Former Packers Star Sterling Sharpe Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame

Green Bay Packers receiver Sterling Sharpe’s career was too short. His wait to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame was too long.

The wait, finally, is over. Three decades after his career ended prematurely, the unstoppable, record-breaking Sharpe was selected for induction into the Hall of Fame on Thursday in New Orleans.

Defensive end Jared Allen, cornerback Eric Allen and tight end Antonio Gates joined Sharpe in the Class of 2025.

Former Packers coach Mike Holmgren, who led Green Bay to victory in Super Bowl XXXI and also led the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl, was not selected.

Sharpe was the Packers’ first-round pick in 1988. After a relatively quiet first season, he became one of the most dominant playmakers in NFL history over the next six seasons.

In 1989, he led the NFL with 90 receptions. In 1992, he set the NFL single-season record with 108 receptions. It was one of the greatest seasons in NFL history as Sharpe won the Receiver Triple Crown by leading the league in catches, yards (1,461) and touchdowns (13). In 1993, he broke the single-season receptions record again with 112. In 1994, he caught 94 passes but scored an NFL-high 18 touchdowns.

During the span of his seven-year career, Sharpe ranked:

- Second with 595 receptions (Jerry Rice, 620).

- Second with 65 touchdowns (Rice, 91).

- Third with 8,134 yards (Rice, 9,700).

- Third with 72.6 receiving yards per game (Rice, 86.6).

That’s impressive. Now, here are Sharpe’s numbers from 1992 through 1994, when Brett Favre was his quarterback:

- First with 314 receptions (Rice, 294).

- First with 42 touchdowns (Rice, 38).

- Third with 3,854 yards (Rice, 4,203).

- Third with 80.3 yards per game (Rice, 87.6).

Sharpe was like a running back playing receiver, and the Packers used him as such. Why run the ball when you could throw it to Sharpe and let him work his magic?

“I think what made him so special was he was really tough and really dedicated to the game in his way,” former Packers general manager Ron Wolf told the Eye Test for Two podcast. “He was not intimidated by anything or anybody or any situation. He’s a perfect football player. I don’t know what else to add to that.

“He could do everything you would want a receiver to do. He would go anywhere to catch a ball. He would go in and catch it. He would go out and catch it. He would run hooks, run outs, run ups. He was just an exceptional football player.”

Sharpe was nothing short of “unstoppable,” as Wolf said. His X account goes by “Thro284.” The Packers’ game plan was definitely throw to 84. What was remarkable was everyone knew the ball was going to No. 84 and nobody could stop him.

That certainly was the case in the legendary 1993 wild-card win at Detroit. With the Packers trailing 24-21 in the closing moments at the Silverdome, Favre bought time to his left, then spotted Sharpe streaking behind the Detroit secondary to the right.

Ballgame.

The 40-yard touchdown capped Sharpe’s brilliant playoff debut of five receptions for 101 yards and three touchdowns. A week later, he caught six passes for 128 yards and one touchdown in a playoff loss at Dallas.

It all ended too soon, though. Sharpe suffered stingers in each of the final two games of the 1994 regular season. The injury required the fusion of two vertebrae and ended his brilliant career after seven seasons.

Sharpe, who never was a finalist during modern-era voting because of the length of his career, was one of three finalists who emerged from the Seniors Committee this year.

“If Sterling doesn’t get hurt, he does down as maybe the greatest wide receiver to play in the game,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who was a Packers assistant coach during Sharpe’s final three seasons, said at the Super Bowl.

In seven seasons, Sharpe was a three-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler. His 18-touchdown season remains third-best in NFL history.

“He was an unstoppable, remarkable receiver,” Wolf told Packers.com’s Cliff Christl. “When you review what he accomplished, it’s truly legendary. He was the only offensive weapon we possessed yet the opponent’s defense couldn’t stop him. He should be in Canton. He’s much better than most of the people that have gone in recently at his position.”

With Sharpe, the Packers in 1989 won 10 games, their first 10-win season since 1972. And they reached the playoffs in 1993, their first postseason berth in a non-strike season since 1972.

“I’m sure every defensive coordinator that got ready to play the Packers said, ‘All we have to do is take Sharpe away, and we’ll beat them,’” Wolf said. “Well, you know what? They never took him away. He led the league in receptions.

“He was just a tremendous football player. Hard to believe that he was as good as he was, considering what he had around him as a team.”

Holmgren was the lone coach to reach the final ballot.

Sharpe is the 29th member of the Packers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Only the Chicago Bears have more with 32.