Mark Clayton’s Case For The Hall Of Fame
Mark Clayton’s career as a wide receiver is tied to two people, Dan Marino and Mark Duper. For ten years the three of them changed offense in the NFL. The Marks Brothers, as Clayton and Duper were known, helped lead Miami to its last Super Bowl appearance in 1984. Thrity years later Marino to Clayton still ranks in the top five highest scoring quarterback wide receiver combinations. He also has one of the five best seasons for touchdowns receiving. At his peak Clayton made the Pro Bowl five times. He surpassed 1,000 yards receiving five times and 70 receptions four years. He still leads the Dolphins in career receptions. His best seasons clearly make him a Hall of Famer.
What Is The Case Against Mark Clayton Being In The HOF?
Clayton’s peak lasted just seven years, 1984-91. How much did his size work against him? He and Duper were listed at 5’9″, small for the time. Both receivers needed their speed to get open. The NFL favored bigger, stronger receivers to beat man to man, press coverage. Receivers ran more routes across the middle. The NFL allowed greater contact by corners and safeties on receivers as well. All the extra hits receivers took had to have had an effect on both Clayton and Duper.
A receiver as good as Duper on the other side of Clayton helps and hurts a Clayton’s Hall of Fame case. Duper’s career statistics are similar to Claytons, in everything besides touchdowns. Duper is the Dolphins all time leader in receiving yards. Clayton ranks just behind him in career yards receiving. Duper took coverage away from Clayton, allowing Clayton to find more open areas of the field. Duper took targets and catches away from Clayton as well. Seperating how much one helped or hurt the others stats may be hard for Hall of Fame voters.
Most Comparable Receiver To Clayton In HOF
Fred Biletnikoff’s career stats compare most favorably to Clayton’s. In fact they are almost exactly the same. Biletnikoff formed an excellent tandem with Cliff Branch on the best Oakland Raiders teams of the 1970’s. Biletnikoff won Super Bowl XI MVP in 1977. He made the Hall of Fame in 1988. Branch’s induction came just last year.
How much did winning a Super Bowl help Branch and Biletnikoff get into the Hall? How much does losing to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XVIII hurt Clayton’s candidacy? Clayton’s case is made because Branch, Biletnikoff, and the Pittsburgh Steelers Lynn Swann, are already in the Hall of Fame. If he does get in Clayton’s greatest case may be that almost the entire top 20 in receiving touchdowns are already in the Hall. His connection with Marino may put him over the top, just as it did the Dolphins so many times.
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