Two Ravens legends, Terrell Suggs and Marshal Yanda, fell short of enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on their first ballot.
Suggs and Yanda both reached the final round of 15 modern-era finalists in their first year of eligibility, but only four players gained admission as part of the Class of 2025, which was announced Thursday night at NFL Honors.
The four members of the Class of 2025 are defensive end Jared Allen, tight end Antonio Gates, cornerback Eric Allen, and wide receiver Sterling Sharpe. It's the smallest class since 2005.
The fact that Suggs and Yanda made it this far in their first year, however, is a strong sign that they will eventually have a bust in Canton. Both players have a very strong case.
Suggs ranks eighth on the all-time sacks list with 139 over his 17 seasons (2003-2019). All seven players in front of him are Hall of Famers and so are seven players not too far behind him.
Suggs won two Super Bowls: one with the Ravens in 2012 and another with the Kansas City Chiefs as a late-season addition in 2019.
He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2011, when he had a career-high 14 sacks and seven forced fumbles. He was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2003, when he exploded out of the gates with 12 sacks.
Suggs was a seven-time Pro Bowler, but he was a first-team All-Pro only once (2011), a second-team All-Pro once (2008), and did not make the 2000s or 2010s All-Decade teams. Suggs played during a golden era of other outstanding defensive ends and outside linebackers.
Other premier pass rushers have had to wait their turn to enter the Hall of Fame. Allen, who finished with 136 sacks, was in his fifth year of eligibility and was one of nine finalists last year. Former Indianapolis Colts pass rusher Dwight Freeney was enshrined on his second try after being a finalist in his first shot. Freeney has a resume similar to Suggs', with 16 seasons, 125.5 sacks, seven Pro Bowls, and one-time Super Bowl championship. Freeney made the 2000s All-Decade team.
A third-round pick in 2007, Yanda settled in as a full-time starting right guard in his fifth season. He went to the Pro Bowl eight of the next nine seasons (every year he was healthy) and was still one of the league's best offensive linemen when he retired following the 2019 campaign.
Yanda was a two-time first-team All-Pro (2014 & 2015) and five-time second-teamer. He was named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. Yanda helped lead the Ravens to a Super Bowl victory in 2012 and Baltimore was the only place he played.
Interior offensive lineman – one of the least sexy positions in football – have also often had to wait their turn to gain enshrinement into Canton. Steve Hutchinson was inducted into the Hall in 2020, on his third try, and he went to one fewer Pro Bowl. Longtime Kansas City Chief Will Shields, who went to 12 Pro Bowls, went in on his fourth try after being a finalist for three straight years.
Former Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. also did not get in this year. Smith, who is eighth in NFL history with 14,731 receiving yards, spent his final three seasons in Baltimore after playing his first 13 with the Panthers.
