.
Why can I not find a pic of him with the club? Am I confusing Jake w/ someone else ???
Good luck, Jake.
DEHog wrote:He also said Grimm's name in the same breathe as Jacoby when talk about 3 SB victory. I think Grimm was on the 91 team but I know he didn't play...not sure he play at all that year. I realize that they are tied at the hip, but Grimm is in...no need to mention Russ in the context of that article...just a sloppy article IMO.
DarthMonk wrote:DEHog wrote:DarthMonk wrote:Ya know ... it's not the Hall of Stats. It's the frickin' Hall of F A M E !!!
His dominance + the club on his hand should be plenty.
Why can I not find a pic of him with the club? Am I confusing Jake w/ someone else ???
Good luck, Jake.
Good find.
As much as I love Joe Jacoby and as much as he deserves this honor I have to say that Jerry Kramer should get in before Jake ... or at least at the same time.
Jerry Kramer not in Hall of Fame = travesty. If not for a certain block in the Ice Bowl players might be playing for a trophy not called the Lombardi Trophy.
DEHog wrote:DarthMonk wrote:As much as I love Joe Jacoby and as much as he deserves this honor I have to say that Jerry Kramer should get in before Jake ... or at least at the same time.
Jerry Kramer not in Hall of Fame = travesty. If not for a certain block in the Ice Bowl players might be playing for a trophy not called the Lombardi Trophy.
I would agree, Kramer should be in. But he will go in as a senior member now...not sure why he's not been nominated for that yet? I just don't want to see Jacoby get thrown in with all the other senior!
It's like I told a friend...If Jacoby was a QB who had played in 4 SB winning 3 of them with three different LT...He'd been a first ballot HOF'er!!
1980s
Offense
Wide Receiver Jerry Rice
Wide Receiver Steve Largent
Wide Receiver James Lofton
Wide Receiver Art Monk
Tight End Kellen Winslow
Tight End Ozzie Newsome
Tackle Anthony Munoz
Tackle Jim Covert
Tackle Gary Zimmerman
Tackle Joe Jacoby
Guard John Hannah
Guard Russ Grimm
Guard Bill Fralic
Guard Mike Munchak
Center Dwight Stephenson
Center Mike Webster
Quarterback Joe Montana
Quarterback Dan Fouts
Running Back Walter Payton
Running Back Eric Dickerson
Running Back Roger Craig
Running Back John Riggins
1990s
Offense
Wide Receiver Cris Carter
Wide Receiver Jerry Rice
Wide Receiver Tim Brown
Wide Receiver Michael Irvin
Tight End Shannon Sharpe
Tight End Ben Coates
Tackle William Roaf
Tackle Gary Zimmerman
Tackle Tony Boselli
Tackle Richmond Webb
Guard Bruce Matthews
Guard Randall McDaniel
Guard Larry Allen
Guard Steve Wisniewski
Center Dermontti Dawson
Center Mark Stepnoski
Quarterback John Elway
Quarterback Brett Favre
Running Back Barry Sanders
Running Back Emmitt Smith
Running Back Terrell Davis
Running Back Thurman Thomas
1980s
Offense
Wide Receiver Jerry Rice
Wide Receiver Steve Largent
Wide Receiver James Lofton
Wide Receiver Art Monk
Tight End Kellen Winslow
Tight End Ozzie Newsome
Tackle Anthony Munoz
Tackle Jim Covert
Tackle Gary Zimmerman
Tackle Joe Jacoby
Guard John Hannah
Guard Russ Grimm
Guard Bill Fralic
Guard Mike Munchak
Center Dwight Stephenson
Center Mike Webster
Quarterback Joe Montana
Quarterback Dan Fouts
Running Back Walter Payton
Running Back Eric Dickerson
Running Back Roger Craig
Running Back John Riggins
[Mark Sclereth remembers: “The very first game I started … I’m a young rookie, a 10th rounder out of Idaho, and Joe Jacoby’s my wing man,” Schlereth said this week on ESPN 980. “It’s Joe and I warming up for the game, and we’re doing one-on-one run block. I’m going to run-block him; he’s going to run-block me. So bam, I run into Joe. ‘Oh, good shot.’
“So it’s my turn to play defense,” Schlereth went on. “Joe came off the ball and literally gave me a concussion. That was before we monitored concussions. I literally blacked out. I saw stars. I blacked out. I was like stumbling around. He was like ‘you okay?’ I’m like, yeah, yeah. ‘You want another one?’ No, no, no, no Joe, I’m good.
“I needed 15 minutes to shake the cobwebs out,” Schlereth said. “The rest of the game was easy, right, after Joe hit me. I mean, I got a game ball. I opened a can of whoop-ass in that game after Joe [hit me]. There’s nobody gonna hit me like Joe just hit me. He was incredible.”
“Well, that’s probably the only time Joe Jacoby’s strength caused injury to a fellow offensive lineman,” you’re probably thinking.
“I got hurt in 1985,” Jeff Bostic told me this week. “Jacoby threw David Galloway about six or seven feet in the air and he landed on my leg,” the center went on, describing an injury that left his knee shredded. “I mean, he threw 300-pound men around like they were a bale of hay. You can’t imagine how strong he was.”
“One game he moved to left guard,” Bostic said a few moments later. “I’ll never forget, I told him, Jake ‘Everything happens a little quicker in here, don’t get me picked, don’t let someone get into me on the side. He said ‘I won’t.’ The first tackle-tackle exchange, he threw the guy so far I didn’t even have to block him. He threw the guy all the way across my face. You can’t believe how strong this guy was. I honestly believe if he had taken a running start, he could knock the goal post down.”
“It felt like every time we broke the huddle, the ground was tilted to the left,” he said. “Just the presence of a human being that big, going out there and dominating the way he was. You could see the defensive line, like ‘Holy cow, look at this man.’ You could see it. He could just blow away and pound people.”
It’s hard to get fired up over an offensive lineman, just like it’s hard to get fired up over a bag of concrete mix, or three cups of whole wheat flour, or a tub of adhesive grout.
The Redskins once had the most famous offensive line in football, a gang of beefy quasi-celebrities who were immortalized on posters and bumper sticker as a unit — a unit whose membership sometimes changed but whose moniker endured. Hall of Fame finalists Brett Favre and Terrell Owens are the equivalent of bikini models on radio row this week; fellow first-time finalist Joe Jacoby is a chunky Midwestern dad with a farmer’s tan and bright white sneakers. Ex-teammates still call him a gentle giant. It’s hard to get fired up over a gentle giant.
Ask Jacoby why he might want to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and he likely will mention his first grandchild, born on Tuesday. Young Jacob Benjamin — don’t call him “Jake” — will see his hulking grandfather’s career only on old recordings or YouTube clips. Jacoby would like him to know that Grandpa was pretty good.
“Maybe that’s selfish on my part,” he said this week. “But it is my family. I’d like my girls to know that, too. It’s not for me; it’s for them.”
Can you imagine such vanity?
“The identity of that team was the offensive line; not any other position,” said former GM Charley Casserly, who as a scout was responsible for signing Jacoby. “The identity of the 49ers was Montana and Young. The identity of the Patriots is Brady. The identity of the Redskins was the Hogs.”
Another Hog, Russ Grimm, is already in the Hall of Fame, which makes a certain amount of sense. Even in the anonymous world of offensive linemen, Grimm was a bit louder and more outspoken than Jacoby. He was a third-round pick, and he remained in game as an NFL assistant after he retired.
Jacoby, on the other hand, went into business and later became an assistant for modest college programs. (He spent the past two seasons with Division III Concordia.) Not only was he not a high-round pick; he wasn’t even drafted, and signed with the Redskins after a confused Joe Gibbs told him he could help out on Washington’s defensive line.
“I didn’t correct him or say anything,” Jacoby said this week. “I walked out of that room, signed a two-year contract with the Redskins and went home.”
But teammate Mark May called Jacoby “the most dominant lineman in the whole NFL” during the peak of the Hogs. Jim Lachey this week described Jacoby as “kind of the heart and soul of that group.” Jeff Bostic, like many others, “certainly thought” Jacoby would be the first Hog into the Hall.
“What do you think we won with?” asked Bostic, who like Jacoby started in five NFC title games, even as the skill players around them changed. “We obviously didn’t have the stereotypical Super Bowl runs with the same quarterback, the same running back. … I look at the Cowboys: They had Aikman and Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin, all constants. Look at the Patriots: It’s always been Brady. It didn’t matter for us. Just give us a quarterback and give us a running back. It didn’t matter.”