Philly Leader

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced its initial list of 167 modern-era nominees for the Class of 2025. Former Eagles running back Darren Sproles is one of 20 players on the list with ties to the franchise. Sproles, who spent the final six seasons of his 15-year NFL career with the Eagles, was acquired in a trade with the Saints in 2014 and was recognized as one of the NFL's best punt returners, earning three consecutive Pro Bowl bids at the start of his tenure with the team. He led the league in both punt return yardage and touchdowns in 2014 and 2015.

Sproles finished his career fifth all-time in yards from scrimmage with 19,696 (he now ranks sixth). Of the other players in the top ten, six are already enshrined in Canton, two are also nominees (another former Eagle, Brian Mitchell, and Steve Smith Sr.), and one is not yet eligible.

This is Sproles' first year of eligibility for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. "I'm proud that I was able to prove my doubters wrong," Sproles wrote when he announced his retirement in 2019. "They told me that I wouldn't make it past a year in the NFL. Fifteen years later, I'm fifth all-time in NFL history in career all-purpose yards. Look at the names who are above me on that list: Jerry Rice, Brian Mitchell, Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith. To be part of such an outstanding group is an incredible honor. But it also goes to show that no matter what people say about you, you can still achieve great things if you believe in yourself and put in the work."

The list of modern-era nominees will be reduced to around 50 next month. Eventually, between three and five modern-era players will be chosen for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2025, which will be announced leading up to Super Bowl LVIX in New Orleans.

Here are the former Eagles on this year's nomination list (with their years with the team noted):

Quarterbacks:

- Randall Cunningham (1985-95)

- Jeff Garcia (2006, '09)

- Donovan McNabb (1999-2009)

Running Backs:

- Charlie Garner (1994-98)

- Dorsey Levens (2002,'04)

- Darren Sproles (2014-19)

- Chris Warren (2000)

- Ricky Watters (1995-97)

Wide Receivers:

- Irving Fryar (1996-98)

Defensive Linemen:

- Haloti Ngata (2018)

- Clyde Simmons (1986–93)

Linebackers:

- Takeo Spikes (2007)

Defensive Backs:

- Eric Allen (1988–94)

- Allen Rossum (1998–99)

- Troy Vincent (1996–2003)

Specialists:

- David Akers (1999–2010)

- Gary Anderson (1995–96)

- Jeff Feagles (1990–93)

- Sean Landeta(1999–2002,'05)

- Brian Mitchell(2000–02)