Tag: Mike Shanahan

2 ex-Broncos players fail to advance in Hall of Fame voting

The Broncos will not have any players added to the Hall of Fame in the 2025 class.

Former Denver Broncos defensive linemen Neil Smith and Simeon Rice are not among the 25 modern-era semifinalists for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. So the Broncos will not be represented by any players in next year’s class.

Smith, 58, spent the first nine years of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs before joining the Broncos in 1997. He won back-to-back Super Bowls in Denver and then finished his career with the San Diego Chargers.

Smith totaled 625 tackles, 104.5 sacks, 30 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries and four interceptions during his 13-year career.

Rice, 50, played five years with the Arizona Cardinals and then had a six-year run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning Super Bowl XXXVII with the Bucs. He spent part of his final year in the NFL with the Broncos in 2007.

Rice recorded 483 tackles, 122 sacks, 43 pass breakups, 28 forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries and five interceptions during his 12-year career.

Former coaches Mike Shanahan and the late Dan Reeves were previously named coach semifinalists for the 2025 class in October. The selection committee voted on a coach finalist yesterday, but the result is not expected to be announced until December.

Broncos candidates for Hall of Fame

  1. Coach Mike Shanahan
  2. Coach Dan Reeves

The list of modern-era player semifinalists will be trimmed down to a finalists list later this fall. The 2025 class will be announced before Super Bowl LVIX next year.

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Sean Payton gives strong take on Mike Shanahan’s Hall of Fame candidacy

Sean Payton said Mike Shanahan has a better resume than some of the recent coaches that have reached the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Former Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan is one of nine coach semifinalists for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

Sean Payton, Denver’s current coach, gave Shanahan a strong endorsement during his conference call with Broncos reporters on Monday.

“I’ve had a long friendship with him,” Payton said. “What he’s accomplished though in our game, he has two Super Bowl championships. He’s been behind, I would say, the minds behind so many coaches working right now. I’d say almost a third of the league at one point has been impacted by Mike. Not only the coaching tree, I’m talking about the offensive tree.

“When I got into the league, there were two or three teams that you studied, and Denver was one of them. We’re sitting here in 2024 and we’re looking at a guy — a candidate — who quite honestly has a lot better credentials than maybe some others [who] have gone before him as coaches. He was one of the guys. [He’s] extremely intelligent and then the Super Bowls, the quarterbacks, the success and all those other things. I don’t know when the vote is or how that all unfolds, but his candidacy for someone like myself, it’s easy.

“It’s all there right in front of you. Then go ahead and look back at the last — just take the last six coaches that have gone in. Just use that number and then throw their numbers at Mike and their accomplishments and I think that’s a simple way to look at it and arrive at the right decision.”

This certainly isn’t the first time Payton has backed Shanahan. Denver’s current coach previously noted that elements of Shanahan’s offense are still used in the NFL today, and Payton said last summer that Shanny should already be in the Hall of Fame.

We should find out soon if Shanahan is advancing in the voting process.

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Broncos have 4 candidates for 2025 Hall of Fame class

The Broncos have four candidates for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, including two-time Super Bowl champion Neil Smith.

Former Denver Broncos coaches Mike Shanahan and Dan Reeves were named semifinalists for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class earlier this week.

Shanahan and Reeves are two of nine candidates in the coach category. The selection committee will narrow that list of nine semifinalists down to one finalist later this month.

The Broncos also have two modern-era players who made the cutdown from 167 nominees down to 50 candidates last month: defensive linemen Neil Smith and Simeon Rice.

That gives Denver four total candidates for next year’s Hall of Fame class.

Broncos candidates for Hall of Fame

  1. Coach Mike Shanahan
  2. Coach Dan Reeves
  3. DL Neil Smith
  4. DL Simeon Rice

The Hall of Fame’s selection committee will meet on Nov. 19 to select one coach finalist. The list of modern-era player nominees will also be trimmed down to 25 semifinalists later this month. The 2025 class will be announced before Super Bowl LVIX next year.

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Mike Shanahan, Dan Reeves advance in Hall of Fame voting process

Mike Shanahan and the late Dan Reeves have been named semifinalists for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

Three-time Super Bowl champion Mike Shanahan is advancing as a coach candidate for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, the Hall announced Thursday. Another former Denver Broncos coach, the late Dan Reeves, also advanced in the voting.

The list of coach 14 candidates has been trimmed down to nine semifinalists: Shanahan, Reeves, Bill Arnsparger, Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Chuck Knox, Marty Schottenheimer, George Seifert and Clark Shaughnessy.

Shanahan, 72, won his first Super Bowl as an offensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers following the 1994 season. He later won back-to-back Super Bowls as head coach of the Broncos in the 1997 and 1998 seasons. Elements of his offense are still seen across the NFL today.

Reeves died at age 77 in 2022. He reached two Super Bowls as a player with the Dallas Cowboys, winning his first title following the 1971 season. Reeves later reached three more Super Bowls as an assistant with the Cowboys, winning his second title after the 1977 season. He went on to reach four more Super Bowls as a head coach, including three with the Broncos.

Reeves’ nine total Super Bowl appearances represent the third-most in NFL history only behind Tom Brady (10) and Bill Belichick (12). Reeves should eventually reach Canton, and Shanahan seems to be trending toward a Hall of Fame nod in 2025.

Denver also has two modern-era player candidates for the 2025 class in defensive linemen Neil Smith and Simeon Rice.

Broncos candidates for Hall of Fame

  1. Coach Mike Shanahan
  2. Coach Dan Reeves
  3. DL Neil Smith
  4. DL Simeon Rice

The Hall of Fame’s selection committee will meet on Nov. 19 to select one finalist from the coach category to advance in the voting process. The list of modern-era player nominees will also be trimmed down to 25 semifinalists in November. The 2025 class will be announced before Super Bowl LVIX next year.

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17 former Broncos players snubbed by Hall of Fame voters

Rod Smith is among 17 modern-era Broncos players who were snubbed by Pro Football Hall of Fame voters.

The Denver Broncos had 19 modern-era players nominated for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class this year. Only two of them have advanced in the latest round of voting.

The original list of 167 nominees has been trimmed down to 50 candidates and former Broncos Neil Smith and Simeon Rice are among eight defensive linemen who made the cut, joined by John Abraham, Jared Allen, Robert Mathis, Haloti Ngata, Vince Wilfork and Kevin Williams.

Smith won back-to-back Super Bowls with Denver in the late 1990s. Rice won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and later spent part of his final season in the NFL with the Broncos in 2007.

Among the Denver players who did not make the cut is two-time Super Bowl champion wide receiver Rod Smith. Instead, six other WRs advanced: Anquan Boldin, Torry Holt, Jimmy Smith, Steve Smith, Hines Ward and Reggie Wayne.

In addition to Smith and Rice, Mike Shanahan and the late Dan Reeves are also candidates for the Hall of Fame in the coach category.

Broncos who did not advance

  1. RB Clinton Portis
  2. RB Glyn Milburn
  3. RB Jamaal Charles
  4. WR Rod Smith
  5. WR Demaryius Thomas
  6. WR Brandon Marshall
  7. WR Wes Welker
  8. TE Vernon Davis
  9. C Tom Nalen
  10. G Mark Schlereth
  11. DL Jamal Williams
  12. DL Ted Washington
  13. LB Bill Romanowski
  14. LB Keith Brooking
  15. CB Aqib Talib
  16. CB Dré Bly
  17. K Jason Elam

Broncos candidates for Hall of Fame

  1. Coach Mike Shanahan
  2. Coach Dan Reeves
  3. DL Neil Smith
  4. DL Simeon Rice

The Hall of Fame’s selection committee will trim the list of modern-era nominees down to 25 semifinalists in about four weeks. The 2025 class will be announced before Super Bowl LVIX next year.

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Broncos have 21 candidates for 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class

The Broncos have 19 modern-era players and two coach candidates for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

Last week, Mike Shanahan and late former Denver Broncos coach Dan Reeves were named coach candidates for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

The Broncos also have 19 modern-era candidates for the Hall of Fame. Denver had 11 senior candidates as well, but none of them advanced in the selection process.

With the modern-era candidates still to be trimmed down, the Broncos currently have 21 candidates for next year’s Hall of Fame class.

Broncos candidates for Hall of Fame

  1. Coach Mike Shanahan
  2. Coach Dan Reeves
  3. WR Rod Smith
  4. C Tom Nalen
  5. K Jason Elam
  6. G Mark Schlereth
  7. LB Bill Romanowski
  8. DL Neil Smith
  9. WR Demaryius Thomas
  10. CB Aqib Talib
  11. WR Wes Welker
  12. RB Clinton Portis
  13. WR Brandon Marshall
  14. RB Glyn Milburn
  15. CB Dré Bly
  16. TE Vernon Davis
  17. DL Jamal Williams
  18. LB Keith Brooking
  19. RB Jamaal Charles
  20. DL Ted Washington
  21. DL Simeon Rice

The Hall of Fame’s selection committee will trim the list of modern-era nominees this month and announce semifinalists and finalists later in the fall. The 2025 class will be announced before Super Bowl LVIX next year.

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Mike Shanahan, Dan Reeves among coach candidates for Hall of Fame

Mike Shanahan and late former Broncos coach Dan Reeves are among 12 coach candidates for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

Mike Shanahan and late former Denver Broncos coach Dan Reeves are among 12 coach candidates for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, the Hall of Fame announced Thursday.

Shanahan and Reeves are joined by Bill Arnsparger, Tom Coughlin, Jeff Fisher, Alex Gibbs, Mike Holmgren, Chuck Knox, Richie Petitbon, Marty Schottenheimer, George Seifert and Clark Shaughnessy.

The selection committee will narrow the list of 12 candidates down to one finalist in the coming weeks.

Reeves, who died at age 77 in 2022, reached nine Super Bowls as a player and coach, representing the third-most in NFL history only behind Bill Belichick (12) and Tom Brady (10).

Shanahan, 72, won a Super Bowl as an assistant with the San Francisco 49ers and later won back-to-back Super Bowls as a head coach with the Broncos.

Denver had 11 senior candidates named earlier this year who did not advance in the voting. The Broncos still have 19 modern-era candidates for the 2025 class, with Shanahan and Reeves now added to the pool of candidates.

Broncos candidates for Hall of Fame

  1. Coach Mike Shanahan
  2. Coach Dan Reeves
  3. WR Rod Smith
  4. C Tom Nalen
  5. K Jason Elam
  6. G Mark Schlereth
  7. LB Bill Romanowski
  8. DL Neil Smith
  9. WR Demaryius Thomas
  10. CB Aqib Talib
  11. WR Wes Welker
  12. RB Clinton Portis
  13. WR Brandon Marshall
  14. RB Glyn Milburn
  15. CB Dré Bly
  16. TE Vernon Davis
  17. DL Jamal Williams
  18. LB Keith Brooking
  19. RB Jamaal Charles
  20. DL Ted Washington
  21. DL Simeon Rice

The Hall of Fame’s selection committee will trim the list of modern-era nominees this month and announce semifinalists and finalists later in the fall. The 2025 class will be announced before Super Bowl LVIX next year.

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Karl Mecklenburg among ex-Broncos players snubbed by Hall of Fame voters

Karl Mecklenburg, Louis Wright, Lionel Taylor and eight other Broncos players were snubbed by Hall of Fame voters in the senior category.

Karl Mecklenburg and 10 other former Denver Broncos players were named senior candidates for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class last month. Voters have since narrowed the pool of 183 nominees down to 60 candidates, and no former Broncos players advanced in the voting.

Mecklenburg, linebacker Tom Jackson, safety Dennis Smith, wide receiver Lionel Taylor, returner Rick Upchurch, cornerback Louis Wright, receiver Bob Scarpitto, defensive lineman Michael Dean Perry, running back Sammy Winder, defensive lineman Lyle Alzado and defensive end Rich Jackson will all have to wait at least another year for a chance to reach Canton.

There is still a chance that the Broncos could be represented in the 2025 class. In addition to the 11 senior nominees, Denver also had 19 modern-era players nominated this year, and Mike Shanahan is expected to be a top candidate in the coach category.

Broncos candidates for Hall of Fame

  1. Coach Mike Shanahan (expected)
  2. WR Rod Smith
  3. C Tom Nalen
  4. K Jason Elam
  5. G Mark Schlereth
  6. LB Bill Romanowski
  7. DL Neil Smith
  8. WR Demaryius Thomas
  9. CB Aqib Talib
  10. WR Wes Welker
  11. RB Clinton Portis
  12. WR Brandon Marshall
  13. RB Glyn Milburn
  14. CB Dré Bly
  15. TE Vernon Davis
  16. DL Jamal Williams
  17. LB Keith Brooking
  18. RB Jamaal Charles
  19. DL Ted Washington
  20. DL Simeon Rice

The Hall of Fame’s selection committee will trim the list of nominees this month before announcing semifinalists and finalists later in the fall. The 2025 class will be announced before Super Bowl LVIX next year.

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Bill Belichick breaks down Mike Shanahan’s offense seen in the NFL today

Bill Belichick breaks down the Mike Shanahan coaching tree and key elements of Shanahan’s offense that are still seen across the NFL today.

Mike Shanahan has not coached in the NFL since 2013, but elements of his offense are still seen across the league today.

That’s thanks to Shanahan’s impressive coaching tree which features his son, Kyle, Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur and Mike McDaniel, among others.

During an episode of “Inside the NFL” last week, former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick broke down the Shanahan tree and two famous plays that are still used today.

Belichick started by showing a picture of Shanahan on the sideline with then-offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak at his side. Belichick then showed a stretch play with Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis.

“The idea is to get the ball to the outside of the defense — they get the defense to run, and if they don’t get there, then take it. And if they overpursue, then cut it back.”

Off of that stretch run, Shanahan had a famous boot play that featured a quarterback rollout.

Belichick then showed a photo of Gary Kubiak in Denver’s locker room with his son, Klint, who is now an offensive coordinator with the New Orleans Saints.

After that, Belichick showed a photo of Mike Shanahan, his son Kyle, Kubiak and former quarterback John Elway on the sideline. Belichick then showed the San Francisco 49ers — now coached by Kyle — running a stretch play (with running back Christian McCaffrey, the son of former Broncos receiver Ed McCaffrey who played under Shanahan). Then he showed a boot.

Check it out:

“You get a good back into the secondary — Terrell Davis, Christian McCaffrey, guys like that — it’s all over.”

Shanahan should be a top candidate for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class in the coach category this fall. As Belichick’s breakdown demonstrated, Shanahan has a lasting legacy in the NFL with key elements of his offense still seen across the league more than a decade after he stopped coaching.

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Adam Schefter says Mike Shanahan is a ‘no-brainer’ for Hall of Fame

Mike Shanahan reaching the Hall of Fame with the 2025 class is a “no-brainer,” according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Wait, Mike Shanahan isn’t in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Current Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton assumed Shanahan wasn’t in yet because he wasn’t eligible. Shanahan is eligible, and a Hall of Fame nod is long overdue. ESPN’s Adam Schefter believes Canton could be calling soon.

Shanahan, who has not coached since 2013, more than meets the qualifications of being out of pro football for five years. And after winning two Super Bowls as head coach and one as an assistant, and coordinating two of the first six offenses to score 500 points, one should wonder why he is not in the Hall.

Thankfully, Schefter makes it very clear why, in 2025, the buck stops here for Shanahan and the Hall.

“I do know, having been a voter for four or five years in the past, that if I were in that room, you would have my undivided support,” Schefter said during a recent episode of his podcast with Shanahan, via Aric DiLalla of DenverBroncos.com. “And I certainly hope there are enough other people that also feel that way.

“Again, when you have the records that you do, the marks that you set, the championships that you have, the MVPs you coached and the coaching tree you produced, this should be, to me, if you don’t mind me saying, a no-brainer.”

While Schefter can only do so much, seeing those in the media campaign for such a legendary and innovative coach is a positive development, and Shanahan might now have the momentum to finally reach Canton as a member of the 2025 class.

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