Antonio Gates, Jared Allen, Eric Allen, and Sterling Sharpe were voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, making it the smallest induction class in 20 years due to rule changes that aimed to make entry more exclusive. Sterling Sharpe joined his brother Shannon as the first siblings inducted into the Hall. Eli Manning fell short, missing the opportunity to join his brother Peyton in Canton, Ohio this year. The induction ceremony is set for August 2nd.
New rules reduced the number of inductees, with modern era candidates going from 15 to seven in the final stage of voting. The top finishers were required to reach 80% support to secure induction. Gates, a former basketball player turned star tight end, earned his place in his second year of eligibility after a 16-year career with the Chargers. Jared Allen, a four-time All-Pro, finished his career with 136 sacks. Eric Allen, a top cornerback, played for 14 seasons and finished with 54 interceptions. Sterling Sharpe had a short but productive career with the Packers, setting records for catches, yards, and touchdowns.
Other finalists who fell short included Willie Anderson, Torry Holt, Luke Kuechly, and Adam Vinatieri, as well as seniors candidates Maxie Baughan and Jim Tyrer, coach Mike Holmgren, and contributor Ralph Hay. The Sharpe brothers will join three father-son tandems already in the Hall of Fame.
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