Tim Benz: Steelers’ Alan Faneca has grown ‘wary’ of Hall of Fame process. Me too.
If former Steelers All-Pro Alan Faneca is feeling good about his chances of election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend, he’s hiding it.
“I feel about it like I do every time,” Faneca told me Monday on 105.9 the X . Resigned detachment.
That’s probably the best way to describe Faneca’s tone when discussing the voting process that has kept him out despite being a finalist each of the last four years.
The former Pro Bowl guard definitely wants the honor, but he sounds like a guy who can’t let himself get emotionally involved in the outcome anymore.
“Every guy in my situation would want it,” Faneca continued.
“The first time I didn’t have a problem with it. The second time I didn’t necessarily have a problem with it. The third and fourth time you start to get a little wary of it.”
It also took Jerome Bettis four tries as a finalist before he got enough votes. Dermontti Dawson knocked on the door three times before he got the honor.
Faneca says those two former teammates have both given him suggestions about how to handle the emotions of this process.
“Be patient. That’s the first thing out of their mouths. They all had to wait as well. They know what it is like. And they are trying to be helpful,” Faneca said.
Faneca’s credentials are beyond reproach.
• Nine Pro Bowls
• Six first-team All-Pro awards
• Two second-team All-Pro awards
• Named to the All-Decade Team of the 2000s
• Won a Super Bowl in 2005
One problem for Faneca is that another excellent guard, former Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings standout Steve Hutchinson, is on his fourth attempt. And he has a resume that is nearly identical.
• Seven Pro Bowls
• Five first-team All-Pro awards
• Two second-team All-Pro awards
• Named to the All-Decade Team of the 2000s
He was essentially Faneca’s NFC mirror for much of their careers.
So the selection committee may be reticent to elect two guards in the same year. Plus former Steelers Bill Cowher and Donnie Shell have already gained entry this year via the “Centennial Slate,” and safety Troy Polamalu is likely to be elected on his first ballot.
Faneca acknowledged that both factors could be working against him.
“Sure. Probably does, in all honesty. That’s just part of it,” Faneca lamented.
But, if Faneca should get the votes, the parade of Black and Gold going in all at once could make things all the more special in August for the induction ceremonies.
Faneca gushed at that prospect, especially the notion of being inducted with Polamalu.
“To go in with a teammate that you shared the field with would be something special,” Faneca said. “When Jerome (Bettis) went in, we all felt like a little piece of us was up there with him. Everybody feels that way with a teammate that gets such an honor. But for two guys to get in at the same time would be truly special I think.”
As I’ve argued before, if I had only one vote to cast, I’d select Faneca.
Yes, even over Polamalu. Here’s why.
But they both should go in together when the votes are announced Saturday in Miami. They are both worthy.
Like Faneca, though, unfortunately, I won’t be holding my breath.
I will, however, be stomping my feet if Faneca doesn’t get a call in 2021.
Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via X. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.
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