DALLAS — The prevailing notion in the Dallas Cowboys universe is that former Cowboys outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware was snubbed by the Pro Football Hall of Fame voters.
The four-time All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowler certainly had a productive career in the NFL. From 2005-13, Ware generated 117.0 of his 138.5 career sacks with Dallas before spending 2014-16 with the Denver Broncos, where he won a Super Bowl at the end of the 2015 season.
Is Ware deserving of the Hall of Fame? Absolutely.
Was Ware actually snubbed? Probably not.
One comparison being thrown around is how Ware has more than twice the career sacks of New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders defensive end Richard Seymour, who collected 57.5 sacks in his career from 2001-12. However, Seymour had more productive postseasons, as far as the low-hanging fruit of playoff wins and Super Bowls are concerned.
While Ware played in eight total postseason games, Seymour played in more than twice that number with 15. The former seven-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro was also on four New England teams that made the Super Bowl, winning three of them. Seymour was a part of games that define a legacy whereas Ware was getting lost in the wash of the Cowboys' NFC Championship Game drought that began in 1996.
Even when Ware went to the Broncos, he wasn't the dominant edge rusher. Von Miller had more sacks than Ware every year that the former Cowboys 2005 first-round pick was in Denver.
What could have helped Ware in his career is he could have won Super Bowl MVP over Miller in Denver's win over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50. Perhaps if Ware could have broken Michael Strahan's single-season sack total in 2008 when he had 20.0 – just 3.0 away from setting a new record – it could have helped Ware's resume. Ware didn't have enough credentials to justify being a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer.
Seymour and even former San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Bryant Young should actually serve as encouraging examples. They weren't first-ballot either as Seymour was effectively done with pro football after the 2012 season, and Young retired after the 2007 campaign.
Ultimately, they stayed in the minds of the voters and were able to break through. Cowboys fans are triggered when a former player gets snubbed due to how long it took Drew Pearson and Cliff Harris to get in — and also what is happening to Darren Woodson.
However, Ware made an impact with the Broncos and was a contributing part to helping send Peyton Manning out on top. With two franchises helping make his case, Ware should eventually get in.
Do you think DeMarcus Ware should have been a first-ballot Hall of Famer? Share your thoughts with Mark on Twitter @therealmarklane.
