Former Arizona State Sun Devil and six-time Pro Bowl cornerback Eric Allen was one of four players inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 on Thursday night. Joining him in this prestigious honor were former Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen, legendary tight end Antonio Gates, and wide receiver Sterling Sharpe. Sharpe and his brother, Shannon, made history as the first pair of brothers to be enshrined, likely edging out Peyton and Eli Manning by a year.
Allen played for the Sun Devils in the Pac-10 from 1984 to 1987, recording eight interceptions and leading the nation with 185 return yards and two touchdowns. His standout college performance led to his selection by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round (30th overall) of the 1988 NFL Draft. He quickly made an impact in Philadelphia, earning his first of six Pro Bowl selections and his only First-Team All-Pro honor in 1989, just his second season.
Over his career, Allen amassed 54 interceptions, returning them for 826 yards and eight touchdowns. He led the NFL in pick-sixes twice, in 1993 and again in 2000 at age 35 while playing for the Oakland Raiders. His career totals place him among the top 25 in NFL history for interception return yards (25th), non-offensive touchdowns (23rd), interceptions (21st), and interceptions returned for touchdowns (8th). He was also named UPI Defensive Player of the Year in 1993.
With his induction, Allen becomes the fifth former Arizona State player in the Hall of Fame, joining offensive lineman Randall McDaniel, defensive back Mike Haynes, wide receiver Charley Taylor, and defensive tackle Curley Culp.
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