Former Chiefs safety Johnny Robinson named Hall of Fame senior finalist

The Kansas City Chiefs could see another elite defensive back finally named to the Hall with Johnny Robinson up for election.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame might be electing two new members of the Kansas City Chiefs next year when the final votes are counted. Not only is Tony Gonzalez a first-ballot contender among recently retired players but the senior committee named former Chiefs safety Johnny Robinson as their only finalist.

Robinson suited up for the Chiefs in their earliest days (and even before) as the franchise shifted from the Dallas Texans to Kansa City Chiefs. He played 12 full seasons from 1960-71 but only 10 of them as a safety, the very position at which he could be enshrined.

After serving as a running back, Chiefs coach Hank Stram decided to try Robinson out at safety and the end result was an incredible 57 career interceptions. Robinson was named to 7 Pro Bowls and led the league in interceptions twice in that span (with 10 INTs each year in ’66 and ’70).

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With Robinson served up as the only senior committee finalist, he now has a pretty clear path to Hall of Fame induction—although it’s not a slam dunk (wrong sports analogy) quite yet. The committee can name up to two finalists each year, so it works in Robinson’s favor that he’s the only name being put up for enshrinement.

From here, the main Hall voting committee much reach 80% agreement on his induction. Typically the senior committee’s recommendations are looked on in a very positive light. Consider this: the Hall voters have confirmed 10 of the last 10 senior committee finalists, and you’d have to go back to 2012 when the voters rejected Dick Stanfel. Even that year featured two finalists, however, and the voters rejected Stanfel but included Jack Butler.

Now Robinson (and Gonzalez) will have to wait until February 2, 2019 when the committee meets to make their final selections for the Hall’s next class.

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