Cincinnati Bengals great Willie Anderson isn’t sweating missing on the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the second year in a row as a finalist.
After all, fellow Bengals great Ken Riley finally just got enshrined after a massive wait, becoming the second player in team history to enter the hall.
Asked about the situation, Anderson said the moment is a fantastic one even if he didn’t get his just yet.
“I’m in a good mood because Kenny Riley is in,” Anderson said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “Because I know what it meant for him. He mentioned it to me before he passed away. The only sad part about it is he’s not here to see it, but I talk to his son. We text. They’re excited. They’ve been pushing for me, pulling for me and we’ve all been pulling for them. Tonight’s a great feeling. I know what that man meant. I love when the greats who came before me get honored.”
It’s an awesome note from Anderson, one of the best right tackles of his era. And even if it’s not a focus at this very moment, he’s got a very good chance to enter the hall next year now that the logjam at offensive line has cleared.
Odds are good Anderson will be a finalist for a third straight year, especially now that it feels like a logjam of Bengals has actually broken in this modernized era for the franchise, too.
