Allen was one of the most dominant pass-rushers in the NFL throughout his career. He racked up a total of 136 sacks in his 12-year career and became a fan-favorite with the Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, and Minnesota Vikings in the 2000s and 2010s.

Thursday night saw the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame committee announce the 2025 class at NFL Honors. Chargers’ legend Antonio Gates headlined the four-person class with Sterling Sharpe, Jared Allen,

The backlog at wide receiver appeared to start breaking last year. Texans star Andre Johnson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2024, a move that seemed to open doors for Wayne and Rams legend Torry Holt, who has been on the ballot since 2014 and a finalist since 2020.

During Thursday night's NFL Honors ceremony, the Pro Football Hall of Fame unveiled its Class of 2025. The prestigious class features four distinguished players enshrined in Canton this August: tight end Antonio Gates, cornerback Eric Allen, defensive end Jared Allen, and wide receiver Sterling Sharpe.

The five years needed from retirement to eligibility will pass for these all-time great NFL players, who range from an all-time wide receiver in Arizona Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald to Super Bowl-winning New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees. There are some possible first-time ballot Hall of Famers on this list on both sides of the ball.

When adding in his four years in Chicago and his one in Seattle, Olsen finished with 8,683 receiving yards—the seventh-most all-time by a tight end. The two-time second-team All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler was also the first tight end in league history to record three straight seasons of 1,000 receiving yards.

Indianapolis Colts legends Reggie Wayne and Adam Vinatieri will have to wait to hear their names called for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Carolina’s all-time leading receiver Steve Smith Sr. will have to wait at least one more year for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WYMT) - The Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame, the nation’s only state-specific Pro Football Hall of Fame, proudly celebrates its 23rd year by announcing the Class of 2025 inductees. This year’s distinguished honorees include: