A shutdown cornerback earning a long overdue honor, a swashbuckling quarterback nemesis, the epitome of the modern-day tight end, and a receiver who was part of a Hall of Fame touchdown combination. These are the descriptions of the players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2025. The class usually consists of five players, with some notable snubs. But the four players who will enter the hallowed halls this summer are all worthy recipients.
This year’s hall inductees are cornerback Eric Allen, defensive end Jared Allen, tight end Antonio Gates, and wide receiver Sterling Sharpe. These individuals excelled at their positions for many years and are among the best players the league has ever produced.
Eric Allen
Eric Allen was the ultimate shutdown corner who also compiled some incredible stats during his illustrious 14-year NFL career. But he had a bit of a wait to hear his name called for the hall. He was in his 19th year of eligibility and was a finalist for the second consecutive year. He waited longer than the other 14 finalists of the 2025 class.
Allen, who played for the Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, and Oakland Raiders, is mainly known for his exploits in the City of Brotherly Love, where he was named to five of his six Pro Bowls. He was a force right out of the box when he intercepted five passes as a rookie and another eight the next season as he earned his first Pro Bowl berth.
He picked off 54 passes in his career, bringing eight back for touchdowns. He is the 26th Eagle elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the first Eagles cornerback to be inducted. Allen said this after the announcement.
“Time in life, eventually the truth is going to be there,” he said. “We know so much about so many things because history, because we have time to massage it. The validation part, it didn’t validate me. But what it did validate was all those fans and the family and friends who continued to beat the door down after games.”
Jared Allen
Jared Allen terrorized opposing quarterbacks for the Kansas Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, and Carolina Panthers for 12 NFL seasons. He was a larger-than-life personality who brought gusto to everything he did. Even when his personal life got calmer, he still was a menacing presence from his defensive end position.
For his career, he racked up 136 career sacks (12th all-time), 641 tackles, 31 forced fumbles, and 19 fumble recoveries. He produced double-digit sacks in eight of his 12 NFL seasons. A five-time Pro Bowler, he did most of his damage playing for the Chiefs and the Vikings, where he recorded 128.5 sacks in 10 seasons.
His best season was in 2011 when playing for Minnesota; he almost broke Michael Strahan’s single-season sack record of 22.5, missing by only half a sack. In an interview with Tatum Everett of Vikings.com, Allen said this about his induction into the hall.
“It’s a nod to doing it the right way. It’s a reassurance you played it right, so I can look back and say, ‘I played this game my way.’ I tried to honor those before [me], and I did it the right way; this is the payoff. From a legacy standpoint, it’s great. You’re cemented in football immortality, which is great. Once I get to Canton, it will probably sink in.”
Antonio Gates
Antonio Gates ushered in a new era of tight ends in the NFL. He was also an anomaly because not only was he signed as an undrafted free agent by the San Diego Chargers in 2003, but he also did not play a down of football in college. Rather, he was a college basketball star at Kent State University, where, as a power forward, he averaged 20.6 and 7.7 rebounds his senior season as he led the Golden Flashes to the Elite 8 Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament.
But what an impact he made. In an era where many tight ends were still lumbering, block-first players, Gates took the position to new heights. Played his entire career with the Chargers, he became the Chargers leader in pass receptions (955), receiving yards (11,841), and touchdowns (116). He was named to eight Pro Bowls and was a three-time All-Pro selection. He was also named to the NFL’s All-Decade team of the 2000s.
With his athleticism, he resembled a wide receiver more than a tight end of his era. San Diego’s use of him would open the door for future tight ends like Zach Ertz, Greg Olsen, and Travis Kelce. Gates discovered he was a Hall of Fame inductee from fellow teammate and Hall of Famer LaDanian Tomlinson, which is captured beautifully in this video.
Sterling Sharpe
Sterling Sharpe was one-half of one of the most famous passing/receiving combos of all time. He electrified NFL fans with his talent and athleticism in a career that lasted only seven seasons. That career was cut short by a neck injury. Sharpe registered 595 receptions for 8,134 receiving yards and 65 touchdowns, all with the team that drafted him, the Green Bay Packers.
And from 1992-94, when he teamed up with Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, there was magic in the air in Titletown. During that period, the duo combined for 314 receptions, 3,854 yards, and 42 touchdowns. Former Packers general manager Ron Wolf said this about Sharpe.
“I think what made him so special was he was really tough and really dedicated to the game in his way. He was not intimidated by anything or anybody or any situation. He’s a perfect football player. I don’t know what else to add to that.”
Sharpe was a five-time Pro Bowl selection, and in 1992, he won the Receiver Triple Crown. That season, he led the league in receptions (108), receiving yards (1,461), and touchdowns (13). Sterling Sharpe is the 29th member of the Green Bay Packers to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Only the Chicago Bears have more, with 32.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 will be enshrined in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 2.
