Jim Hart: Hall of Fame Worthy or Not?

[NJCardFan]

Jim Hart was my favorite football player growing up. He threw for a lot of yards in an era that was more run oriented. He played behind one of the greatest offensive lines in the history of the game. In one season he was sacked a scant 6 times. The one blemish on his career was not winning a playoff game, however, he QB's the Cards to 3 straight 10 win seasons and 2 division championships. But as good as his numbers are, one glaring black mark is on and that's interceptions. He threw 247 INT's in his career including an unheard of 30 in 1967. But here are his numbers over his 19 year career:

2,593 of 5,076 for 34,665 yards 209TD and 247 INT.

Dierdorf, Wilson, and Wehrli are all Hall of Famers from those teams. Now, Bobby Layne has similar numbers to Hart including INT's. Ganted, Layne played for some championship teams but the Cards' problems in the post season were not due to the offense. So, does he qualify?

 

[Mulli]

Not.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

not

 

[CaptTurbo]

not

A qb should at least have more TD than INT. Im sure there are HOF QB's that dont but it should be a criteria.

 

[Bert]

not

51% completion percentage, no rings and more INT's than TD's = no HOF
He also averaged over 25 pass attempts per game which is more than Steve Young.

His total yards are simply a result of playing for 20years. He was a fun player too root for, but IMO having a long career doesn't simply grant one entrance into the hall of fame. He played on some good teams and he was the QB, he cant just get away scott free and say that he bears 0 responsibility for their playoff failures.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

He isn't even in the hall of very good IMO.

 

[desertdawg]

Not even sponge worthy.

 

[Russ Smith]

Not. He was pretty good there in the mid 70's for the Cards but HOF no.

 

[TJ]

no but Aeneas Williams should. That should be the real debate

 

[Osbern61]

No, especially with zero playoff wins.

 

[NJCardFan]

no but Aeneas Williams should. That should be the real debate

A-Dub(the original) will make it.

 

[PJ1]

I loved watching him play and he was good but not HOF worthy. Although he was not at fault for them not winning a playoff game. Cardinals had defenses like the one we have now back then. Well maybe not that bad.

 

[MrYeahBut]

As my avatar suggests I was a big Hart fan. I'd like to see him in the hall...don't think he'll make it, but damn he was fun to watch

 

[Buckybird]

I was a huge Hart fan & even got to carry his helmet back in St. Charles as a boy. Good QB? Yes! HOF'er? Not a chance!!! He really didn't play all that well until Coryell took over & then struggled back to mediocre after he went to SD.

 

[ANDY440]

He was my favorite player as a kid growing up in NJ (Garwood)
Got to meet him a couple years ago at the game when he was alumni captain it was great. Will use any excuse to post this pic. Larry Wilson is also in it far left.

 

[LarryStalling]

To me what Jim Hart was was a crunch time qb that could deliver when he had to deliver with the game on the line.

 

[MrYeahBut]

I remember a line in a post game interview with him on the field after a win where he blurted out to the reporter...'yeah, we pretty much kicked the snot out of them'...on national TV no less. The reporter just stood there with his mouth open...lol

Can't remember what game or when, but that has stuck with me all these years.

 

[Osbern61]

To me what Jim Hart was was a crunch time qb that could deliver when he had to deliver with the game on the line.

That is what I liked about him with the Cardiac Cards. I remember the 'skins game in 1974 when Mel Gray had that controversial catch to win the game at the end. It seemed to take forever for the refs to make a call.

 

[NJCardFan]

I remember a line in a post game interview with him on the field after a win where he blurted out to the reporter...'yeah, we pretty much kicked the snot out of them'...on national TV no less. The reporter just stood there with his mouth open...lol

Can't remember what game or when, but that has stuck with me all these years.

I wonder if that was the 38-0 shellacking of the Cowboys on MNF.

 

[conraddobler]

Not HOF worthy but still fun as heck to watch and a super nice guy too.

 

[Russ Smith]

That is what I liked about him with the Cardiac Cards. I remember the 'skins game in 1974 when Mel Gray had that controversial catch to win the game at the end. It seemed to take forever for the refs to make a call.

I will always remember that one, Fred Silva called it a TD, Pat Fischer went ballistic, and in the offseason the NFL changed the rule. First time I could remember a call going to our advantage.

Cardiac Cards is really why I became a Cards fan. I was born in Missouri but grew up in California from 18 months old. But when I started following football I liked the Cards uniforms, loved Terry Metcalf, and loved how exciting the Cards were and the rest is history.

 

[TRW]

One of my all time favorite Cardinals player. Good QB but not HOF worthy. He was very good for 2 or 3 years but very average/below average over all.

Would love to have him as QB today....

 

[AzStevenCal]

Hart no. Aeneas and Warner yes.

Steve

 

[BW52]

Jim Hart was a good QB who loved the deep throws.He would have had a better completion percentage if he threw more rinky dink passes but he loved the long bombs.Good QB on some poorteams.You saw what he could do when the offense and defense where good at the same time in the mid 70`s.Good QB yes.HOF-no.
Remember John Brodie of the 49ers isn`t in the HOF nor is Roman Gabriel.Both where very good QBs in Harts era.
Namth,Jurgensen,Starr,Tarkenton are all HOF members from that era.Full of good QBs.

 

[Spielman]

Not close. Ken Anderson, Bert Jones, Joe Theismann, Steve McNair, Randall Cunningham, Daryle Lamonica, Phil Simms, Rich Gannon, Boomer Esiason, Ken Stabler are ten eligible guys I'd take before Hart, no question. A bunch more on his level, too.

And I love the guy.