Is Sterling Sharpe In The NFL Hall Of Fame?
Contents
Despite being one of the best wide receivers of his generation, Sterling Sharpe’s career was cut short by injuries. Some believe he is deserving of a spot in the NFL Hall of Fame, while others think his short career means he doesn’t measure up. What do you think?
Who is Sterling Sharpe?
Sterling Sharpe is a former American football wide receiver who played for the Green Bay Packers from 1988 to 1994. He was a five-time Pro Bowl selection and a three-time first-team All-Pro. In 1994, he set the single-season record for receptions with 112. He was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 2002.
His NFL career
Sterling Sharpe played his entire seven-year NFL career with the Green Bay Packers, from 1988 to 1994. He was a first-round draft pick out of the University of South Carolina, and he quickly became one of the best wide receivers in the league. In 1992, he set a then-NFL record with 18 touchdown catches in a season, and he was named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year.
Sharpe’s career came to an abrupt end in 1994, when he suffered a neck injury that forced him to retire. Had he not been injured, there is no doubt that he would have gone on to have a Hall of Fame-caliber career. As it stands, Sharpe is still considered one of the best wide receivers of his generation, and many believe that he should be in the Hall of Fame.
His post-NFL career
Sterling Sharpe’s post-NFL career has been just as impressive as his time on the field. He has worked as an analyst for both NFL Network and ESPN. He has also written a column for Sports Illustrated and was a guest host on Jim Rome’s radio show.
Why isn’t Sterling Sharpe in the NFL Hall of Fame?
Sterling Sharpe was one of the best wide receivers in the NFL during his playing days. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and led the league in receptions and receiving yards three times. So why isn’t he in the Hall of Fame? There are a few reasons why.
His retirement
Sterling Sharpe played seven seasons in the NFL, all with the Green Bay Packers. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and a three-time first-team All-Pro selection. He retired in 1994 after suffering a neck injury.
Sharpe’s case for the Hall of Fame is often debated. Some say that his career was too short; others say that he didn’t do enough in his career to merit induction.
There is no question that Sharpe was one of the best wide receivers of his generation. He was a big, physical receiver with great route-running ability and sure hands. He was also a very good blocker. In his seven seasons, Sharpe caught 595 passes for 8462 yards and 62 touchdowns. He also had five 100-yard receiving games in the playoffs.
So why isn’t Sterling Sharp in the Hall of Fame? There are a few reasons.
First, as mentioned above, his career was relatively short. Seven seasons is not a long time, especially for a wide receiver. Second, he played on some bad teams during his career. The Packers were not a good team during much of Sharpe’s career, and he didn’t have the chance to play in many big games. Third, he had some off-field issues that may have hurt his chances. Sterling Sharpe was arrested several times during his career, including once for domestic violence.
Overall, Sterling Sharpe had a very good career, but it wasn’t quite good enough to get him into the Hall of Fame.
His short career
Sterling Sharpe’s decision to retire from the NFL at age 29, three years after suffering a debilitating neck injury, is one of the primary reasons he’s not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Sharpe played just seven seasons, caught 595 passes for 8,134 yards and 65 touchdowns and was a five-time Pro Bowler. His career average of 13.6 yards per catch is the best in NFL history for players with at least 400 catches.
Sharpe’s decorated career includes being named first-team All-Pro three times (1992-94), leading the NFL in receptions (112) and receiving yards (1,461) in 1992 and being named the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1988 after catching 55 passes for 791 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The case for Sterling Sharpe being in the NFL Hall of Fame
Sterling Sharpe was one of the most prolific receivers during his time in the NFL. He was a five-time Pro Bowler, led the league in receptions and receiving yards three times, and was named first-team All-Pro three times. Sharpe’s career was cut short by a neck injury, but he still holds the NFL record for most receptions in a season. Despite his accomplishments, Sharpe has not been elected to the Hall of Fame. Let’s take a look at his case.
His accomplishments
In his seven NFL seasons, Sterling Sharpe caught 595 passes for 8,134 yards and 65 touchdowns, adding nine catches for 156 yards and two touchdowns in the playoffs. He averaged 61.9 catches, 1,164 yards, and 11.1 touchdowns per 16 games played, and retired with a then-record 18 consecutive games with a reception. His career reception percentage of 65.7 was an NFL record until being eclipsed by Jerry Rice in 1995. In 1993, despite playing only 12 games due to injury, he set the then-NFL record for receptions in a season with 112.
Sterling Sharpe was the only player to lead the league in receptions three times (1992–94), and did so in consecutive seasons (1993–94). He is also one of only four wide receivers to have back-to-back 1,300+ yard seasons before the age of 25 ( joining Randy Moss, A.J. Green, and Odell Beckham Jr.).
He was selected for the Pro Bowl five times (1989–1993) and named first-team All-Pro three times (1992–1994). At the time of his retirement he held numerous NFL receiving records including: most career receptions in a season (112 in 1993), most career receiving yards in a season (1,Time of possession Record741 in 1989), most touchdown receptions by a rookie in a season (12 in 1988), Fastest player to reach 50 touchdown receptions mark., Most consecutive seasons leading league in receptions per game., Most consecutive games catching at least one touchdown pass., Most games catching two or more touchdown passes., Most catches in Super Bowl history by Tight end or Wide receiver(11).
His impact on the game
Sterling Sharpe is one of the most electric and talented receivers the NFL has ever seen. Sterling redefined the receiver position, his impact on the game was immeasurable. He did things with the football in his hands that no one had seen before, and his sudden retirement due to a neck injury was a real tragedy for the game.
Unfortunately, Sterling’s career was cut short by injuries, but there is no doubt that he was one of the best receivers in NFL history. In just 7 seasons, Sterling amassed over 8,000 yards and 62 touchdown receptions. He was a 3-time Pro Bowler and led the NFL in receiving yards twice.
Sterling’s accomplishments are even more impressive when you consider that he played in an era when Darrell Green and Deion Sanders were at their peak. Green and Sanders were two of the best defensive backs of all time, yet Sterling still found ways to dominate them.
It’s really a shame that Sterling’s career was cut short, because there is no doubt in my mind that he would have ended up in Canton eventually. He was that good.