NEW ORLEANS — Antonio Gates, who went from being an undrafted player to one of the most prolific pass-catching tight ends in NFL history, was among four selections to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Thursday night.
The former San Diego/Los Angeles Charger, who was a two-time finalist, was joined by former Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Eric Allen, former Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen and former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sterling Sharpe in the Class of 2025.
The class was revealed during the NFL Honors ahead of Super Bowl LIX on Sunday.
Gates was a basketball player at Kent State and went on to play 16 seasons (2003-18) with the Chargers.
He was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and caught 116 touchdown passes, the most by a tight end and No. 7 all time among all receivers. His 955 career receptions are fourth among tight ends and he had 21 career multi-touchdown games, the most by any tight end, and was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2000s.
Eric Allen was a two-time finalist who played 14 seasons (1988-94 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders). The six-time Pro Bowler from Arizona State finished with 54 career interceptions, which is tied for No. 21 all time. He returned eight interceptions for touchdowns, tied for eighth in NFL history.
Jared Allen was a five-time finalist who played 12 seasons (2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers). The four-time All-Pro, who entered the league as a fourth-round draft pick from Idaho State, had 136 sacks.
Sharpe, who was selected No. 7 in the first round out of South Carolina in the 1988 draft, was a three-time first-team All-Pro and a five-time Pro Bowler during his seven-year career with the Packers. He set what was then an NFL record with 108 receptions in 1992 and topped that with 112 the next season. He was forced to retire because of a neck injury.
He joins his younger brother, former Broncos and Baltimore Ravens tight end Shannon Sharpe, to form the only pair of brothers in the Hall.
Sterling Sharpe was one of three senior finalists along with Maxie Baughan and Jim Tyrer. Two other nominees were Super Bowl-winning coach Mike Holmgren and contributor Ralph Hay.
None of the six first-time nominees — quarterback Eli Manning, defensive end Terrell Suggs, wide receiver Steve Smith Sr., linebacker Luke Kuechly, kicker Adam Vinatieri and offensive lineman Marshal Yanda — was selected.
Other finalists were safety Darren Woodson, wide receiver Reggie Wayne, offensive linemen Willie Anderson and Jahri Evans, and running back Fred Taylor.
The Hall of Fame Selection Committee could have elected up to five players from 15 finalists from the modern era and could have picked as many as eight people from all of the groups of finalists.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s induction ceremony is expected to take place during the first week of August in Canton, Ohio. The ceremony will be part of an Enshrinement Week that also is set to include the annual preseason Hall of Fame Game and the Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner.
–Les East, Field Level Media
