CHARLOTTE — When the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced its class of 2023 Thursday night, it didn't include any former Panthers.
But the construction of the class did suggest what could be coming in future years — or not coming for a moment — for some of Carolina's former stars.
The five modern-era candidates chosen to join the Hall included cornerback Darrelle Revis, offensive tackle Joe Thomas, defensive end DeMarcus Ware, linebacker Zach Thomas, and cornerback Ronde Barber, along with coach Don Coryell and seniors Joe Klecko, Ken Riley, and Chuck Howley.
That list, and the players not on that list, could be signals for Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers and wide receiver Steve Smith Sr..
Peppers will be eligible for the first time next year, and his resume suggests it won't be a long wait.
He retired with 159.5 sacks, which is fourth in NFL history. He trails only Bruce Smith (200.0), Reggie White (198.0), and Kevin Greene (160.0) on the all-time list, all of whom are already in the Hall. Peppers was named to the Pro Bowl nine times, and earned six All-Pro recognitions.
While his numbers alone make it clear he'll be in the Hall, recent classes underscore why he has an excellent shot next year.
With Ware (138.5 career sacks, ninth all-time) going in on his second year of eligibility, Jason Taylor (139.5, seventh) going in on the first ballot in 2017, and Michael Strahan (141.5, sixth) going in on his second year of eligibility in 2014, a precedent has been established at the position.
If top pass-rushers go in that quickly, it seems reasonable that a guy with much better numbers should as well.
Peppers also has the benefit of longevity, as he's among a select group of players to make the league's All-Decade teams twice, in the 2000s and the 2010s.
The only other players to join him on those two lists were quarterback Tom Brady, return specialist Devin Hester, and punter Shane Lechler.
For reference, tackle Willie Roaf, guard Larry Allen, and defensive tackle Warren Sapp made the All-Decade teams in the 1990s and 2000s. All three are in the Hall of Fame. Brady will go in as soon as he's eligible, Hester's been a finalist for the last two years, and there's only one punter in the Hall (Ray Guy).
A look at some of the best pictures of Steve Smith Sr. during his career with the Panthers.
Smith spins the ball after picking up a first down against the Oakland Raiders.
Smith sprints past Saints defenders in the home opener.
Smith leaps over a defender for a touchdown grab against the Washington Redskins.
Smith gets fired up after a first-down catch against Tampa Bay.
Smith exits the tunnel prior to kickoff against the Denver Broncos.
FILE In this Dec. 2, 2007 file photo, Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith (89) reacts after making a catch during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers in NFL football game action in Charlotte, N.C. The Panthers' star receiver praised the free-agent signing of Muhsin Muhammad on Monday April 21, 2008, then delivered harsh words for teammate Dwayne Jarrett whose disappointing rookie season was followed by an offseason charge of driving while impaired. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)
Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith (89) and Muhsin Muhammad (87) walk off the field after their 33-13 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in an NFL divisional playoff football game in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) heads for the end zone leaving Giants cornerback Corey Webster (23) in his wake in the second quarter during their NFL football game at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, Dec. 21, 2008. The touchdown was reversed on a challenge by the Giants. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith runs the ball during an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith is shown prior to an NFL football game against the New England Patriots in Charlotte, NC, Monday, Nov. 18, 2013. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
FILE - In this Sept. 22, 2013, file photo, Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith (89) runs after a catch against New York Giants' Prince Amukamara (20) during the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C. Smith, a free agent, signed a three-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens on Friday, March 14, 2014. (AP Photo/Bob Leverone, File)
FILE - In this Oct. 13, 2013 file photo, Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith crosses his arms after a touchdown catch against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half of an NFL football game in Minneapolis. The agent for Smith says the five-time Pro Bowl selection has played his final snap for the Panthers. Smith's longtime representative Derrick Fox told The Associated Press on Wednesday, March 12, 2014, that Smith "is not going to play for the Panthers next year, I know that. I just don't know when that transaction is going to take place." (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt, File)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) makes a touchdown reception against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Tarell Brown (25)during the first half of a divisional playoff NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith (89) catches a touchdown pass against Seattle Seahawks' K.J. Wright (50) during the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) smiles after making a catch in front of San Francisco 49ers safety Donte Whitner (31) during the third quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith (89) reacts after a catch against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith, left, runs past Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Gerald McCoy (93) in the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Bob Leverone)
Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith (89) is knocked out of bounds by New England Patriots' Aqib Talib (31) during the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Nov. 18, 2013. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith (89) runs past St. Louis Rams' Janoris Jenkins (21) for a touchdown after a catch in the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith (89) reacts after a touchdown against the St. Louis Rams in the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Bob Leverone)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) reacts during player introductions prior to an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in Charlotte, NC Sunday, Nov. 3, 2013. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith (89) reaches in vain for a catch as Oakland Raiders' Michael Huff (24) defends during the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2013, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) reacts during player introductions before the start of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec.1, 2013. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) catches a touchdown pass against Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Wilson (26) during an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2012, file photo, Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith (89) runs after a catch as Atlanta Falcons' Thomas DeCoud (28) during the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C. Smith has reached the ranks of the elite receivers ever to play the game. But does the 33-year-old Smith stand a chance at becoming the first Carolina Panther to enter the Hall of Fame when he retires or does he need to continue to add numbers? (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt, File)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith cuts behind a block after catching a ,pass against the San Diego Chargers during the second half of a NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith (89) on the sidelines against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011. The Panthers won 48-16. (AP Photo/Bob Leverone)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) stiff-arms New York Giants safety Antrel Rolle (26) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012. The Giants won 36-7. (AP Photo/Bob Leverone)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) catches a touchdown pass while covered by Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Neiko Thorpe (38) during the first half of an NFL football game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) reacts after his touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Washington Redskins Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) celebrates his touchdown reception in the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions in Detroit, Sunday , Nov. 20, 2011. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) reacts to a completed pass during an NFL football game against the Washington Redskins in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) runs for a first down during an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) autographs a football for a young fan prior to an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday Nov.13, 2011. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) runs after a catch against the Detroit Lions in the third quarter of an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith takes the field before an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Nov. 13, 2011. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) catches a pass during an NFL football game Green Bay Packers in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 18, 2011. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) it tackled by Detroit Lions corner back Eric Wright, right, and cornerback Chris Houston, left, an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday , Nov. 20, 2011. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)
Carolina Panthers' Julius Peppers (90) and Steve Smith (89) shown before an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith (89) celebrates after his touchdown catch from quarterback Cam Newton against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in Glendale, Ariz. It was Newton's first career touchdown pass. Cardinals' Adrian Wilson (24) looks on. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) hauls in a pass as Arizona Cardinals defensive back Kerry Rhodes defends during the second half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals won 28-21. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith displays his gloves prior to an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in Glendale, Ariz. Sunday was the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith (89) is shown before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith give a fan a football and his gloves prior to an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) hangs on to the ball for a touchdown as he is brought down by New England Patriots cornerback Shawn Springs (29) during their NFL football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday afternoon, Dec. 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
Carolina Panthers' Jake Delhomme, left, and Steve Smith walk together after a touchdown in the third quarter of an NFL preseason football game against the Washington Redskins on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008 in Charlotte, N.C. Carolina defeated Washington 47-3. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith celebrates a touchdown during an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008. (AP Photo/Rick Havner)
For Smith, on the other hand, this year's class didn't bring welcome news.
No receivers from the group which includes Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, and Torry Holt were chosen this year, meaning they'll likely be back next year among the finalists for another round of (seemingly) deadlocked discussions. They each have their own cases, and reasonable minds can disagree about the order.
The problem is the quantity, not the quality.
Johnson will be in his third year as a finalist next year, and Wayne and Holt will be back for the fifth time each.
It's similar to the logjam of the early-2010s, when receivers Cris Carter, Andre Reed, and Tim Brown were stuck together.
It took Carter until his sixth year of eligibility to get elected in 2013, and then Reed went through in his eighth year in 2014, and then Brown in his sixth year in 2015. For three years, they were all finalists without being voted in (2010-12), and once one broke through, the rest followed quickly.
It's possible that until at least one of the Johnson-Wayne-Holt trio is chosen, Smith might not even make the finalist discussion.
His numbers suggest he's certainly deserving of consideration.
| Player | Games | Receptions | Receiving yards | Receiving TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steve Smith | 219 | 1,031 (12th) | 14,731 (8th) | 81 (30th) |
| Reggie Wayne | 211 | 1,070 (10th) | 14,345 (10th) | 82 (28th) |
| Andre Johnson | 193 | 1,062 (11th) | 14,185 (11th) | 70 (49th) |
| Torry Holt | 173 | 920 (22nd) | 13,382 (17th) | 74 (40th) |
He's one of only four players to win the triple crown (leading the league in receptions, yards, and touchdowns), which he did in 2005 when he had 103 catches for 1,563 yards and 12 touchdowns.
The other three players to pull that off had considerably better supporting casts and situations. Jerry Rice, in 1990, had Joe Montana at quarterback. Sterling Sharpe, in 1992, was coached by Mike Holmgren and had Brett Favre throwing it to him. Cooper Kupp, in 2021, had Sean McVay and Matt Stafford.
Smith, on the other hand, had John Fox and Jake Delhomme and played on a team that actually had more rushing attempts (487) than pass attempts (449) that year.
In terms of total numbers, Smith has a solid case. He's eighth on the league's all-time receiving yards list (14,731), and the only player ahead of him there who is not already in the Hall is the not-yet-eligible Larry Fitzgerald. So he's ahead of Johnson, Wayne, and Holt there. Smith's 12th on the all-time receptions list (1,031), where he trails Wayne (1,070, 10th) and Johnson (1,062, 11th) but sits ahead of Holt (920, 22nd).
Smith doesn't have a Super Bowl ring, or a Hall of Fame quarterback teammate, so Wayne and Holt will stay ahead of him in those rankings.
Smith has been gracious about his place in the line and those ahead of him, but his resume stands on its own and will be judged in due time.
This year, all three of the receivers in the discussion made the cut from the final 15 to the final 10, along with cornerback Albert Lewis (in his final year of eligibility as a modern candidate so he won't be back next year) and pass-rusher Jared Allen.
But in 2022, Johnson made the cut to the final 10, while Holt and Wayne did not get that far. Often, players who reach the final 10 but aren't elected stand solid chances the following year. That could bode well for one or more of them, especially with a shorter list of top first-year eligible names.
Other than Peppers, tight end Antonio Gates is the only other player up for the first time next year who has been on an All-Decade team.
The Panthers will also have linebacker Luke Kuechly eligible for the first time in 2025, and his case also has a contemporary parallel.
San Francisco's Patrick Willis also made seven Pro Bowls in eight years in the league, with a career also cut short by injuries. They were both on the All-Decade team for the 2010s, both were defensive rookies of the year, and both were five-time first-team All-Pros. Kuechly has a defensive player of the year award, which is effectively the only difference in their cases.
Willis has been among the final 15 each of the last two years.
Inside linebackers have been elected each of the last two cycles (Zach Thomas this year and Sam Mills in 2022), and the queue of receivers could impact the candidacies of players at every other position in future years.
Willis was among the players who made the top 15 but failed to reach the final 10 this year, along with Hester, Dwight Freeney, Willie Anderson, and Darren Woodson.
View photos of defensive end Julius Peppers throughout his decorated NFL career.
