Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025:
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 7, 2025
🏈Jared Allen
🏈Sterling Sharpe
🏈Eric Allen
🏈Antonio Gates
The NFL Hall of Fame class is the smallest it has been since 2005, with just four members set to be inducted into Canton on August 2. The list includes Tight end Antonio Gates, defensive end Jared Allen, cornerback Eric Allen, and wide receiver Sterling Sharpe.
Every player that made the Hall of Fame is certainly deserving of their spot. In particular Sterling Sharpe, who fans have been advocating for years deserved to be in the Hall of Fame alongside his brother, Shannon. Sharpe was one of the best wide receivers in the league with Brett Favre as his QB, before being forced into retirement due to injury. Many believe he was stride-for-stride with Jerry Rice at his peak.
The Sharpe brothers are the first pair of brothers to be inducted into the Hall of Fame together, a feat many believed Eli and Peyton would accomplish first. I also believe Tiki and Ronde Barber have an argument as well.
This isn’t about the men who made it into the Hall of Fame, it’s about the ones who didn’t, but certainly deserve to.
The Snubs
Eli Manning, First Year
Adam Vinatieri, First Year
Luke Kuechly, First Year
Terrell Suggs
Steve Smith Sr.
Marshall Yanda
Torry Holt
I understand the Hall of Fame has high standards, but every one of these players is deserving of the honor. Adam Vinatieri is the best kicker of all-time for not one, but two separate franchises with the Colts and Patriots. He may very well be the best kicker of all-time, period.
Luke Kuechly is one of the smartest linebackers the NFL has ever seen. He is equivalent to Patrick Willis. Much like Willis, he retired early, which is why he will also have to wait to get into the Hall of Fame; but there is no doubt Kuechly will be wearing a gold jacket at some point soon.
The biggest snub on this list is Eli Manning, who reportedly wasn’t even close to making it this year. Incredibly disheartening and sad to hear that, because it shouldn’t even be a question that Eli is a Hall of Famer, and he should’ve been first ballot. Eli may have never been a top three QB at any given time during his career, but he has the all-time counting stats, he has the Super Bowls and the Super Bowl MVPs, he is one of the greatest playoff performers of all-time, and he was an icon for one of the NFLs most storied franchises. To make him wait to get into the Hall of Fame is a great disservice to the NFL and its fans.
It won’t get easier next year either, with guys like Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, and Jason Witten all basically guaranteed to get in first ballot. Eli should be in alongside them, I hope they don’t make him wait any longer than a year.
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