Tony Boselli among Hall of Fame semifinalists

Tony Boselli is getting some well-deserved recognition for his stellar career on the offensive line, being named as a semifinalist for the Hall of Fame for the first time.

It has taken some years, but Tony Boselli may finally be getting the recognition he deserves.

The first pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars franchise was an absolute stud offensive tackle, worthy of the highest praise for those at his position. There was little he did wrong and almost everything was done in a near-perfect manner. A true professional and one of the greats along the offensive line.

Many people have made the case for Boselli getting into the Hall of Fame (including this post from ESPN and this one from B&T) and it is important to highlight just how dominant he was during his limited playing time (seven seasons). If he wasn’t the best offensive tackle in the league during his time on the field, he was at least in the top two. (but really, who’s saying he wasn’t the best?)

Five Pro Bowls, three All-Pro selections, a member of the 1990s All-Decade team, and a player selected in the first round by the Jacksonville Jaguars but also selected years later by the Houston Texans as an expansion franchise. Yes, he was that good.

Joining 24 other Hall of Fame semifinalists is a step in the right direction for the recognition Boselli deserves. While the Florida Times-Union notes that it is unlikely he’ll be selected this year, his selection will certainly help in the coming years. He may not even be a finalist this year, but he’s getting in the conversation and now has demonstrable progress through the system.

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Hopefully we’ll see Boselli enshrined sooner rather than later. It would be a big step forward for the Jaguars franchise and also be a just reward for a player who utterly dominated when he took the field.