After we wrote about questions being raised of a conflict of interest in the process that resulted in Bobby Beathard becoming the contributor candidate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, we heard from a few people around the league who raised more issues with Beathard’s selection.
As we noted, Charley Casserly was an adviser to the committee that chose Beathard for nomination -- and Casserly is also a longtime friend and former colleague of Beathard’s. But there was also another adviser to the committee. That adviser was John Madden, the Hall of Fame coach and longtime broadcaster. Madden was Beathard’s roommate and teammate at Cal Poly in the 1950s.
So there were two advisers to the committee that nominated Beathard, and both of those advisers have long and close ties to Beathard. The committee chose Beathard over other candidates such as Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, former Giants general manager George Young and former Cowboys player personnel director Gil Brandt.
Casserly released a video in which he said he was pleased to see Beathard nominated.
“There were a number of qualified candidates,” Casserly said. “More than one, to say the least. I’m very happy for Bobby Beathard and his family. He did a great job with us with the Redskins during his history there and certainly deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Congratulations, Bobby.”
Responding to the conflict of interests claims, Casserly emphasized twice on Twitter that he did not have a vote, only the ability to advise the committee.
“I was one of 2 Consultants to the process of selecting a Contributer [sic] to the HOF. I did not have a vote & did recommend multiple candidates,” Casserly wrote.
All of this is separate from the question of whether Beathard deserves to be a Hall of Famer. That question will be answered by the full Hall of Fame selection committee on the day before the Super Bowl. But it’s easy to see why some -- especially supporters of Bowlen, Young and Brandt -- think this process was flawed.
