Former Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Willie Anderson is a semifinalist for the 2022 Hall of Fame class the second consecutive year he’s had the same status.
Anderson, a top-10 pick by the Bengals in 1996 who played in Cincinnati through the 2008 season, went to four Pro Bowls and was a three-time First-Team All-Pro.
Anderson was ahead of his time on the right side of the line, dealing with similar problems left tackles faced while divisionally sparring with names like Adalius Thomas and Terrell Suggs, never mind other modern greats like Julius Peppers Jevon Kearse.
The Bengals have the fewest players in the Hall of Fame, but Anderson is widely considered the best right tackle of his generation and again, ahead of his time given the pass-blocking skills right tackles need to have these days.
He held former Giants great Michael Strahan, for example, without a sack, ever.
“He’s one of the best tackles of our time … I consider him to be right there as the best right tackle of his generation,” Strahan told Bengals.com. “When I found out Willie wasn’t in the Hall of Fame, I was surprised. Unbeatable.”
Steve Hutchinson and Alan Faneca getting into the Hall in recent years clears up the linemen logjam a bit, boosting Anderson’s chances of at least being a finalist this year. The 26 players will be reduced again to 15 finalists before a final class gets inducted.
