Two weeks ago, the Pro Football Hall of Fame released a list of 167 senior nominees for consideration on their Class of 2025 ballot.
Under the new format, three players from the list will nominated for induction.
14 former New York Giants were on the list, including running back Ottis “O.J.” Anderson, who we have been advocating for enshrinement for some time now.
Anderson effectively had two careers — one with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1979-86 and another with the Giants from 1986-92.
With St. Louis, Anderson was a force, bursting on the scene with two monster Pro Bowl seasons for the Cardinals en route to becoming their all-time leading rusher.
With the Giants, Anderson played a key role on two Super Bowl championship teams and Bill Parcells’ smashmouth offense.
It’s been 33 years since Anderson left the game and many of his old adversaries and teammates are advocating for his induction into Canton.
Former Giants great Harry Carson, a Hall of Fame linebacker who played against and with Anderson, believes O.J. deserves enshrinement.
“I think he’s one of the best running backs I’ve ever faced,” Carson told Steve Serby of the New York Post. “You could see him get the ball and he ran counter to where he was supposed to run, but he got yards on his own because he was running for his life. . . He deserves to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”
Another great Giants linebacker, Lawrence Taylor, agrees. Players with lesser legacies and thinner resumes than Anderson are in Canton.
“I look at a lot of guys that are in the Hall of Fame right now,” Taylor said, “and I’m saying, ‘This guy ain’t as good as O.J. Anderson.’ Back in that day, his stats spoke for themselves.”
When Anderson retired in 1992, only seven players had amassed more rushing yards in NFL history. He also scored touchdowns in both of the Giants’ Super Bowl wins and was named the MVP of Super Bowl XXI.
When players such as Taylor and Carson speak, perhaps the Hall voters should listen.
“I played against him and I played with him,” Taylor told Serby. “He’s a helluva player. When I was playing against him, he was one of the guys I had to look out for every daggone time we played him.
“He had that little movement where he could jump from one gap to another gap. … He’s physical … not as fast as some running backs, but he’s going to pound it out, 8 yards, 7 yards at a time. And by the time you done finished four quarters, you’re tired of hitting O.J. Anderson.”
Anderson is grateful that his old teammates are coming to bat for him and also the fans of his former team, the Cardinals. Serby asked him why he felt he has been overlooked.
“I think because St. Louis left and went to Arizona. I also think that the people who had a voice when I was the eighth-leading (all-time) rusher passed away, and there’s no one there to validate what I accomplished,” he said.
To this day, the Cardinals have yet to recognize Anderson’s contributions to their franchise. Perhaps if they stepped up and did that, Anderson’s profile would be raised and more people would realize what a special player he was.
