The late Bud Adams, who died last month at 90, served as one of the founding members of the AFL. The only owner of the Titans-Oilers, Adams didn’t make the cut this week to the list of 25 semifinalists of induction into the Hall of Fame.
In September, Adams took up his own case for a bronze bust.
“Besides the playoffs, one thing I would like to accomplish is to be considered in the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Adams told Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. “I realize there may be some hard feelings about me moving the team to Nashville, but I truly feel my body of work. . . .
“I don’t like tooting my own horn. But at my age, and now being the senior NFL owner, there is no one from back in those days than can really speak up for me now. I really feel this year could be a year I get serious consideration after 53 years. I’m sure hoping that’s the case.”
It wasn’t. Even though he died before the ballots cutting the field to 25 were due, his passing provided no extra lift to his campaign.
Founding Chiefs (originally Dallas Texans) owner Lamar Hunt, founding Bills owner Ralph Wilson, and eventual Raiders owner Al Davis previously have secured spots in the Hall of Fame. If Adams can’t muster the votes to make it to the final 25 in the same year he died, it’s hard to envision him ever getting enough votes to earn a place in Canton.