Warren Moon retired with the third-most NFL passing yards, behind Dan Marino and John Elway. All three are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I was never a big Moon fan for one reason: he wore the ever-so cocky number one. In real life he appeared to be a level-headed individual, undoubtedly the greatest black quarterback in history. Despite playing for the volatile Jerry Glanville, you never heard of run-ins between QB and coach. Moon spent the last two seasons as a backup, content to tutor the QB’s playing ahead of him.
When Moon came out of college the NFL wanted to change his position, so he signed with the Canadian Football League and became one of its biggest stars. He retired from the NFL with the most passing yards in pro football history – almost ten thousand more yards than second place Dan Marino and twenty thousand ahead of third place John Elway. To set the record before the even more pass-happy 2000’s began is quite an achievement.
While Peyton Manning is poised to break Brett Farve’s all-time NFL yardage record next season, the actual top two passing yardage leaders in pro football history played in the CFL: Anthony Calvitto and Damon Allen. Will they ever be considered for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame? Not a chance.
79816 1994-2013 Anthony Calvitto (20) CFL
72381 1985-2007 Damon Allen (23) CFL
71838 1991-2010 Brett Farve (20)
69691 1998-2014 Peyton Manning (active)
61361 1983-1999 Dan Marino (17)
56033 2001-2014 Drew Brees (active)
53258 2000-2014 Tom Brady (active)
51475 1983-1998 John Elway (16)
49325 1984-2000 Warren Moon (17)
21228 1978-1983 Warren Moon CFL (6)
70553 1978-2000 Warren Moon total (23)
61361 less Marino’s total
09492 Difference between Moon and Marino
Moon’s story is remarkably similar to Herschel Walker’s. Herschel also played his first few seasons in a rival league. Neither played in the Super Bowl. Both played for several underachieving teams. Both finished third all-time in career yards: Moon in passing yards, Walker in combined yards. Both retired with the most all-time yards in their respective categories (Herschel is still number one all-time, ahead of the great Jerry Rice).
Herschel repeatedly graced the cover of Sports Illustrated. He never made trouble or complained and showed versatility by dancing in the Dallas Ballet and competing for the US Bobsled team in the Winter Olympics. Three of Walker’s fellow USFL stars were later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Steve Young, Jim Kelly, and Reggie White. All three played in the Super Bowl. But the real reason Walker is being denied HOF induction is that he alone challenged the NFL’s rule that players must complete their college eligibility before entering the NFL. Herschel was the first college player to go pro early. It was a door the NFL had tried to keep closed for years. Once Walker turned pro early the floodgates opened for good. The NFL holds it against Walker. When will these hard feelings end?
Herschel Walker is pro football’s Shoeless Joe Jackson.
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