Reed rejected again

INDIANAPOLIS (WIVB) - Maybe it's the recent explosion of top flight wide receivers.  Maybe it's the all the other Bills players who are already in the Hall of Fame.  Maybe it's the stats he was denied by all the talent on the Buffalo offense.  But whatever it is, Andre Reed has been again denied a spot in the Pro Football  Hall of Fame. 

The Class of 2012 was announced in Indianapolis late Saturday afternoon.  It did not include Reed or any other wideouts.

Reed did make the final cutdown to 10, along with fellow receiver Cris Carter.  Tim Brown had been in the group of 15.  It's the sixth straight year that Reed had made it to the finals, and second straight year in the final ten.

Reed is the Bills all time leader in receptions and receiving yards.  He retired third in the NFL in catches, but now stands 10th.  The explosion of the passing game in the last 20 years has padded many receivers statistics.  Based on that, there seems to be a readjustment by the voters to keep the Hall of Fame from getting too loaded with wideouts.

Unfortunately for Bills fans, that has kept Reed from joining teammates Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith, James Lofton and coach Marv Levy.

This year's Class of 2012 does still include a WNY connection.  Senior selection Jack Butler, who played for the Steelers in the 1950's, is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University.