Andre Johnson Now Eligible For Pro Football Hall Of Fame

187 games started, 1,062 catches on 1,739 targets, 14,185 receiving yards, 70 touchdowns, 701 first downs, 7 Pro Bowls, 2 time first team All Pro. Just outside the top ten all-time in receiving yards and receptions. That’s Andre Johnson’s career resume. Just ignore the stints in Indianapolis and Tennessee, of course. Those journeys across the AFC South never happened.

The wait is over. Andre Johnson is eligible to join the Pro Football Hall of Fame, along with Anquan Boldin, Devin Hester, Steve Smith, Jake Long, Nick Mangold, Demarcus Ware, Robert Mathis, Vince Wilfork, and Antonio Cromartie. Those players are just some of the 122 total modern era nominees who are still eligible for election.

The Texans have not yet had a player selected to the Hall of Fame. Johnson was always the franchise’s first player who could possibly get in. The franchise began play in 2002. Dre was drafted in 2003, He is the greatest retired player in franchise history. He has the statistics and profile to get in.

He isn’t a sure case, though. He’s a fringe top ten all time receiver statistically. He was hampered by the quarterbacks throwing him passes. Life is more than numbers.

Still, Andre Johnson is the first great player in this franchise history. He made Sundays worthwhile amid disheartening 4-12 seasons. That should give him a leg up on players who have similar statistical profiles.

During this past offseason, amid the Deshaun Watson drama before news of the sexual assault allegations against the QB became public, Andre Johnson called out the franchise’s way of doing business and specifically Jack Easterby, doubling down on the criticism of this organization’s habit of wasting great players’ careers. Dre pleaded for Deshaun Watson to get out while he still could.

All that being said, it’s expected that Johnson will get the call eventually. He’ll be immortalized in bronze and fitted for a gold jacket, the first Houston Texan in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.