Pro Football Hall of Fame 2013: The case for Michael Strahan

Michael Strahan is a finalist to be part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2013. Will the former New York Giants' defensive end be elected in his first year of eligibility? We find out Saturday night when the announcement of who will be part of the Class of 2013 is made.

Former Giants' coach Bill Parcells is a finalist for the fourth time.

Does Strahan deserve to be voted in this time around?

Giants' coach Tom Coughlin, whom Strahan played for form 2004-2007, believes Strahan should be enshrined.

"When I think of Michael," Coughlin said, "I think of the combination of athletic skills, endurance, strength, the ability to play the game at a very high level for a very long time, plus he's intelligent and he provided a player that young people could look at for how they study and prepare, how they practiced full-speed and then how they played the game."

I believe it's a no-brainer that Strahan should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. I don't see any player on the ballot better at what he did, or more accomplished, than Strahan.

Strahan played for the Giants from 1993-2007. He is the franchise leader in games played (216) and sacks (141.5), as well as the NFL's single-season sacks record-holder with 22.5 in 2001. Strahan was a four-time first-team All-Pro: 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2003. He was the 2001 NFL AP Defensive Player of the Year. Strahan was selected to seven Pro Bowls. Only four Giants have been selected to more Pro Bowls and all are Hall of Famers: linebackers Lawrence Taylor (10) and Harry Carson (9), offensive tackle Rosie Brown (9) and cornerback Emlen Tunnell (8).

Here is the complete list of finalists:

• Larry Allen - Guard/Tackle - 1994-2005 Dallas Cowboys; 2006-07 San Francisco 49ers
• Jerome Bettis - Running Back - 1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams; 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers
• Tim Brown - Wide Receiver/Kick Returner/Punt Returner - 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders; 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Cris Carter - Wide Receiver - 1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles; 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings; 2002 Miami Dolphins
• Curley Culp* - 1968-1974 Kansas City Chiefs; 1974-1980 Houston Oilers; 1980-81 Detroit Lions
• Edward DeBartolo, Jr. - Owner - 1977-2000 San Francisco 49ers
• Kevin Greene - Linebacker/Defensive End - 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams; 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers; 1996, 1998-99 Carolina Panthers; 1997 San Francisco 49ers
• Charles Haley - Defensive End/Linebacker - 1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers; 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys
• Art Modell - Owner - 1961-1995 Cleveland Browns; 1996-2011 Baltimore Ravens
• Jonathan Ogden - Tackle - 1996-2007 Baltimore Ravens
• Bill Parcells - Coach - 1983-1990 New York Giants; 1993-96 New England Patriots; 1997-99 New York Jets; 2003-06 Dallas Cowboys
• Andre Reed - Wide Receiver - 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills; 2000 Washington Redskins
• Dave Robinson* - 1963-1972 Green Bay Packers; 1973-74 Washington Redskins
• Warren Sapp - Defensive Tackle - 1995-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers; 2004-07 Oakland Raiders
• Will Shields - Guard - 1993-2006 Kansas City Chiefs
• Michael Strahan - Defensive End - 1993-2007 New York Giants
• Aeneas Williams - Cornerback/Safety - 1991-2000 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals; 2001-04 St. Louis Rams