Statistics are quantified. Qualities of a subject that one can measure with a certain standard. Touchdowns, yards, and, yes, even gold jackets. These things share a positive correlation with a player’s impact on a city. But they don’t necessarily go hand in hand.
Greatness is immaterial. It’s when you remember the first and last time that a player’s mud-splattered jersey entered the end zone. Or when you swoon at the mere mention of a player’s name. It’s when a player does not demand respect, but rather, attracts it, and attracts so much respect that you feel obligated to remember them.