Art Monk Falls Short in Hall Voting Again

Former Washington Redskins wide receiver Art Monk has again been left on the outside of the Pro Football Hall of Fame looking in, as the voters elected a six-member class Saturday that included Michael Irvin, Thurman Thomas and Bruce Matthews but not Monk.

Monk was in his seventh year of Hall of Fame eligibility and seemed to have his best chance yet of being elected. This group of finalists was without the sort of clear-cut selections that many classes contain. Monk, who played for the Redskins between 1980 and '93, was the leading receiver in NFL history when he retired in 1995. He also had the single-season league record with 106 catches. But those records have since been surpassed and his detractors have said that his career lacked the sort of signature moments that a big-play receiver like Irvin, a key contributor to three Super Bowl titles for the Dallas Cowboys, produced.

Monk made the first cut in balloting by a panel of 40 media members when the field was reduced from 17 to 11 but failed to make the second cut to six candidates.

"A good man and legitimate Hall of Famer is being denied entry for reasons we never know, by people who secretly vote," Redskins owner Daniel Snyder said in a written statement released by the club. "Art Monk is a Hall of Famer by any measure. This is not right." (Washington Times)

Coach Joe Gibbs, who had lobbied voters on Monk's behalf in recent weeks, said in a written statement: "I'm disappointed that Art wasn't recognized for election into the Hall of Fame today, but I remain confident that he will be recognized for all the positive contributions he has brought to the game. I can't think of a more deserving player or person that possesses more Hall of Fame credentials than Art." (ESPN.com)

(Washington Times, ESPN.com, NFL.com)