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The Monitor's 2012 Pro Football Hall of Fame picks

The Christian Science Monitor has taken a hard look at the 17 nominees for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and picked seven men who would get our vote.

Curtis Martin

  • By Ross Atkin

Running back

5 ft. 11 in., 207 lbs.

New England Patriots (1995-97), New York Jets (1998-2005)

Birthplace: Pittsburgh

Alma mater: Pittsburgh

Although it’s hard not to add Jerome Bettis to our seven picks, it’s even harder not to include Curtis Martin, so we’ll give Martin the slight nod between the two pure running backs. Both are classy guys, and ironically, Martin grew up and went to college in Pittsburgh, where Bettis achieved his greatest professional fame playing for the Steelers, when they won the Super Bowl in 2006. Martin never received a coveted Super Bowl ring, but playing two fewer seasons (11) than Bettis, he managed to finish with more career rushing yards (14,101, compared with 13,662). And for consistency, Martin was virtually unmatched. He and Hall of Famer Barry Sanders are the only players to ever to start their careers with 10 straight 1,000-yard seasons. And it might have been 11 straight if he hadn’t injured his knee in his final season.

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Mark Sappenfield
Editor

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