Tag: Hall of Fame

Former Seahawks HC Mike Holmgren snubbed for Hall of Fame

Former Seahawks HC Mike Holmgren snubbed for Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame’s 2025 class was announced on Thursday evening at the NFL Honors. The class includes wide receiver Sterling Sharpe, defensive end Jared Allen, cornerback Eric Allen and tight end Antonio Gates. But there was one name not on the list that absolutely should have been: former Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren.

In his first year as a Hall of Fame finalist, Holmgren was not voted into Canton. Holmgren was also the only player/coach/contributor with any connection to the Seahawks in the finalist stage, as fellow former Seattle head coach Chuck Knox and former safety Earl Thomas – in his his first year of eligibility – did not make it past the semifinalist stage.

Holmgren’s accomplishments as a head coach have been overlooked for far too long. He is one of only seven head coaches to take two separate franchises to the Super Bowl, and was the first coach in league history to win at least 75 games with two teams. Holmgren also delivered a Lombardi to Green Bay for the first time since literally the first two Super Bowls, and took the Seahawks to their first appearance in franchise history.

But Holmgren’s impact was not limited to simply winning football games. Where Holmgren also had a massive impact was developing other head coaches and executives. In total, eleven of his former assistants went on to become head coaches themselves, which include:

  • Andy Reid
  • Jon Gruden
  • Steve Mariucci
  • Ray Rhodes

We don’t need a lesson on how many assistants of both Reid and Gruden have gone on to become a head coach themselves. But to name a few… Doug Pederson, Ron Rivera, Jay Gruden, and Matt LaFleur. All of their careers can eventually be traced back to one man: Mike Holmgren.

Andy Reid even took time during Super Bowl media week to discuss his former boss, and expressed hope he would get in.

While I am sure Holmgren would have loved to get in, he still had plenty to say about his former receiver, Sterling Sharpe, who did.

Holmgren is a class act, and we can only hope eventually the voters see the light and enshrine him where he belongs… Canton.

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Ex-Chiefs DE Jared Allen inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame

Former Kansas City #Chiefs DE Jared Allen was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Thursday ahead of Super Bowl LIX.

On Thursday, former Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame as one of four members of the Class of 2025.

Allen entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick of the Chiefs in the 2004 NFL draft after a productive collegiate career at Idaho State.

He spent four seasons in Kansas City and was named to the PFWA NFL All-Rookie team during his time with the Chiefs. Allen was traded to the Minnesota Vikings for an impressive package of draft picks in 2007, one of which was used to select star running back Jamaal Charles.

The Chiefs paid homage to Allen in a post on Twitter after news broke of his induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame:

During his time in Minnesota, Allen earned First-team All-Pro honors four times and represented the Vikings in the NFL Pro Bowl five times.

Given Allen’s lengthy and impressive career, it was only a matter of time until he earned his spot among the NFL’s most beloved legends.

Social media reacts to Antonio Gates being elected to Hall of Fame

Here’s a sampling of how fans and pundits reacted to the news on Twitter/X.

Finally!

After being left off last year, former Chargers tight end Antonio Gates has finally been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of the 2025 class.

Here’s a sampling of how fans and pundits reacted to the news on Twitter/X.

Watch: Antonio Gates gets surprised by former teammate with Hall of Fame honor

Antonio Gates’ former teammate was the one who surprised him with the big news.

Antonio Gates was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Thursday.

Before it was officially announced to the public, Gates’ former teammate and Chargers great LaDainian Tomlinson surprised him with the big news.

“It’s my honor to welcome you into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025,” Tomlinson said.

In the video, Gates revealed that his father passed away recently and his funeral was a week before.

“He would always talk about being a competitor, being tough,” Gates said about his dad.

Watch the heartwarming video below.

Former Chargers TE Antonio Gates set to be inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame

After missing the cut last year, Antonio Gates will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Antonio Gates is finally in.

After missing the cut last year, Gates will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH.

The other members of the Class of 2025 are Eric Allen, Jared Allen and Sterling Sharpe (senior).

Gates never played college football despite initially enrolling at Michigan State with the hopes of playing basketball and football. He transferred to two schools before ending up at Kent State.

This is where he helped the Golden Flashes reach the Elite Eight of the 2002 NCAA tournament. He switched to football after graduation, signing with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2003.

Little did we know when Gates entered the league that he would go on to be one of the best to play the sport and revolutionize the tight end position.

Gates finished his 16-year career, all with the Bolts, with 955 receptions for 11,841 yards and 116 touchdowns. His 116 touchdown receptions are the most by a tight end in NFL history.

Gates was a five-time All-Pro selection and made eight Pro Bowl teams.

Former Colts WR Reggie Wayne doesn’t make 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class

Former Colts’ WR Reggie Wayne did not make the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

Former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne was not one of the four players a part of the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

This year’s class includes Jared Allen, Sterling Sharp, Antonio Gates, and Eric Allen.

Wayne was one of 15 modern-era finalists for this year’s Hall of Fame class, which also included kicker Adam Vinatieri. This was the sixth time that Wayne had been named a finalist for the Hall of Fame.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, in order to be selected, a 50-person selection committee could pick up to five players from that group of 15 finalists to be a part of this year’s class.

Then, collectively, among the votes received from the 50 voters, a player has to earn a minimum positive vote of 80% in order to make the Hall of Fame.

Wayne, who is currently the Colts wide receivers coach, would also spend his entire career in Indianapolis, where he was a six-time Pro Bowler, a one-time All-Pro, and was a member of the Colts’ Super Bowl Championship team in 2006.

Wayne totaled 14,345 receiving yards in his career with 82 touchdown receptions over 211 games.

In eight of his 14 seasons, Wayne eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving mark, and on four occasions, he surpassed 1,300 yards, including a career year in 2007 when he led the NFL in receiving yards with 1,510.

Former Colts K Adam Vinatieri doesn’t make 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class

Former Colts’ kicker Adam Vinatieri did not make the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

Former Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri was not one of the four players a part of the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

This year’s class includes Jared Allen, Sterling Sharp, Antonio Gates, and Eric Allen.

Vinatieri was one of 15 modern-era finalists for this year’s Hall of Fame class, which also included wide receiver Reggie Wayne. This was Vinatieri’s first year being eligible for the Hall of Fame.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, in order to be selected, a 50-person selection committee could pick up to five players from that group of 15 finalists to be a part of this year’s class.

Then, collectively, among the votes received from the 50 voters, a player has to earn a minimum positive vote of 80% in order to make the Hall of Fame.

Vinatieri would spend 14 seasons with the Colts. With Indianapolis specifically, Vinatieri made 85.3 percent of his field goal attempts.

For his career, which spanned an impressive 24 seasons, Vinatieri made 83.8% of his field goal attempts, and was not only a part of the Colts Super Bowl win in 2006 but was a key member of three New England Super Bowl runs as well.

Vinatieri was a three-time Pro Bowler, a three-time All-Pro, a four-time Super Bowl Champion, and was named to the NFL’s All-2000s team as well.

Will Jahri Evans finally get the call from the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Jahri Evans has gotten one step closer to the Pro Football Hall of Fame every year he’s been eligible. Will he finally get the call he’s been waiting for?

Jahri Evans has gotten one step closer to the Pro Football Hall of Fame every year he’s been eligible. The longtime New Orleans Saints right guard and Super Bowl XLIV champion has progressed from the semifinalist stage in 2023, his first year of eligibility, to the finalist level in 2024, his second. Will he finally get the call he’s been waiting for in Year 3?

There’s obviously support for Evans among voters. It helps that he was inducted to the Saints’ Ring of Honor this season, an exclusive group formed by several all-time greats already in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Rickey Jackson, Willie Roaf, Morten Andersen, and Sam Mills. Legendary Saints quarterback Archie Manning is also in the Ring of Honor, along with late team owner Tom Benson and Evans’ Super Bowl-winning teammate Will Smith. It’s a prestigious group.

Evans was drafted out of Bloomsburg, a small school in Pennsylvania, which has sent only five other players to the NFL. He went from being drafted at No. 108 overall to starting all 169 games he played in the NFL, plus 10 playoff games and a Super Bowl. He won six Pro Bowl nods and was recognized on the All-Pro team four times, and has already been chosen for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s All-2010s Team.

We’ll be watching to see if Evans gets the respect he’s earned. He just might beat his teammate Drew Brees into enshrinement at Canton — Brees will be eligible for induction next year as part of the Class of 2026. The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 will be announced during Thursday night’s NFL Honors program, broadcast at 8 p.m. CT on FOX and streamed on NFL+.

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Steve Atwater elected to National High School Football Hall of Fame

Broncos great Steve Atwater was recently elected to the National High School Football Hall of Fame. Congrats, 27!

Former Denver Broncos star safety Steve Atwater was recently elected to the National High School Hall of Fame.

Atwater joined the Broncos in 1989 and spent ten years in the Mile High City, helping them win Super Bowl championships in 1997 and 1998. He also nabbed three All-Pro nods and eight Pro Bowls during his career.

While Atwater has the hardware and the Pro Football Hall of Fame to claim, he doesn’t take getting nominated to the High School Football Hall of Fame for granted. He explained more to the Denver Broncos‘ official website: 

“They’re nice accolades. It’s nice to be recognized for being good at something. I definitely appreciate it, and I know that that’s only a part of the person that I am.

I’m also a father, a husband, a friend, an uncle. I take all those roles very seriously, too. So, it is kind of cool. I know a lot of my friends and my family, they get a kick out of these types of things. It’s pretty cool.”

Congrats to Atwater for another tremendous honor.

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Jahri Evans discusses Saints staff changes and coaching the Senior Bowl

Jahri Evans could become a Hall of Famer next week, but for now he’s busy representing the Saints as a coach at the Senior Bowl:

Jahri Evans is a busy man. The New Orleans Saints assistant offensive line coach is working at the Senior Bowl this week, and next week he’ll learn whether or not he’s going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Beyond that, he’ll have to see if the new Saints coaching staff has room for him. Evans was asked about the upcoming changes and the ongoing search for a head coach, which caught him by surprise.

“Oh, wow I wasn’t expecting that,” Evans told reporters after Senior Bowl practice on Tuesday. “Honestly, I wasn’t even thinking about it, y’know I’m here trying to do as much as I can for these guys. Like I told them in the meeting, I’m here to sharpen the tools in their toolbox and add things to their toolbox. I think back home in New Orleans, that situation will handle itself, and when it does I’m pretty sure I have an opportunity to stay.”

When asked if he feels like the team will keep him around, Evans replied, “I hope so. I don’t know, this is my first go around with it. The team hasn’t had change in almost 20 years at the head position, right, so I think its a lot of people’s first go around with it in the building. I’m here now representing the Saints, and my job is to get my notes on these guys, help these guys be better. As long as I’m employed, I’ll still be working.”

When it comes down to it, this quote sounds like he has the opportunity to stay, which is an enormous positive as he has been a great addition to the staff and may be worth looking at for a promotion in the near future. Of all the assistants and positional coaches on the team, there are a few who are worthy of staying, and Evans is no doubt one of them.

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