Former NFL coach on Alabama tackle: ‘He was a Hall of Fame talent’

# **FORGOTTEN GREATNESS: Is the Pro Football Hall of Fame Ghosting Alabama Legend Chris Samuels? Norv Turner Thinks So.** Let’s be real: Chris Samuels was an absolute cheat code on the offensive line. But after a brutal injury cut his NFL journey short just five games into his 10th season, the "Hall of Fame" gatekeepers seem to have lost his number. After being a semi-regular nominee for six of his first seven years of eligibility, the former Alabama All-American has completely fallen off the radar. He hasn’t even appeared on the initial nomination list in half a decade. The disrespect is reaching a fever pitch, and people are starting to notice. On Sunday night, right before Norv Turner was enshrined into the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame, Samuels’ first NFL coach was asked if the dominant tackle actually belongs in Canton. Turner didn't just answer—he kept it 100. “I don’t know how they judge that anymore,” Turner said, clearly frustrated with the current vibes of the selection committee. “I know people say, ‘Well, he had a limited career.’ But he was a Hall of Fame talent. Period.” Turner knows what he’s talking about. During his final season leading the Washington Redskins, the team used the No. 3 overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft to snag Samuels. It was a move that paid immediate dividends. “He was unbelievable,” Turner said, reminiscing about the tackle's "main character" energy. “I mean, coming out, he started the first game as a rookie. He was just a great player and a great person.” Turner even flashed back to a legendary pre-draft workout run by Russ Grimm that basically broke the scouting scale. We’re talking "perfect score" energy. “We give them some plays and then test them, and ‘Bang, bang, bang,’ he didn’t make a mistake,” Turner recalled. “He was really perfect. A great young man and certainly a great player.” **FOR THE LATEST GRITTY NFL UPDATES AND DEEP DIVES, HEAD OVER TO THE [205FOCUS.COM NFL PAGE](https://www.al.com/nfl/)** The stats back up the hype. Samuels was a literal ironman, starting all 141 regular-season games and three postseason matchups he played for Washington at the high-stakes left tackle position. A product of Shaw High School in Mobile, Samuels hit the league like a freight train. He made the PFWA All-Rookie team and then went on a tear, racking up six Pro Bowl invitations in an eight-season span. He was arguably the best in the business until spinal stenosis forced him into a premature retirement in 2009. Let’s look at the receipts: Since 1950, twenty-three offensive tackles have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Twenty of those legends earned at least six Pro Bowl nods. Samuels has six. The math is mathing, yet the door remains closed. Samuels is currently stuck in a "Waiting Room" of elite talent. He’s one of only 10 tackles from the Pro Bowl era with at least six selections who is eligible but hasn't been inducted. He’s in the company of names like Joe Staley and Richmond Webb—guys who were absolute anchors for their franchises. Critics love to point out that those other nine tackles played more than 10 seasons. They say Samuels didn't have the "longevity." But hold up—that argument is weak. The Hall of Fame has already moved the goalposts for other legends. Tony Boselli only played seven seasons. Jimbo Covert played eight. Both are wearing Gold Jackets. Lou Creekmur and Mike McCormack only put in 10 years each. If they’re in, why is Samuels being left on read? The snubbing isn't just happening at the pro level, either. Despite being a unanimous All-American and winning the Outland Trophy (given to the nation’s best interior lineman) at Alabama in 1999, the College Football Hall of Fame is also dragging its feet. Samuels has been on the ballot for the 2021, 2023, and 2025 classes, but he keeps getting bypassed. Since Samuels became eligible for the college honors, five other Alabama stars have been inducted. That includes Heisman winner Mark Ingram in the Class of 2026—a guy who didn’t even step foot on campus until years after Samuels left. Historically, winning the Outland Trophy was a "get in free" card for the Hall of Fame. Out of the 52 winners before Samuels, 41 are already enshrined. But for some reason, the committee is moving differently when it comes to the Crimson Tide legend. It’s time to stop looking at the clock and start looking at the tape. Chris Samuels wasn't just good; he was "Hall of Fame talent" from day one. **205focus.com** will be watching to see if the voters finally wake up.