Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 - Finalists

[4th and Long]

Which 5 are deserving of induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025?

• Eric Allen, Cornerback — 1988-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders

• Jared Allen, Defensive End — 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers

• Willie Anderson, Tackle — 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens

• Jahri Evans, Guard — 2006-2016 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay Packers

• Antonio Gates, Tight End — 2003-2018 San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers

• Torry Holt, Wide Receiver — 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars

• Luke Kuechly, Linebacker — 2012-19 Carolina Panthers

• Eli Manning, Quarterback — 2004-2019 New York Giants

• Steve Smith Sr., Wide Receiver — 2001-2013 Carolina Panthers, 2014-16 Baltimore Ravens

• Terrell Suggs, Outside Linebacker/Defensive End — 2003-2018 Baltimore Ravens, 2019 Arizona Cardinals, 2019 Kansas City Chiefs

• Fred Taylor, Running Back — 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2009-2010 New England Patriots

• Adam Vinatieri, Kicker — 1996-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-2019 Indianapolis Colts

• Reggie Wayne, Wide Receiver — 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts

• Darren Woodson, Safety — 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys

• Marshal Yanda, Guard/Tackle — 2007-2019 Baltimore Ravens

[wazu]

Jamaal Charles

[tredadda]

Jared Allen
Gates
Smith Sr.
Suggs
Vinatieri

[Tribal Warfare]

Sterling Sharpe

Jared Allen

Reggie Wayne

Eli Manning

Antonio Gates

[Deberg_1990]

Adam Vinatieri Is interesting. Who was the last kicker elected?

[St. Patty's Fire]

cant believe how few people have keuchly on the list. he was unbelievable, no doubt in my mind a surefire HOFer

[Easy 6]

Honestly can't pick just five, thats a great group most of whom deserve it

[EPodolak]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Adam Vinatieri Is interesting. Who was the last kicker elected?

Morten Andersen

[ChiefsFan63]

Kuechly
Jared Allen
Vinitieri
Gates
Holt

I don't think Eli will ever deserve to be elected into the HoF, but it will probably happen.

[dlphg9]

Originally Posted by ChiefsFan63

Kuechly
Jared Allen
Vinitieri
Gates
Holt

I don't think Eli will ever deserve to be elected into the HoF, but it will probably happen.

Eli will be a first ballot HOF. I used to not think he should be, but him beating the undefeated Pats SB and then beating them again is worthy of getting in.

[ThaVirus]

I can’t believe we’re considering Eli Manning for the Hall of Fame..

Gates
Jared Allen
Holt
Steve Smith
Vinatieri

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by St. Patty's Fire

cant believe how few people have keuchly on the list. he was unbelievable, no doubt in my mind a surefire HOFer

He didn’t play long enough in my mind.

[ChiefsFan63]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

Eli will be a first ballot HOF. I used to not think he should be, but him beating the undefeated Pats SB and then beating them again is worthy of getting in.

I think he will get in too, but he is a .500 QB over his career. He is Kurt Cousins with Super Bowls.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

I can’t believe we’re considering Eli Manning for the Hall of Fame..

Gates
Jared Allen
Holt
Steve Smith
Vinatieri

If Eli gets in it will be for two reasons:

Last name
Two SB wins over the Tom Brady Patriots

[Rain Man]

My thinking on the topic.

Eric Allen - He's similar to Albert Lewis and Everson Walls. I don't think he was as dominating as they were, and they've waited longer, so there's some injustice here. If we have to let Allen in to get the more deserving guys in, okay. Maybe.

Jared Allen - 136 career sacks, a 22 sack season, and 8 double-digit sack seasons gets him in. Yes.

Willie Anderson - A fine player, though I don't see him as a peer of guys like Willie Roaf and Anthony Munoz. He also shouldn't get in before Joe Jacoby. No.

Jahri Evans - He has half the qualifications of Will Shields, and Will had to wait a decade to get in. Reconsider Jahri in future years. No.

Antonio Gates - Ugh. He's the tight end equivalent of Curtis Martin. Tons of stats and zero highlights. He's going to get in, so it's inevitable, but I don't think he should be a lock. Maybe.

Torry Holt - Two seasons of 1,600+ yards. At his peak, he was dominant. Plus I like looking at his weird finger. Yes.

Steve Smith - Similar producer to Torry Holt, albeit with a longer career and less dominant peak. I think he's deserving, but after Holt gets in. Maybe.

Reggie Wayne - Similar stats to Torry Holt and Steve Smith, but geez, he played with Peyton Manning his whole career with a lower peak than those two guys. I suspect he'll inevitably get in, but maybe only in a lean year for nominees. No.

Luke Kuechly - Really short career, but really dominant. I like these guys. I don't think he should be a first-ballot guy, though. His career was short enough that he needs to wait like Jamaal Charles is. I'm fine with him going in in a future year. No.

Eli Manning - Absolutely not. Phillip Rivers should go in before the crybaby Manning is even considered. Manning whined his way to a stronger team, and Rivers manned up and did the job that Manning was too spoiled to do. Rivers is statistically a much better quarterback too. I recognize that Rivers has an anti-clutch gene, but the only reason Manning has Super Bowl rings is because he screwed over Rivers. No, no, no, not in a thousand years.

Terrell Suggs - 139 career sacks, but never really a dominant season. Won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs, of course, and is one of the scariest looking players ever. I'm not against him going in, but Jared Allen needs to go in first. Maybe.

Fred Taylor - How did this guy make only one pro bowl with a 4.6 career average? Far more deserving than Terrell Davis, but of course everyone is. He had a lower peak than Priest and Jamaal, but a longer career. Maybe he gets in after Priest and Jamaal. Maybe.

Adam Vinatieri - Did he play for a cheating team? Yeah, of course. But cheating at his position is harder, and no NFL player has scored more points. Yes.

Darren Woodson - 23 career interceptions? Is this a joke or something? After Deron Cherry is in, we can start to have a discussion about a guy who was basically an undersized linebacker. No.

Marshal Yanda - A lot lower qualifications than Will Shields. No way do I let him in on the first ballot if Will had to wait. I'd probably put him in a little before Jahri Evans, but he needs to wait for a while. No.

If I'm voting in five, I'm going with Jared Allen, Torry Holt, Adam Vinatieri, Eric Allen, and Steve Smith.

[Chiefnj2]

Willie Anderson isn’t getting enough love. He only gave up 16 sacks in 13 seasons. He was the best right tackle in the league for a number of years.