Fellow receivers support Monk

PHOENIX — Four of the NFL’s all-time great receivers believe Art Monk shouldn’t even be up for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame today.

Each of them says the former Washington Redskins star already should have a bust in Canton, Ohio.

“It’s clear cut,” said former Buffalo Bills receiver Andre Reed, another one of the 17 finalists. “The guy was the standard for NFL receivers for years. He should have been in the Hall five years ago.”

Reed’s endorsement is echoed by former Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin, who said his election last year lost a little something when Monk fell short for the seventh time.

“As great as it was for me last year going into the Hall, that held a hole for me,” Irvin said. “I don’t think I necessarily deserved to be in before Art. How is it you can be No. 1 [in all-time catches as Monk was from 1992 to 1995] and not be in the Hall?”

The receiver whom Monk surpassed to be No. 1 — as well as the one who passed him and still ranks first — remain equally mystified by Monk’s omission.

“Art was a great receiver,” Hall of Famer Steve Largent said. “He was a playmaker and a leader on teams that won three Super Bowls. Of course he should be in the Hall of Fame.”

When he retired after the 1995 season, Monk held the records for career catches (940), catches in a season (106) and consecutive games with a catch (164).

Jerry Rice broke each of those records, but he doesn’t see how there’s a question about Monk’s spot in Canton.

“People want to question some of Art’s numbers,” said Rice, who will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2010. “He was incredibly productive for a very long time. What more do people want? He’s a Hall of Famer.”

Only eight Hall of Famers have more touchdown catches than Monk’s 68, but Reed caught 87 and newly eligible receiver Cris Carter had 130.

Only James Lofton and Largent have more yards among Hall of Famers than Monk’s 12,721, but Reed had 13,198 and Carter had 13,899.

And while Monk’s 940 catches are more than any enshrinee, Reed caught 951 passes and Carter had 1,101. But their careers lasted five and seven seasons longer, respectively, into the era that featured more wide-open offenses.

“You have to look at a player in his time,” said former Redskins linebacker Andre Collins, Monk’s teammate from 1990 to 1993. “Art was the best of the best in the 1980s and 1990s.”

Rice supporters probably would argue that point, and he has the Super Bowl hardware to match and pass Monk.

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