“Patiently Waiting”

The Denver Broncos are one of the legendary franchises in the NFL. Some well-known names have spent some of their careers playing in the Mile-High City. Let’s go down the list. The great John Elway. He played in five Super Bowls and won two of them. Terrell Davis won an MVP and two titles with the franchise. You can’t mention this franchise without Mr. Pat Bowlen. Under his ownership, the Broncos have become one of the more successful franchises in the league. The Broncos were also lucky to have a safety named Steve Atwater. The wait is finally over. Steve is finally being inducted into the Hall of Fame this August following Mr. Bowlen and Champ Bailey who went in last season.

Every football team has its tone-setter. That was Steve Atwater to the T. He was often used close to the line of scrimmage to help stop the run. In his rookie year, he made an immediate impact helping Denver’s run defense improve significantly. When I think of Steve, he put his body on the line for the better of his team. Atwater played as if he were a linebacker. He was the “swiss army knife” for his team. The one play that’s the hardest to prepare for is a secondary blitz because they are some of the fastest guys on the field. Steve always attacked the line of scrimmage to rush the passer. Number 27 was excellent when it came to stopping the run. He was the guy that knocked you back for a loss of yardage.

Steve Atwater is the greatest safety in Denver Broncos’ history. The accomplishments are also impressive. He’s an eight-time pro bowler, a two-time Super Bowl champion and a member of the NFL’s all-decade team in the 1990s. He’s had to wait for this moment, but here he is finally in. Atwater retired with 1,188 combined tackles with five career sacks and 24 interceptions. He was the epitome of prolific throughout his 11-year NFL career. Well done.