Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025: A Closer Look at the New Inductees
For some NFL players, the journey to the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a long and winding road, filled with anticipation and hope. For a select few, that journey has finally reached its destination. The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2025 on Thursday night during the NFL Honors show in New Orleans, and it’s a momentous occasion for the players who have waited patiently for this recognition.
This year’s class includes cornerback Eric Allen, who was in his 19th year of eligibility, and Jared Allen, who was in his fifth year of eligibility. Joining them are tight end Antonio Gates and wide receiver Sterling Sharpe. Sharpe, whose promising career was tragically cut short by a congenital neck condition, was the seniors finalist selected for enshrinement. The new Hall of Famers will be officially enshrined in August in Canton, Ohio, a ceremony that promises to be a celebration of their remarkable careers.
Let’s take a closer look at the Class of 2025 and what makes each of these players worthy of this prestigious honor:
Eric Allen, Cornerback
Philadelphia Eagles, 1988-1994; New Orleans Saints, 1995-97; Oakland Raiders, 1998-2001
Eric Allen was a second-round pick by the Eagles in 1988 and quickly established himself as a model of consistent excellence and durability. He played at least 15 games in 13 of his 14 seasons, a testament to his resilience and skill. Even at 35 years old, he managed a six-interception season in 2000. In 1993, he returned four of his six interceptions for touchdowns, earning one of his six Pro Bowl selections.
Why he was elected: Allen’s 54 career interceptions rank 21st all-time, and 14 of the 20 players ahead of him are already in the Hall of Fame. He intercepted passes from Hall of Famers like John Elway, Steve Young, Jim Kelly, Troy Aikman, and Brett Favre. In 1993, he led the NFL in interception return yards, and he is the only player in league history with two seasons of at least three interception returns for touchdowns.
Signature moment: One of Allen’s most memorable plays was his 94-yard pick-six against Boomer Esiason and the New York Jets in 1993. After the play, he handed the ball to Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham, who was on crutches on the sideline, symbolizing the team’s resilience and unity.
Quotable: “I told myself long ago, ‘If you can go through a complete season and can’t get more than two interceptions, it’s time to go’ … I probably could have played another three, four years, but my standards had to be met for me to play.” — Allen to the Talk of Fame network on why he chose to retire after the 2001 season
Jared Allen, Defensive End
Kansas City Chiefs, 2004-2007; Minnesota Vikings, 2008-2013; Chicago Bears, 2014-2015; Carolina Panthers, 2015
Jared Allen was a fourth-round pick by the Chiefs in the 2004 draft, and he quickly became known for his high-energy, high-intensity play. He was a defensive coordinator’s dream, consistently making an impact as a pass rusher. His 136 career sacks rank 12th all-time since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. Of the 11 players ahead of him, 10 are in the Hall of Fame.
Why he was elected: Allen holds the league record for four career safeties and was a master at creating turnovers. He forced 32 fumbles, deflected 58 passes, intercepted six passes, and recovered 19 fumbles. His 22 sacks in 2011 are tied for fourth-best all-time in a single season. Despite a rocky start to his career with off-the-field issues, he became a five-time Pro Bowl and four-time All-Pro selection.
Signature moment: Allen’s signature sack celebration involved pretending to rope a calf, a nod to his upbringing on a horse ranch. It was a unique and memorable way to punctuate his on-field achievements.
Quotable: “You go through life, and there’s a maturation process. I made some mistakes early in my career, and you learn from those and you grow from them. Minnesota was a place that helped me grow as a man. … When I got there, I was in the process of changing some habits and growing up. To have guys that are doing it right around you is phenomenal.”– Allen, when he retired, on his time with the Vikings
Antonio Gates, Tight End
San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, 2003-2018
Antonio Gates, who played basketball at Kent State, was signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He finished his NFL career with 955 receptions, the fourth-most for a tight end in NFL history, and 116 receiving touchdowns, the most for a tight end. Gates and Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez are the only tight ends with more than 100 career touchdown catches.
Why he was elected: Gates was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and six-time first- or second-team All-Pro. He had 21 multi-touchdown games and eight seasons with at least eight touchdown receptions. He holds Chargers franchise records for receptions and receiving yards (11,841). His 89 touchdowns on throws from Philip Rivers were an NFL record for a quarterback-receiver duo at the time of his retirement.
Signature moment: Gates had many memorable moments, but his 7-yard touchdown reception on Sept. 17, 2017, broke Gonzalez’s record for career touchdown catches by a tight end.
Quotable: “He was so hard to cover that we had a ‘Gates Rule’ in the QB room. We would talk through the reads and the plays and they all had a ‘Gates Rule.’ It pretty much meant, if he is one-on-one, throw it there.” — Rivers
Sterling Sharpe, Wide Receiver
Green Bay Packers, 1988-1994
Sterling Sharpe’s career was cut short by a congenital neck condition, but he made a significant impact during his time in the league. Only Jerry Rice caught more passes and had more touchdown receptions in the seven-season span that Sharpe played. He was a five-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time All-Pro selection.
Why he was elected: Sharpe led the league in receptions in three seasons, in receiving yards once, and in receiving touchdowns twice. His league-leading 18 receiving touchdowns in his final season are still tied for third-highest single-season total in NFL history. His 108 receptions in 1993 were a single-season record at the time, and he broke his own record the following season with 112.
Signature moment: Sharpe’s only playoff appearance came in 1993, but he made the most of it with 100-yard games in both of the Packers’ playoff games. In the wild-card win over Detroit, he became the ninth player in league history to have three touchdown receptions in a playoff game.
Quotable: “I’m the only pro football player that’s in the Hall of Fame and I’m the second-best player in my own family.” — Shannon Sharpe in his Hall of Fame acceptance speech
Originally Written by: Jeff Legwold
