Patrick Peterson would pick Hall of Fame over a championship...and it's not a bad thing

There was a bit of buzz the other day about Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson and something he said in a radio interview. Appearing on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM with Dan Bickley and Vince Marotta, Peterson was asked, if he had to only pick one, would he pick making the Hall of Fame or winning a Super Bowl.

Peterson said making the Hall of Fame would be his top choice.

"I'd probably go with the gold jacket," Peterson said. "The simple fact is you'd be remembered forever. As a Super Bowl champ, you'd be remembered forever, as well. But the gold jacket, that's a very small fraternity to get into -- I believe it's in the mid-260s.

"There are a couple hundred busts in the Hall of Fame out of God knows how many players. That's not a very big number, so I'd rather be in that group than the Super Bowl group, but it would be nice to take home both of them."

Based on comments on social media and on Internet forums, that isn't going over well with many fans. They see it as more selfish comments from a player who thinks more of himself and his legacy and has yet to reach the level of play he talks at.

However, that is an emotional reaction.

What he said makes sense.

Let's look at it this way in terms of pure numbers.

Every year, only seven people enter the Hall of Fame. Every year, a team of 53 players, plus practice squad players and players on injured reserve become Super Bowl champs. Elite players, great players, good players, average players and players fans would call scrubs get  Super Bowl rings.

Only the very best at their position make the Hall of Fame...and not every player who was among the best makes it.

Basically, Peterson would rather be Darrelle Revis (probably the best cornerback we have seen since Deion Sanders) than Ike Taylor (a very good player, but has won two rings with the Steelers). I think most more cornerbacks would like to be Revis than Taylor. Now, Revis has a chance at a ring this weekend. he could get it.

But that is part of a little secret I found. Hall of Fame cornerbacks are champions.

Every Hall of Fame cornerback who has played since 1980 won at least one championship, with the exception of one.

That include Michael Haynes, Darrell Green, Mel Blount (he played in the 80s but got rings in the 70s), Ronnie Lott, Deion Sanders, Rod Woodson and Aeneas Williams. They all won at least one championship.

Roger Wehrli, whose career ended in 1982, was the only one to not win one. He played for the Cardinals.

So if you are a fan and you didn't like how Peterson said he would pick the Hall of Fame over a championship, just realize this -- if he makes the Hall of Fame, he probably will have been a champion.