With the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 enshrined in Canton, Ohio, attention has already turned to the Class of 2027.
Anticipation is running particularly high for Pittsburgh Steelers fans, as long-time franchise staples Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell, and Antonio Brown all become eligible for the first time.
Among the three, Roethlisberger stands out as the strongest Hall of Fame candidate. While the debate lingers over whether voters will induct him on the first ballot, former NFL running back LeSean McCoy offered a fiery argument against his candidacy, triggering Steelers fans who were quick to push back.
Fan Called Out LeSean McCoy For His Argument on Ben Roethlisberger’s HOF Case
During a recent episode of the “Speakeasy podcast,” McCoy argued that Roethlisberger does not belong in the Hall of Fame due to his lack of All-Pro selections during his 18-year career.
“You should never be in the Hall of Fame if you never had any All-Pros,” the two-time Super Bowl champion said. “Think of how that sounds! All-Pro, for the guys that don’t play football… All-Pro is the best in the league. You feel me? But I’m being serious; how the hell does he not have All-Pro? So take him off…”
“For me, I can’t push your Hall of Fame with the best players of all time if you never had an All-Pro. Think about that, though. That means you never were the best quarterback or never were the best player in your position ever.”
Steelers fans quickly pointed out a major flaw in McCoy’s logic. One fan raised the example of two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning, who also never received a First-Team All-Pro selection during his 16-year career with the New York Giants.
“How many All Pro seasons did Eli Manning have? What a clown,” one fan wrote.
Manning remains eligible for the Hall of Fame, but voters passed over the former New York Giants quarterback in both his first and second years of eligibility. Another fan took the same comparison even further while questioning whether All-Pro selections should carry more weight than postseason success.
“This is stupid. The only real question is, does he make the first ballot? Eli has two SB wins + SB MVPs, and he’s still waiting,” he wrote.
Another fan made the argument even simpler: “Super Bowl rings count more than all pros.”
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Roethlisberger has won two Super Bowls: Super Bowl XL following the 2005 season and Super Bowl XLIII three years later. He finished his 18-year career with 64,088 passing yards and 418 touchdowns. Additionally, he posted a 165-81-1 regular-season record, which kept Pittsburgh in contention for much of his career.
That resume made one Steelers fan strongly reject LeSean McCoy’s argument.
“Oh please, that is the most idiotic thing he can say. Top ten in career wins, touchdowns and yards. 2 Super Bowls. Been to 3. Even though I think the NFL lets too many undeserving players in the Hall of Fame, Big Ben should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.”
Other fans highlighted the competition Roethlisberger faced throughout his career. His prime years overlapped with Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, two quarterbacks who dominated the AFC.
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Ben’s career existed at the same time as Brady’s and Manning’s in the AFC. This is the dumbest argument ever,” one fan wrote.
Another added, “Bro acts like he didn’t play against Brady and Manning his entire career.”
“I mean, he only played in the greatest QB generation ever lmao,” another fan added.
Then some fans shared a different perspective while questioning whether All-Pro selections should decide a Hall of Fame case.
“People need to learn the definition of the word ‘fame.’ It’s not Hall of stats, or Hall of Awards, or even Hall of Championships. He is very famous. Who cares how many “All Pros” he won? A bunch of biased sports “journalist” nerds didn’t vote for him,” one fan argued.
Another added, “All pros are voted on by reporters. They vote for their favorite people, not the most deserving.”
For now, the debate will continue, and the football world must wait until next year. But Roethlisberger’s two Super Bowl rings and massive career production give Steelers fans plenty of reasons to believe he belongs in Canton.
