2025 Hall Of Fame Class Unveiled
As part of tonight’s NFL Honors program, the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class has been revealed. It consists of just four players this year. Here is the full breakdown of the 2025 class:
Eric Allen, cornerback (1988-2001)
Playing long enough to be part of the Reggie White–Jerome Brown Eagles defenses to Jon Gruden‘s Raiders teams, Allen excelled well into his 30s and is one of the great playmaking cornerbacks in NFL history. Allen is responsible for eight pick-sixes, cramming seven of them between the 1993 and 2001 seasons. Allen finished his 14-year career with 54 INTs, which is tied for 21st in NFL history.
The Eagles drafted Allen in the 1988 second round and installed him as a starter on Buddy Ryan‘s defense in Week 1 of his rookie season. Allen intercepted 13 passes over his first two years, helping the Eagles — with White at the wheel — form a dominant defensive nucleus. The Eagles won the NFC East in Allen’s rookie season, ending a five-year playoff drought. As Randall Cunningham soared on offense, Allen patrolled the back line of a defense geared around one of the NFL’s all-time greats. Allen joins White as the Hall of Famers from that unit.
Allen notched four pick-sixes during the 1993 season, including this gem against the Jets, but the Eagles fell short of the playoffs that year and dipped a bit as the Cunningham years waned. Allen still made the Pro Bowl each year from 1991-95, following a first-team All-Pro honor in 1989. He signed with the Saints as a free agent in 1995, playing three years in New Orleans, before joining the Raiders in Gruden’s first offseason at the controls.
As the Raiders hoarded aging players who still had plenty left in the tank during Gruden’s first stint as HC, Allen was among the most productive. He nabbed six INTs at age 35 in 2000, returning three for scores. That season snapped a seven-year Raiders playoff skid and produced a run to the AFC championship game — the franchise’s first in 17 years. Allen retired after the ’01 season, starting 214 games. Among pure corners, that ranks third all time. While the turnover counts aided Allen, his longevity will send him to Canton nearly 25 years after his retirement.
Jared Allen, defensive end (2004-15)
One of the best sack artists of his era, Jared Allen will make this a two-Allen class (on a big night for NFL Allens). Jared excelled for the Chiefs and Vikings, being part of a win-win trade in 2008, and then retired after playing in Super Bowl 50 as a Panther. Allen sits 12th in the sack era (1982-present) in QB drops, racking up 136 despite playing only 12 seasons.
The Chiefs drafted Allen in the 2004 fourth round out of Division I-FCS Idaho State. He immediately became an impact edge rusher but joined a team in transition. As Kansas City’s offense-oriented team aged, Allen ascended and became a star for a franchise in decline. After the Chiefs made the playoffs in 2006 under first-year HC Herm Edwards, Allen led the NFL with 15.5 sacks in his fourth season. The 2007 Chiefs went 4-12, losing their final nine games. The Chiefs cashed out on a player who had encountered off-field trouble, in the form of two 2006 DUIs, early in his career. The trade equipped both the Chiefs and Vikings.
During the 2008 draft, Kansas City dealt Allen to Minnesota for first- and third-round picks. A win-win swap sent tackle Branden Albert and running back Jamaal Charles to the Chiefs in the ’08 draft, while Allen landed an extension (six years, $73.26MM) enjoyed his prime in the Twin Cities. Registering 14.5 sacks in back-to-back seasons, the second effort falling just short of a Super Bowl after Minnesota’s Brett Favre-led team lost in overtime in the NFC championship game, Allen then made a run at the NFL record in 2011. Allen tallied 22 sacks during the ’11 season, falling a half-sack short of Michael Strahan‘s official record.
Allen played out his Vikings contract in 2013, signing with the Bears. Chicago then traded him to Carolina for a conditional sixth-round pick during the 2015 season, as he joined fellow former Bear Charles Tillman in going for a championship with the Panthers. Although Carolina went 15-1 and ranked sixth defensively, the team’s high-powered offense fell to a superior Denver defense in Super Bowl 50. Allen needed to wait a bit before his induction, but he has gained entry in this year’s unusually small class.
Antonio Gates, tight end (2003-18)
Gates remains the NFL’s leader among touchdown receptions by a tight end. The longtime Philip Rivers target totaled 116 TD grabs during his 16-year career, bettering Tony Gonzalez‘s mark by five. Gonzalez also played 17 seasons (to Gates’ 16). Gates tied Gonzalez’s then-record in 2016, posting five TDs across his final two seasons. The converted basketball player’s mid-2000s surge helped the Chargers win four straight AFC West titles to close the decade.
The Chargers made Gates an integral part of that climb, which remains the franchise’s best sustained stretch since its Air Coryell years. LaDainian Tomlinson shattered the single-season touchdown record, which still stands nearly 20 years later, and Gates broke through as an impact tight end. The Chargers built their passing attack around Gates for many years, and he helped anchor the team’s skill-position group in between Tomlinson’s exit and Keenan Allen‘s arrival.
Initially playing alongside Drew Brees, the ex-Kent State hooper earned first-team All-Pro honors in his second, third and fourth seasons. Gates only suited up for the Chargers, walking away after his age-38 season. The Bolts and Gates agreed to five contracts, the most lucrative a five-year, $36.2MM extension in 2010.
Although Gates needed to wait a year before being enshrined, he is one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history. His 116 TD receptions rank seventh all time at any position. While his production tailed off as he hit his mid-30s, after making eight consecutive Pro Bowls from 2004-11, the former UDFA remained a solid red zone target for Rivers.
Sterling Sharpe, wide receiver (1988-94)
If the NFL had a No. 1 contender status to Jerry Rice during his peak, Sharpe would have been the best answer. The star Packers pass catcher was 5-for-7 in Pro Bowl nods, during an era where that meant more, and raced to three All-Pro first teams during a career cut short by a neck injury.
Sharpe was close to doing enough for Hall entry by the time he retired at 29, and he exited just before Favre grew into MVP form. In Favre’s early years, however, Sharpe helped the Green Bay trade acquisition become one of the game’s best.
The No. 7 overall pick in a 1988 draft that also included Hall of Famers Michael Irvin and Tim Brown, Pro Bowler Anthony Miller and single-game receiving yardage king Flipper Anderson, Sharpe was the first wideout off the board. The physical South Carolina product, who entered the league two years before brother Shannon (and with much greater fanfare), posted a 1,400-yard season in 1989, helping QB Don Majkowski finish second in MVP voting. Sharpe added another 1,100-yard year in 1990 and soared back to the All-Pro level when the Pack landed Favre in ’92.
Sharpe’s first year with Favre featured the wideout break Art Monk’s single-season record by catching 108 passes. Becoming the first receiver to post back-to-back seasons with 100 catches, Sharpe broke his own mark with 112 grabs in 1993. Sharpe led the NFL in touchdown receptions in 1992 (13) and ’94 (18), reaching the latter perch despite dealing with the neck injury and other ailments.
The Favre-Sharpe connection played a central role in the Packers snapping a 10-year playoff drought, and in the duo’s first playoff game, they hooked up on a game-winning score to beat the Lions in Detroit. Sharpe scored three touchdowns in Green Bay’s wild-card win. Sharpe never missed a game and retired ranking 13th in career catches (595) and 18th all time in TD receptions (65).
Myles Garrett Trade Could Alter CB Denzel Ward’s Browns Future
As the countdown to the Super Bowl continues, one of the top storylines around the NFL is Myles Garrett‘s future. The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year has requested a trade, something the Browns have no intention of honoring. 
Teams will no doubt make contact about a potential deal, though, with suitors prepared to offer at least one first-round pick to acquire Garrett. In the event the four-time All-Pro were to depart Cleveland, he may not be the only impact defender on the move. Cornerback Denzel Ward might reconsider his situation with an eye on following Garrett to his new team.
“[The request] has a huge impact, honestly,” Ward said about the escalation of Garrett’s situation (via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com). “I want to play with Myles Garrett… So I’ve been talking to him and I know he said he wants out, but you’ve just got to hear where he’s coming from. He wants to win, so we’ll see what the near future holds.”
Those comments leave the door open to Ward, 27, requesting a trade of his own in the event the Browns change their plans and move forward with a Garrett deal. The latter has two years (and no guaranteed salary) remaining on his pact, although his trade request is not considered a means of acquiring more negotiating leverage. Ward, meanwhile, is on the books through 2027, although his only remaining locked in salary covers the 2025 campaign.
“I want to be in Cleveland,” the Ohio State product added. “I want to win. I’m definitely keeping an eye on what Myles has going on and what’s he doing. I’m just interested in seeing how everything plays out.”
Garrett floated the possibility of a trade when making it clear he wanted to see the Browns’ offseason outlook to determine his own future. Cleveland does not plan on embarking on a long-term rebuild, and head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry are under contract for the foreseeable future. The quarterback position is an area of uncertainty, though, and without a notable addition under center (among other moves) the Browns will be hard-pressed to contend in the AFC in 2025.
Selected fourth overall in 2018, Ward has provided strong play for the Browns since his arrival. He has amassed four Pro Bowl selections during his career, one which has included considerable ball production. Ward has racked up 17 interceptions and 95 pass deflections (including a league-leading 19 in 2024) to date. In the build-up to the trade deadline – during which edge rusher Za’Darius Smith and wideout Amari Cooper were dealt – Ward was understandably labeled as an untouchable asset for the Browns despite their seller’s standpoint. Whether or not that changes in the coming days or weeks will be interesting to monitor.
Rick Spielman Takes On Full-Time Jets Role
Upon clearing house midway through the campaign (by firing head coach Robert Saleh, and later general manager Joe Douglas), the Jets set themselves up for a lengthy offseason search process. The team took an unusual route to fill those positions, turning to the 33rd Team to play a leading role. 
In particular, that included former GMs Mike Tannenbaum and Rick Spielman handling much of the work in identifying and interviewing candidates. The latter’s time with the franchise appeared to be over with Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey being hired, but that will not be the case. Spielman announced on Thursday (via his CBS Sports podcast) that he has accepted a full-time position with the Jets.
The 62-year-old will hold the title of senior football advisor with New York. This marks Spielman’s first role with an NFL team since his time with the Vikings came to an end. He operated as Minnesota’s general manager from 2012-21 (although he was also a central front office figure for the team in the six years which preceded that span). Spielman will obviously not have as large of a stake in decisions with the Jets as he did with the Vikings, though.
“Right now, my biggest project is trying to rebuild the football operation side of things,” Spielman explained of his new situation (h/t ESPN’s Rich Cimini). “There’s a lot of changes going on up there. I kind of feel honored and privileged that they called me to be part of it going forward.”
Spielman added that Mougey (who will have the final say on roster decisions) and Glenn will remain the central voices regarding major organizational moves. Still, his presence is noteworthy given his experience. Mougey, by contrast, is a first-time general manager; Glenn is likewise a rookie head coach. Having a veteran in the form of Spielman – who noted he is content to no longer be the top executive of an NFL team – could prove to be worthwhile.
In other Jets news (and as Cimini details), to replace recently departed co-director of player personnel Greg Nejmeh, Mougey has brought in a familiar face in the form of Rob Paton, with whom he worked in Denver. The nephew of Broncos GM George Paton, Rob had been with the Broncos since 2017 and worked as a scout. He will now take on new responsibilities in a Jets front office which includes Spielman.
Bears Owner Virginia McCaskey Dies At 102
The Bears’ matriarch has passed away. The team announced on Thursday that owner Virginia McCaskey has died at the age of 102. 
McCaskey’s father, George Halas, purchased the franchise in 1920 and participated in the meeting which founded the American Professional Football Association (later renamed to the National Football League). He remained the Bears’ controlling owner until his passing in 1983. At that point, McCaskey inherited the franchise.
Early in McCaskey’s time at the helm of the Bears, they won what stands to this day as their only Super Bowl title. She was still working as the team’s principal owner (a role which included voting on behalf of 13 family members on the board of directors) when Chicago most recently made it to the Super Bowl (2006). It is unclear at this point how the board will take shape moving forward as it pertains to the 80% ownership stake the McCaskey family represents.
“While we are sad, we are comforted knowing Virginia Halas McCaskey lived a long, full, faith-filled life and is now with the love of her life on Earth [late husband Ed McCaskey],” a family statement reads in part. “She guided the Bears for four decades and based every business decision on what was best for Bears players, coaches, staff and fans. Over the last 41-plus years, Mrs. McCaskey continued the steadfast mission set forth by her father to uphold the values of the City of Chicago, its people and its fans.”
George McCaskey took on the role of chairman in 2011, and he remains in that position to this day. With respect to day-to-day operations, president/CEO Kevin Warren has been at the helm since the start of last season, and that will remain the case moving forward. The Bears’ front office structure will see head coach Ben Johnson report to general manager Ryan Poles, who will in turn report to Warren.
Overall, McCaskey’s life spanned eight of Chicago’s nine NFL championships and her mark on the franchise is unquestionable. In recent years, George has made it clear the franchise is set to remain in the family moving forward, so continuity at the ownership level should be expected in the wake of his mother’s passing.
Browns Hire Christian Jones As TEs Coach
The Browns are hiring Christian Jones as their next tight ends coach, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Jones spent the 2024 season as the Giants assistant quarterbacks coach and will now reunite with Kevin Stefanski in Cleveland. The two overlapped in Minnesota in 2019 when Stefanski was the Vikings’ offensive coordinator and Jones was in his first NFL job as an offensive quality control coach. He moved up to assistant wide receivers coach in 2020 and 2021, coaching Justin Jefferson to an NFL-record 3,016 receiving yards over his first two seasons.
Jones then joined the staff of Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka in 2022 as the Giants’ assistant quarterbacks coach. New York has struggled with inconsistent quarterback play over the last few years, but Jones pulled a few impressive performances out of undrafted rookie Tommy DeVito in 2023.
Jones attracted interest from multiple NFL teams during this year’s hiring cycle. He interviewed for the quarterbacks coach job in Seattle that ultimately went to Andrew Janocko, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Instead, he will coach tight ends in Cleveland where David Njoku will be looking to rebound after finishing 2024 on injured reserve.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 2/6/25
NFC West Notes: Rams, Seahawks, Cards
The Rams are hiring former Ravens, Giants, and Patriots defensive assistant Drew Wilkins as their next defensive pass-game coordinator, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Wilkins started out as an intern in Baltimore in 2011 and worked his way up John Harbaugh‘s staff. When Don ‘Wink’ Martindale took over as defensive coordinator in 2018, he promoted Wilkins to outside linebackers coach. The Ravens parted ways with Martindale in 2022, and Wilkins followed his mentor to the Giants, where he continued in the same position. However, Wilkins did not follow Martindale to Michigan in 2024, instead choosing to join Jerod Mayo‘s staff in New England.
Like Martindale, Wilkins is known for his blitz packages that prioritized pressure over sacks. In his seven seasons coaching outside linebackers, only one reached double-digit sacks in a season (Kayvon Thibodeaux in 2023). The Patriots’ pass rush struggled under Wilkins in 2024, but he will have access to a more talented defensive line in Los Angeles. Wilkins will seek to get the most out of the Rams’ young, athletic quartet of Kobie Turner, Jared Verse, Byron Young, and Braden Fiske.
- Fiske left the Rams’ divisional-round loss with a knee injury that will require surgery, per ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. However, head coach Sean McVay told media that it would be a “minor procedure” that “won’t affect his ability to be ready for next year.”
- Mike Macdonald made a few hires heading into his second year as the Seahawks‘ head coach. Andrew Janocko will join Seattle as their quarterbacks coach, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. This will be Janocko’s third stint as quarterbacks coach under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. The two first coached together in Minnesota in 2021 and reunited in New Orleans last year, where they were joined by offensive line coach John Benton. Benton is also set to follow Kubiak to Seattle, according to Pelissero, where he will look to improve an offensive line that allowed 54 sacks in 2024, the third-most in the NFL.
- Kubiak will not be bringing in his own wide receivers coach; incumbent Frisman Jackson will be retained, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. After a disappointing rookie year from 2023 first-rounder Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jackson joined the staff coached the former Ohio State star to 100 receptions and 1,130 receiving yards in 2024.
- The Cardinals hired Cowboys assistant defensive backs coach Cristian Garcia to be their next inside linebackers coach, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. Dallas was hoping to retain Garcia, but he opted to take a promotion on Jonathan Gannon‘s staff.
NFC North Notes: Lions, Bears, Pack, Vikes
The Lions are hiring former NFL quarterback Bruce Gradkowski as an offensive assistant, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Originally a Buccaneers sixth-round pick in 2006, Gradkowski bounced between six different teams in his career, finishing with 37 total appearances and 20 starts. He briefly coached at the high school level before joining the XFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks as offensive coordinator in 2022.
The Battlehawks’ passing offense have generally been successful under Gradkowski. Ex-Alabama star A.J. McCarron ranked first in passing yards and second in touchdowns in 2023. After the XFL’s merger with the USFL, former Iowa State receiver Hakeem Butler led the newly formed UFL in receiving yards on his way to Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Given his playing and coaching history, Gradkowski’s role in Detroit will likely focus on their passing offense as the Lions attempt to reload their staff after it was pilfered by other NFL teams during this year’s hiring cycle.
- The Lions will also be working to retain their pending free agents, including defensive linemen Levi Onwuzurike and Marcus Davenport. The team has discussed returns with both players, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, with Davenport saying after the season that he wanted to stay in Detroit. Onwuzarike has already engaged in discussions about a deal, with Birkett adding the sides talked about a second contract previously. Davenport has missed most of the past two seasons, and his loss hurt a Lions defense that played without Aidan Hutchinson for much the season as well.
- Lions general manager Brad Holmes is not planning to have the same aggressive approach as his former boss, Rams GM Les Snead. Holmes does not believe the Lions have an expiring Super Bowl window and said that he will “stay committed to the process,” according to Birkett.
- The Bears made a trio of hires to Ben Johnson’s coaching staff this week. Dan Roushar will be the team’s new offensive line coach after holding the same position at Tulane for the past two seasons, according to the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs. Former Colts linebackers coach Richard Smith and ex-Jaguars defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett will join the Bears in the same roles, per Biggs and Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.
- The Packers will promote Sean Duggan to linebackers coach to replace new Jaguars DC Anthony Campanile, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Duggan has spent the last five seasons under Packers DC Jeff Hafley, four at Boston College as linebackers coach and one in Green Bay as a defensive assistant.
- Vikings wide reciver Jordan Addison pled not guilty to two misdemeanor DUI charges dating back to a July 2024 arrest in Los Angeles, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. Addison did not receive any punishment from the NFL for the incident, but could face a fine or suspension after legal proceedings conclude.
Raiders Add Joe Woods, Chris Beatty To Coaching Staff
The Raiders are hiring veteran coach Joe Woods to serve as defensive pass-game coordinator on Pete Carroll’s staff, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Woods has 33 years of coaching experience – 11 in college and 22 in the NFL – including stints as defensive coordinator for the Broncos (2017-2018) and the Browns (2020-2022). He served as the Saints’ defensive coordinator for the last two seasons, but was not expected to return amid New Orleans’ coaching overhaul this offseason. Instead, Woods will reunite with the Raiders after spending the 2014 season as the team’s defensive backs coach when they were located in Oakland.
Woods is widely respected around the NFL for his experience as a defensive backs coach. Of his seven seasons as DC, his defense ranked in the top 10 against the pass on four different occasions.
The Raiders also hired Chris Beatty as wide receivers coach, according to The Athletic’s Tashan Reed. He began his coaching career at the high school level and then spent 15 years in the college ranks in a variety of offensive roles. Beatty broke into the NFL in 2021 as the Chargers’ wide receivers coach, but was not retained on Jim Harbaugh‘s staff in 2024.
He then moved to Chicago, where he began the season as wide receivers coach before a promotion to interim offensive coordinator after Matt Eberflus was fired. Offensive play-calling duties remained with interim head coach Thomas Brown, though neither coach was retained under new HC Ben Johnson.
Beatty got career-best production out of Keenan Allen in 2023, but the rest of Los Angeles’ receivers group struggled in his tenure. In Las Vegas, he will take over a unit that lacks proven talent outside of Jakobi Meyers, who put up career-highs in 2024 despite the Raiders’ carousel at quarterback.
Panthers WR Adam Thielen Will Play In 2025
FEBRUARY 6: Thielen confirmed to the team’s website on Thursday that he contemplated retirement after the 2024 season. He will suit up once again for the Panthers next year, though, and in doing so potentially set himself up for another trip to free agency during the waning stages of his career.
FEBRUARY 3: Adam Thielen faced an uncertain future following the end of the 2024 campaign, his second with the Panthers. The veteran wideout knows his career is nearing an end, but he will suit up for at least one more season. 
“I definitely needed those two weeks to just get my energy back and spend quality family time, get away,” Thielen said while reflecting on the early offseason in an interview with Ben Nagle of the Daily Mail. “Yeah, I think I still have some more football in me. We’ll see how that plays out in the next few weeks.”
Thielen’s lengthy run with the Vikings came to an end after the 2022 campaign, but he still managed to land a three-year deal on the open market. The two-time Pro Bowler signed a $25MM pact with the Panthers in free agency, although none of his scheduled base salary for next season ($4MM) is guaranteed. Thielen is due a $1.5MM roster bonus in mid-March, and remaining on the roster past that point will of course be a strong sign he will play a third season in Carolina.
The 34-year-old had a strong debut campaign with the Panthers, recording the second most catches in his career (103) and topping 1,000 yards for the third time. Thielen was one of several receivers mentioned as a trade candidate in advance of the deadline, with a move to a contender representing something he would be on board with. Carolina did wind up dealing Jonathan Mingo midseason, but Thielen remained in place and was limited to only 10 games played.
The former UDFA noted the second-half progression shown by quarterback Bryce Young as a sign the Panthers could take a step forward in 2025. Thielen will be counted on to remain a key figure in the team’s passing attack next season, although his playing future will of course remain a talking point during the campaign given his age and status as a pending 2026 free agent. The Minnesota State alum acknowledged he is unsure of how much longer he will continue playing past the coming campaign.
“I think there’s probably more times now that you’re like, ‘all right, there’s probably not much more’ Thielen added. “So you know there’s an end in sight, but when that exactly will be is kind of a year-to-year thing.”
Thielen has amassed nearly $82MM in career earnings, and he could certainly afford to be picky when considering free agent options next offseason in the event he elected to continue his career. For now, though, his attention will turn to a third Carolina campaign.