Steve Atwater Making Hall of Fame and Not John Lynch is Hard to Explain

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced its class of 2020 Saturday, and as always, the news came with some controversy pertaining to who was left off the exclusive honor roll.

Iconic safety John Lynch was once again not selected, one of the major snubs of the year. And his lack of inclusion is especially odd considering that fellow all-time great safety Steve Atwater did make the cut.

Lynch's career numbers are highly similar to Atwater's, though he had a longer career by comparison. Both were two-time First Team All-Pro players. Lynch is a Super Bowl champion who made nine Pro Bowls, while Atwater has two Super Bowl rings and made eight Pro Bowls. They each put up terrific runs with the Denver Broncos to boot.

This may have been a case of Atwater's enshrinement being long overdue in the eyes of voters. He has been retired since 1999, while Lynch didn't retire until 2008 -- but really, that should not technically matter when the decision is just to pick the best players. All told, both of these guys deserve to be in Canton, period. The fact that one is entering without the other just doesn't quite add up.

Lynch should make it in sooner rather than later, but it's tough to reckon with the idea that he still hasn't gotten the call. His longevity should not be used against him when you consider the extent of his greatness. Atwater fully deserves his spot, but so does Lynch. At this time next year, the voters need to make up for lost time and give this man his due at long last.