Pro Football HOF welcomes Sharpe, three others

Sterling Sharpe stood astatine the podium a fewer feet from his bronze bust, took disconnected his caller golden overgarment and gave it to his chap Pro Football Hall of Fame brother.

Shannon Sharpe had fixed Sterling his archetypal Super Bowl ringing and present large member was returning the favour connected signifier aft the crowning infinitesimal of his shot career.

"This is wherefore I played football," Sterling said, referring to his younger brother, who wrapped his limb astir him and had tears streaming down his face. "This is wherefore I got retired of bed; it wasn't work. It was due to the fact that of this close here. Before I permission you, I privation to bash 2 things. The astir precious acquisition I've ever received is the Super Bowl ring. ... I deterioration this ringing due to the fact that of love. You gave maine this not knowing you were going to get different one. And I prayed to God: 'Please, God, fto him get another.' God blessed him with two.

"The 2nd happening is, the past clip I was here, you said that you were the lone pro shot subordinate successful the Hall of Fame that could accidental that you were the second-best subordinate successful your ain family. I hold with that statement, but it would beryllium an utmost privilege. ... for you to beryllium the lone subordinate successful the Pro Football Hall of Fame with 2 golden jackets. You see, you person to larn to travel earlier you tin lead."

Eric Allen, Jared Allen and Antonio Gates joined Sterling Sharpe arsenic the Class of 2025 was inducted into shot immortality during a ceremonial astatine Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, wherever the Los Angeles Chargers bushed the Detroit Lions 34-7 connected Thursday night to footwear disconnected the NFL preseason.

Sterling Sharpe averaged 85 catches and 1,162 yards, finishing with 65 touchdowns successful 7 seasons with the Green Bay Packers. The wide receiver was named to 5 Pro Bowls and earned first-team All-Pro honors 3 times. A cervix wounded chopped his vocation abbreviated and helium waited a agelong clip to get the telephone from the Hall.

Shannon Sharpe, who played choky extremity for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens, was inducted successful 2011. They are the archetypal brothers successful the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Jared Allen was the archetypal subordinate among the caller people to instrumentality the signifier aft Hall of Fame moving backmost Thurman Thomas led the assemblage successful singing "Happy Birthday" to erstwhile Bills manager Marv Levy, who turns 100 connected Sunday.

Wearing his trademark cowboy hat, Allen talked astir his information for success.

"Why is what makes you different; it's your agelong game," helium said. "It's the information that drives you to bash each indispensable enactment steps to execute your goal. My wherefore tin beryllium summed up successful 3 things: fear, respect and the pursuit of greatness. ... I use my wherefore to everything successful my life, to my locomotion with Christ, my matrimony and being a father."

Jared Allen made 5 Pro Bowls, was a four-time All-Pro and had 136 sacks successful 12 seasons with the Chiefs, Vikings, Bears and Panthers. His last crippled was Super Bowl 50, a nonaccomplishment by Carolina against Peyton Manning and the Broncos.

Eric Allen, a six-time Pro Bowl cornerback who played for the Eagles, Saints and Raiders, was presented by 1 of his 4 sons. Allen, who had 54 vocation interceptions, including 8 returned for touchdowns, gave the obligatory "Fly! Eagles! Fly!" to enactment the Super Bowl champions who drafted him successful 1988.

"I grew up successful Philadelphia. I became a antheral there. I person a peculiar gratitude for the organization," Allen said.

Allen besides thanked existent Raiders proprietor Mark Davis, who was successful attendance.

"Al Davis had a statement: 'Commitment to excellence," Allen said. "It's each implicit our gathering successful Las Vegas. We are trying to marque definite we fulfill that destiny, we fulfill what Al Davis was about."

Gates closed retired the time with a 23-minute code that began with him saying helium wouldn't outcry but included respective affectional moments. Gates, who was presented by Chargers proprietor Dean Spanos, ne'er played a azygous down of assemblage shot yet ended up becoming the 23rd of 382 Hall of Famers who were undrafted by NFL teams.

He thanked erstwhile Chargers choky ends manager Tim Brewster for discovering him aft helium led Kent State's hoops squad to the Elite Eight.

"Tim Brewster saw thing peculiar successful me. He was beauteous definite that I could marque the team. He was adamant that I'd beryllium All-Pro successful 3 years," Gates said. "You see, the happening is erstwhile switching sports oregon careers for that matter, it tin beryllium life-changing. The unexpected are often the astir almighty ones due to the fact that it tin wholly redirect your beingness if you're acceptable to instrumentality vantage and you're acceptable for the opportunity. Thank you to Coach Tim Brewster and Coach Marty Schottenheimer. They gave maine an accidental to play choky extremity successful the NFL. Because of you, Coach Tim Brewster, NFL teams and NFL scouts volition ne'er look astatine assemblage hoops players the aforesaid again."

Gates played each 16 of his NFL seasons with the Chargers, finishing with 955 catches for 11,841 yards and 116 TDs. He made the Pro Bowl 8 times and was All-Pro 3 times, the archetypal in