Sterling Sharpe Headlines Senior Finalists for 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class

Former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sterling Sharpe was one of five people named finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2025 on Tuesday in the categories of seniors, coaches and contributors.

Sharpe was one of three former players named among the finalists, along with Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams linebacker Maxie Baughan and Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Jim Tyrer.

The other finalists are former Packers and Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren and former Canton Bulldogs owner Ralph Hay.

Sharpe, 59, is the older brother of legendary Denver Broncos and Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe.

Sterling was originally selected by the Packers with the No. 7 overall pick in the 1988 NFL draft out of South Carolina, and he established himself as one of the best wideouts in the league during his seven-year career.

He was a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time First Team All-Pro who reached the 1,000-yard mark in a season five occasions. He also led the NFL in receptions three times, in receiving yardage once and in receiving touchdowns twice.

Overall, Sharpe played 112 career NFL regular-season games and finished with 595 catches for 8,134 yards and 65 touchdowns.

Had a neck injury not cut Sharpe's career short, he was trending toward being a surefire, first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Among the other five finalists, Baughan was a nine-time Pro Bowler and one-time NFL champion from 1960 to 1974 with the Eagles, Rams and Washington, and Tyrer was nine-time Pro Bowler, six-time First Team All-Pro, one-time Super Bowl champion and three-time AFL champion from 1961 to 1974 with the Dallas Texans (later Kansas City Chiefs) and Washington.

Holmgren, 76, was head coach of the Packers from 1992 to 1998 and head coach of the Seahawks from 1999 to 2008. He went 161-111, reached the playoffs 12 times and made it to three Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XXXI with the Packers.

He previously won a pair of Super Bowls serving as the quarterbacks coach and then offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers.

Hay owned the Canton Bulldogs from 1918 to 1922, winning two NFL championships during that time. He is also recognized as one of the co-founders of the NFL.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee previously 25 modern-era players as HOF semifinalists, led by longtime New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

The 15 modern-era player finalists will be named on Dec. 28 as part of a special announcement on NFL Network.

As for the contributor, coach and senior finalists, as many as three of them can be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2025 provided they achieve 80 percent of the vote or more.

If none of the five finalists reach the 80 percent threshold, the finalist with the highest percentage of votes will be elected to the Hall of Fame.

The full Class of 2025 will be announced as part of the NFL Honors awards show in New Orleans during Super Bowl week in February.