One of the Broncos’ all-time greatest defensive players and a pair of former Denver head coaches were named finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023 on Wednesday.
Linebacker Randy Gradishar was one of 12 former players selected as a finalist in the Seniors category and coaches Mike Shanahan and Dan Reeves are among 12 in the Coach/Contributor group.
The Seniors Committee will meet Aug. 16 to vote and send three finalists to the full 49-member voting group in early 2023. Each of the three finalists could be selected to the Class of ’23. On Aug. 23, the Coach/Contributor Committee will select one finalist to present to the full voting group.
Gradishar, the cornerstone of the team’s vaunted “Orange Crush Defense,” played his entire 10-year career for the Broncos. He was named to seven Pro Bowls and was the 1978 Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year. This is the fourth time he has been named a finalist for the Hall (2003, ’08 and ’20).
The Seniors finalists, which includes players who played no later than 1996, also includes Ken Anderson, Maxie Baughan, Chuck Howley, Cecil Isbell, Joe Klecko, Bob Kuechenberg, Eddie Meador, Tommy Nobis, Ken Riley, Sterling Sharpe and Everson Walls.
Reeves, who died on Jan. 1, was the Broncos’ coach from 1981-92 and led the team to six playoff appearances and three Super Bowls (each a loss). His 110 regular-season wins are the second most in franchise history.
In 23 years as a head coach for the Broncos, New York Giants (1993-96) and Atlanta (1997-2003), Reeves went 201-174-2.
Shanahan was a Broncos assistant for two tours before returning as head coach from 1995-2008. He led the team to back-to-back Super Bowl titles in 1997-98 and his 138 regular-season wins are the most in Broncos history.
Shanahan posted a career record of 178-144 for the Raiders (1988-89), the Broncos and Washington (2010-13).
The other coach/contributor finalists are Roone Arledge, Don Coryell, Mike Holmgren, Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, Robert Kraft, Art Modell, Buddy Parker, Art Rooney Jr., Clark Shaughnessy and John Wooten.
