Mick Tingelhoff

The selection process for the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio seems flawed at times. Great players, especially from the past, get overlooked. The committee tries to rectify it by selecting a couple annually.

Mick Tingelhoff of the Minnesota Vikings is a great example. He waited 37 years for his induction. It came at the age of 75 while he has been battling health issues, including memory loss.

At the last minute, he decided to have former teammate Fran Tarkenton speak for him. It lasted a little over a minute and got a standing ovation.

Tingelhoff played in 240 consecutive games over a 17 year career. He never missed a start or practice. Players back then got concussions on a regular basis, but stayed in the game.

We see the long terms effects on a player like him. The late Junior Seau already had signs of CTE in his brain before he committed at 43 in 2012.

It would have been nice if Tingelhoff gave his own speech, but he was not up to it.