When faced with the possibility of putting the coveted “HOF” next to his name, former Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe has always answered the same way.
“I believe and will always respond this way, that my career exceeded, far exceeded, anything I dreamt in my wildest imagination,” Sharpe said. “It would be the highest honor a player could have to be named to the Hall of Fame. You hope and you wait because it’s not in your hands. Everything you can do, you’ve already done.”
Players, coaches and contributors who have been enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame routinely sign autographs with “HOF” to go with the year they were inducted. Sharpe once again moved to the final step Sunday, having been named as one of 15 modern-era finalists who will be considered Feb. 5 for the Class of 2011.
Five modern-era finalists will be selected for enshrinement.
It is the third consecutive year — since Sharpe became eligible for the Hall of Fame — he has been a finalist.
“It’s an honor and obviously I’m happy,” Sharpe said. “But I’ve been down this road before and everybody on that list deserves to be in, there’s no question. Hopefully it turns out differently this time and if and when it does, obviously I’ll be honored and happy.”
Sharpe led two Super Bowl winning teams in receptions in his career — once in Denver, once in Baltimore, where he also led in receiving yards — played on three Super Bowl winners overall and retired as the league’s all-time leader at his position in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns.
Sharpe was also selected to the NFL’s All-Decade team for the 1990s and was named to eight Pro Bowls.
Despite credentials that will almost certainly see him enshrined in the Hall, Sharpe is part of one of the most accomplished group of finalists in recent years. The list includes first-time eligible players Deion Sanders and Marshall Faulk, as well as eight players who have previously been finalists — Sharpe, Tim Brown, Cris Carter, Dermontti Dawson, Richard Dent, Charles Haley, Cortez Kennedy and Andre Reed.
Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com
