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Is LeSean McCoy a future Hall of Famer?

Will Shady McCoy be cast into Canton?

Over the course of his 12-year career, LeSean McCoy was one of the most electric players in the NFL. The best years of his career were spent with the Philadelphia Eagles, and through those six seasons, he had at least 1,000 rushing yards in four of them. He led the league in rushing touchdowns (17) in 2011 and in rushing yards (1,607), rushing yards per game (100.4), and yards from scrimmage (2,146) in 2013. But are these accomplishments enough to get him into the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

McCoy was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame 2010s All-Decade Team as one of four running backs, alongside Marshawn Lynch, Adrian Peterson, and Frank Gore. Lynch and Peterson played in 108 and 118 games respectively. Gore played 153 games and McCoy played in 144 games in the 2010s, and so a comparison of the two becomes more relevant for looking at McCoy’s Hall of Fame potential.

Frank Gore 2010s Stats

  • 978.6 rushing yards per season
  • 4.7 rushing touchdowns per season
  • 206.5 receiving yards per season
  • 1.1 receiving touchdowns per season

LeSean McCoy 2010s Stats

  • 1,043.4 rushing yards per season
  • 6.9 rushing touchdowns per season
  • 348.9 receiving touchdowns per season
  • 1.6 receiving touchdowns per season.

Gore was a model of consistency at the running back position over the course of his career. He was never going to set the world on fire with his style of play. He never led the NFL in rushing yards or rushing touchdowns in his career, though he did have at least 1,000 rushing yards in nine seasons. McCoy, on the other hand, was a more explosive and versatile running back, capable of making tough plays in the passing game in addition to his abilities running the ball.

McCoy is 22nd on the NFL’s all-time rushing list, the majority of those above him on the list are in the Hall of Fame. A couple of notable exceptions are Fred Taylor (#17), Steven Jackson (#18), and Corey Dillon (#20). It can be difficult to draw the line between running backs who are worthy of the Hall of Fame and running backs who were just really good.

Career Rushing Touchdowns

  • Dillon: 82
  • Jackson: 69
  • Taylor: 66
  • McCoy: 73

Is there enough in McCoy’s resumé to distinguish himself from these contemporaries? It’s difficult to find what sets him apart, ultimately, from these other running backs. The last running back inducted in the Hall of Fame was Edgerrin James, a running back whose resumé exists on a different level than any of these other running backs. McCoy was a really good running back, even great at times. But a Hall of Fame standard just isn’t met with him.

Written by
Brock Wells

Brock is a Master's student in Film and Media Studies at Arizona State University and a member of the International Association of Professional Writers & Editors.

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