There is no doubt that former center Jay Hilgenberg is the popular name for Canton snubs in Chicago Bears history. However, case can be made that the Jimbo Covert Hall of Fame ice out is even worse. Hilgenberg at least was close a few times. The same cannot be said for Covert. Despite having a championship ring and anchoring one of the best offensive lines in the 1980s he just doesn’t get his due.
Dan Pompei wrote about this travesty on the Talk Of Fame Network. His belief, along with many others is that Covert is poised for a serious push to finally get his own bust. This after watching former Jacksonville great Tony Boselli gain steam for his own possible induction last year. Covert doesn’t have the luxury of time, and should be considered more accomplished.
Jimbo Covert Hall of Fame candidacy needs steam
What really stands out about Covert is how criminally overlooked he is. Anybody who bothers to watch the film would’ve seen he was one of the two or three best left tackles in football. He helped pave the way for a rushing at that finished top three seven times during his time with the team including first overall in four-straight seasons. To say nothing of the fact the offensive line gave up few than 30 sacks during three of those years as well.
Yet no stat reveals how badly the voters have screwed up than this.
Subscribe to the BFR podcast and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
“There were 22 position players, both on offense and defense, named to the 1980s’ NFL all-decade team. All except one have busts in Canton. Covert is the lone omission — and he’s never even been a Hall-of-Fame semifinalist, much less a finalist.
Like Boselli, Covert played left offensive tackle, the cornerstone position of NFL offensive lines. But unlike Boselli, Covert’s candidacy is running out of time. Players have a 25-year window of eligibility as modern-era candidates before tumbling into the abyss that is the senior pool. Covert enters his 22nd year of eligibility when the list of preliminary candidates is distributed for the Class of 2018.”
Walter Payton, Jim McMahon and others always seemed to grab the spotlight on offense. Little of their success though would’ve been possible without the presence of Covert. He was a mainstay who dominated his competition right up until he suffered a difficult injury that forced him to retire. A fixture during the greatest run of the Super Bowl era for the Bears franchise.
The voters proved once before that length of career doesn’t matter with Gale Sayers. It’s about impact. Many defenders can attest Covert made an impact. Here’s hoping the right people come to their senses.
