Four former NFL stars were inducted into the Pro Football Hall on Saturday afternoon at Tom Benson Hall of Fame stadium, in Canton, Ohio. The Class of 2025 featured Eric Allen, Jared Allen, Antonio Gates and Sterling Sharpe.

Jared Allen was presented by his father, Ron Allen, who unveiled his son’s bronze bust. Allen, a defensive end, was known as a hard-nosed player with a flashy sack celebration. He racked up 136 career sacks, ranking 16th all-time, and earned five Pro Bowl appearances and four All-Pro selections.

During his speech, Allen talked about what motivated him throughout his career.

“The pursuit of greatness, when you respect something or someone so much that you want to honor that thing or that person by being the best you can possibly be,” Allen said.    “That’s why I had the NFL sack leaders taped up in my locker every season, so I could show up to work and physically see greatness and never allow myself to feel like I arrived.”

Allen played 12 seasons in the NFL with Kansas City, Minnesota, Chicago and Carolina.

Sterling Sharpe’s Hall of Fame presenter was his Hall of Fame brother, Shannon Sharpe, and they became the first brothers to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Sterling starred as a wide receiver with the Packers. Shannon was a tight end with the Broncos and Ravens and was enshrined in 2011.

As Sterling talked about his life and career, he said, “When you learn to follow, you’ll find out how quickly you can become a leader.”

Sharpe played seven seasons in the NFL, all with the Green Bay Packers, but his career was cut short by a neck injury. Sharpe was named to five Pro Bowls, three All-Pro selections, and amassed 65 touchdowns.

Eric Allen’s Hall of Fame presenter was his oldest son, Austin. Allen, spent 14 seasons in the NFL with the Eagles, Saints and Raiders.

“I’m deeply grateful for this incredible honor,” the former star cornerback said. “We all share a deep love and respect for the game of football, and it transcends time and place. Football incentivizes what’s special about football. The pursuit of excellence, in short, calls for everything you got. And that’s what I tried to give it. These men and this game have helped me to understand that you have to possess devotion, passion and an abundance of patience.”

Antonio Gates is the NFL’s all-time leader in touchdown catches by a tight end with 116, and he is the only Pro Football Hall of Famer to never play a down of college football. Gates was a star basketball player at nearby Kent State in Ohio. He helped lead the Golden Flashes to the 2002 Elite Eight. His presenter Saturday was Los Angeles Chargers owner Dean Spanos.

Gates played 16 seasons in the NFL, all with the Chargers in San Diego and in Los Angeles.

“Phil, what we had on that football field was special,” Gates said of Philip Rivers, the former Chargers quarterback. “You weren’t just the guy throwing the ball, you were the heartbeat of all this. We saw the game the same way. You trusted me, and I trusted you. And that trust led to some of the best moments of my career. I always knew where that ball was going, Phil, and I always knew it was coming with a purpose. Philip Rivers, it was an absolute pleasure to have played with you.”

The Pro Football Hall of Fame began inducting members in 1963, and the Class of 2025 bring the total number of those enshrined to 375.