Bill Polian: Kent Hull was "real-life living embodiment" of John Wayne

Bill Polian has seen a renewed focus on his role as the builder of the Buffalo Bills' Super Bowl team of the early 1990s with his impending induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. With so many members of those teams already in the Hall, Polian is using some of his media attention to shine a light on those who haven't yet been enshrined.

One of the more prominent names on that list is the late Kent Hull. The longtime Bills center, who spent three seasons in the USFL after being passed over in the legendary 1983 NFL Draft, was signed by Polian as part of his first free agent class after being promoted to General Manager in 1986. In an interview with Sal Capaccio for WGR 550, Polian had this to say about Hull:

...people in Buffalo know this to be true, but I’m not sure it’s widely known throughout the rest of the league - was probably the most highly respected and, in many ways, feared player on the team. I mean, his word was law. He was the real-life living embodiment of what John Wayne played on the movie screen. He carried with him a leadership mantle that far exceeded his incredible talent.

Although he received three Pro Bowl nods and two first-team All-Pro selections, Hull has never received serious consideration for enshrinement in Canton. Having played on a team with so many Hall of Famers, Hull tends to be overshadowed a bit. Hopefully at some point, the Hall voters will realize what Polian already knows: Hull was an important part of those teams, and they should look at his candidacy a little more seriously.