Mike Holmgren, the former head coach of the Green Bay Packers, and Sterling Sharpe, a legendary wide receiver for the team, have been named finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Their induction cases will be reviewed by the full selection committee during the Super Bowl festivities in February. Sharpe was picked as one of three finalists in the Seniors category for players whose career ended in 1999 or earlier, along with Maxie Baughan and Jim Tyrer. Holmgren was picked as the lone finalist in the coaching category. Ralph Hay, who helped found the NFL more than a century ago, was the finalist in the contributor category. The five will be grouped together for voting by the full selection committee in January. Voters can pick three of the candidates, meaning a maximum of three can reach the 80% threshold needed for induction.
If no one gets 80% of the votes, then the leading vote-getter of those five will get into the Hall.
Holmgren’s tenure with the Packers from 1992 to 1998 included six playoff berths, three NFC Central division titles, three NFC Championship Game appearances, and a Super Bowl win after the 1996 season, ending a long championship wait for Green Bay. He also guided the Seattle Seahawks to their inaugural Super Bowl in 2005.
Sharpe, a first-round pick from South Carolina, became an NFL star with the Packers, earning three first-team All-Pro honors and making five Pro Bowls in his short seven-year career. He broke NFL records for receptions in a season twice and led the league in touchdown catches twice before retiring early due to injury. This is Sharpe’s first time reaching the finalist stage as a senior candidate, with Maxie Baughan and Jim Tyrer as his fellow senior finalists.
Holmgren was a disciple of Bill Walsh, the original architect of the West Coast Offense. This system emphasizes short, accurate passing routes to create opportunities for yards after the catch, complemented by a strong running game. It requires a quarterback with excellent timing and precision, like Brett Favre, who thrived under Holmgren in Green Bay.
Here are Sterling Sharpe’s career NFL statistics:
- Seasons Played: 7 (1988-1994) with the Green Bay Packers
- Games Played: 112
- Receptions: 595
- Receiving Yards: 8,134
- Receiving Touchdowns: 65
- Average Yards per Reception: 13.7
- Average Yards per Game: 72.6
- Pro Bowls: 5
- First-Team All-Pro Selections: 3
Notable Achievements:
- Sharpe led the NFL in receptions in 1992 (108) and 1993 (112), setting records at the time for receptions in a season.
- He led the league in receiving touchdowns in 1992 (13) and 1994 (18).
- Sharpe also led the league in receiving yards in 1992 (1,461).
Seasonal Highlights:
- 1992: 108 receptions, 1,461 yards, 13 touchdowns (NFL Triple Crown for receptions, yards, and touchdowns)
- 1993: 112 receptions, 1,274 yards, 11 touchdowns
- 1994: 94 receptions, 1,119 yards, 18 touchdowns
Sterling Sharpe’s incredible career was unfortunately cut short by a neck injury after the 1994 season, preventing further contributions to his already impressive resume.
