Top 5 Hall of Fame NFL Franchises

Take a stroll down the hallowed corridors of Canton, Ohio's Pro Football Hall of Fame, and you will find yourself surrounded by the likenesses of the greatest players that ever stepped foot on the gridiron. Have you ever wondered which franchises have had the most hall of famers associated with their organizations? Here is a look at the top 5 hall of fame franchises, including players, coaches and owners.

#5 (Tie) - Rams

The Rams franchise began in Cleveland back in 1937. In 1946, the team moved west to Los Angeles, before ultimately settling in its current city of St. Louis. Over the years, 23 members of the Rams franchise have earned hall of fame accolades. The Rams also boast one of the highest contingents of nicknames in the hall, with members such as Bob "Boomer" Brown, Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch, David "Deacon" Jones and Dick "Night Train" Lane. Other notables include Erick Dickerson, Merlin Olson and Jackie Slater.

#5 (Tie) - Steelers

Originally the Pirates from 1933 to 1939, the Steelers franchise has remained in the city of Pittsburgh since its inception. The 23 Steelers who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame helped win the organization more Super Bowls than any other franchise in the game. Of those 23 individuals, 12 were participants during the Steel Decade of the 1970s, during which the franchise won four Super Bowls. Headlining the list of hall of fame members are Terry Bradshaw, Jack Lambert, Lynn Swann, Franco Harris, Joe Greene and coach Chuck Noll.

#4 - Redskins

After a short one-year stint as the Boston Braves, the team became the Redskins in 1933, before ultimately moving to Washington, D.C. for the 1937 season. Slingin' Sammy Baugh headlines a class of 24 Redskins that includes greats like Art Monk, Darrell Green, John Riggins and coaches Joe Gibbs and George Allen.

#3 - Packers

The Green Bay Packers are arguably the most successful franchise in NFL history, with claim to 12 league championships, including the first two Super Bowls and a third in 1996. Known as the Green Bay Packers since 1921, the team has seen its share of football greats, sending 26 members to Canton. The most recent inductee was the late Reggie White, who joins other Packers such as Vince Lombardi, Curly Lambeau, Ray Nitschke, Bart Starr and Paul Hornung, among others.

#2 - Giants

One of the oldest organizations in professional football, the Giants have sent 27 members to the hall of fame since the team's inception in 1925. Guys like Frank Gifford and Lawrence Taylor head the player list, in addition to short-term Giants like Larry Csonka and Jim Thorpe, who was a member of the Giants for the 1925 inaugural season. From an organizational standpoint, the Mara family, including hall of famers Tim and Wellington, became fixtures in the front office for eight decades, spanning from 1925 to 2005 between their two tenures.

#1 - Bears

Established in 1919 as the Decatur Staleys, the Chicago Bears have the second-most league championships only behind the Packers in NFL history. The have won a total of nine championship, including a dominant Super Bowl win in 1985. Throughout its storied history, the Bears have supplied 29 members to the hall of fame, which is more than any other football franchise. Names like George Blanda, Dick Butkus, Mike Ditka, Red Grange, George McAfee, Alan Page, Walter Payton, Gale Sayers and Mike Singletary, just to name a few, all wore a Bears uniform at some point in their respective careers.

Sources:
Franchises Hall of Famers by Franchise , Pro Football Hall of Fame