Packers’ Sharpe headed to Hall of Fame

(GREEN BAY PACKERS/LEARFIELD) – Wide receiver Sterling Sharpe, who played seven seasons (1988-94) for the Green Bay Packers, was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The announcement was made tonight by the Hall of Fame’s selection committee.

“On behalf of the entire Green Bay Packers organization, I want to congratulate Sterling on his long overdue election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He left an indelible mark as one of the greatest players of his generation, while also directly contributing to the revival of the Packers during the 1990s,” said Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy. “We are extremely happy for Sterling and his family and are forever grateful for all that he gave and accomplished with the Packers.”

Sharpe, meanwhile, said that he wasn’t sure what to make of his chances.

Sharpe said that there wasn’t a lot of buildup to this for him.

Sharpe was drafted by the Packers in the first round (No. 7 overall) of the 1988 NFL Draft and started all 112 regular-season games he played for Green Bay, appearing in all 16 games each season of his career. He earned first-team All-Pro honors three times and was selected to five Pro Bowls during his seven-year career that was cut short by a neck injury. Sharpe registered 595 receptions for 8,134 yards (13.7 avg.) and 65 touchdowns in his career. He is one of only three players in NFL history with 575-plus catches, 8,000-plus receiving yards and 65-plus receiving TDs in his first seven seasons (Marvin Harrison, Larry Fitzgerald). Sharpe’s 595 receptions from 1988-94 were the most in NFL history to that point by a player in his first seven seasons. He ranked No. 2 behind only Jerry Rice for receiving yards and receiving TDs by an NFL player in his first seven seasons to that point. Sharpe posted 18 TD receptions in his final season, tied for No. 3 in league history. He led the league in receptions three times (1989, 1992-93) over a five-year period.

Sharpe became the first player in NFL history to register two 100-catch seasons, with his 108 catches in 1992 setting an NFL single-season record at that time. In 1992-93, he became the first player in league history to record 100-plus receptions, 1,250-plus receiving yards and 10-plus receiving TDs in back-to-back seasons. Sharpe finished his career with three consecutive seasons of 90-plus receptions (108 in 1992, 112 in 1994 and 94 in 1994). He posted four seasons with 11-plus TD receptions, with three coming during his final three years (12 in 1989, 13, in 1992, 11 in 1993 and 18 in 1994). Sharpe registered 1,100-plus receiving yards in five of his seven seasons, including each of the final three (1,423 in 1989, 1,105 in 1990, 1,461 in 1992, 1,274 in 1993 and 1,119 in 1994).

In 1992, he helped Green Bay make the postseason for the first time since 1972, excluding the strike-shortened season of 1982. Sharpe registered 11 receptions for 229 yards (20.8 avg.) with four TDs in two playoff contests.

Sharpe is the 29th member of the Packers to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.