Snubbed again. Fans lash out after former Raiders coach Tom Flores doesn’t get in Hall of Fame
Former Raiders coach Tom Flores is not going to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year.
A 25-member panel chose former coaches Bill Cowher and Jimmy Johnson to the Class of 2020. Both were surprised by Hall president David Baker during live broadcasts this weekend. Cowher’s selection was announced Saturday night during CBS Sports’ studio show and Johnson got the news Sunday during the Fox Sports halftime show.
It was a shocking turn of events for Flores, the Sanger native who had made it to the list of 15 finalists last year. The late Don Coryell was the only other coach on last year’s finalist list, and both Cowher and Johnson had failed to reach the finalists list.
To honor 100 years of pro football, the Hall of Fame this year opened up the “Centennial Slate” voted on by the special panel for 10 seniors, three contributors and two coaches to be part of the 2020 class.
That means Flores will have to wait another year for election to the Hall in Canton, Ohio.
Fans were upset at the Hall’s decision to go with Cowher and Johnson instead of Flores, many taking to social media to lobby for Flores’ credentials and vent their frustrations about the process.
Even NFL Network’s Jim Trotter, who is happy for Cowher and Johnson, said he felt Flores and Don Coryell should have been in.
Trotter said on Twitter he declined an invitation to be on the panel because “I did not agree with the revised selection process.”
The panel that chose the Centennial Slate represents a swath of current and former NFL personnel and media including New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, Hall of Fame Raiders coach John Madden and ESPN correspondent Sal Paolantonio.
Flores came close in 2019. As a finalist, he flew to Atlanta where the final Hall of Fame voting was held on Super Bowl eve. Those chosen for induction are personally given the news by Baker at the Super Bowl host hotel.
Flores from Sanger
Flores, 82, played at Sanger High, Fresno City College and University of the Pacific and led the Raiders to two Super Bowl wins as coach.
The credentials are there for Flores to be in the Hall.
Flores won 97 games, including an 83-53 run with the Raiders from 1979 to 1987. But he was even better in the postseason, where his 8-3 record for a .727 winning percentage ranks second to Vince Lombardi among those who have coached 10 or more playoff games.
Under Flores, the Raiders became the first wild-card team to win a Super Bowl, beating the Philadelphia Eagles in 1980. They won again under Flores in 1983, holding offensive-minded Washington in check in a 38-9 victory.
Flores and Mike Ditka are the only two men to earn Super Bowl rings as a player, assistant coach and coach.
Will Cliff Branch get in the Hall?
Former Raiders wide receiver Cliff Branch could get in the Hall.
Branch died Aug. 3.
In a 14-year career, Branch helped the Raiders to three Super Bowl victories and was a four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro.
He is up for consideration as a senior player when the rest of the Centennial Slate is announced Wednesday.
This story was originally published January 13, 2020 at 11:12 AM with the headline "Snubbed again. Fans lash out after former Raiders coach Tom Flores doesn’t get in Hall of Fame."
