Broncos coach Sean Payton recalls Steve Foley’s time in Denver

“I had a great visit with Steve Foley,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “… I remember those defenses.”

The Denver Broncos elected safety Steve Foley and tight end Riley Odoms to their Ring of Fame last week. They will be recognized during the team’s Week 5 showdown against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Foley visited the team’s facility last Thursday and met with Broncos coach Sean Payton.

“I had a great visit with Steve Foley, talked with him early this morning,” Payton said. “Then Riley Odoms of course isn’t here, but I had a chance to visit with him. Here’s the thing for me, my memory of these guys. We all have different memories of generations of players, but this was the 7-Eleven Slurpee cup era. You traded Slurpee cups, and this was the ’70s and early ’80s. Then just his [Foley’s] story, visiting with the team.

“He’s someone who was a high school quarterback, a college quarterback, [drafted in] the eighth round, there’s a head coach with a vision for someone. I didn’t realize that at one point, his brother was the center, he was the quarterback, and he threw a pass to his other brother, the receiver in college. That’s pretty amazing. So there are some New Orleans ties. He went to Jesuit High School. So we followed [him]. I remember those defenses. I think his late defensive coordinator, Joe Collier, would be really proud today, of both of the inductions. So it was great to have him around and visit with our players.” 

Foley spent his entire 11-year career with the Broncos, first as a cornerback before later switching to safety. His 44 interceptions are still a franchise record.

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Broncos will honor 1977 team in Week 5 vs. Raiders

The Broncos are set to honor Randy Gradishar, Steve Foley, Riley Odoms and the entire 1977 team when they host the Raiders in Week 5.

After electing safety Steve Foley and tight end Riley Odoms to their Ring of Fame on Thursday, the Denver Broncos announced that the entire 1977 team will be recognized at halftime of their game against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5.

In addition to unveiling steel pillars for Foley and Odoms in Week 5, the Broncos will also honor linebacker Randy Gradishar, who is set to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August.

Gradishar, Foley and Odoms were key members of the 1977 team that helped the Broncos reach their first Super Bowl that season. Denver ultimately lost to the Dallas Cowboys 27-10 in Super Bowl XII, but that 1977 squad was the first in franchise history to reach the NFL’s title game.

Gradishar, Foley and Odoms — and the entire 1977 team — will be invited to Empower Field at Mile High as part of Alumni Weekend to be honored against the Raiders on Oct. 6.

When the Broncos unveiled their throwback uniform earlier this year, they dubbed it the “1977 classic.” Given that designation and the team’s historic rivalry against the Raiders, it seems safe to assume Denver will break out that throwback uniform for the first time in Week 5.

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Broncos greats Steve Foley, Riley Odoms elected to Ring of Fame

Riley Odoms and Steve Foley helped the Broncos reach their first Super Bowl in 1977. They will now join the team’s Ring of Fame in 2024.

The Denver Broncos announced that former teammates safety Steve Foley and tight end Riley Odoms have been elected to the team’s Ring of Fame on Thursday.

Odoms and Foley were teammates on the first Super Bowl roster in Broncos history in 1977, where they were eventually defeated by the Dallas Cowboys 27-10. The duo will be the 12th and 13th members of the 1977 team to be inducted into the Ring of Fame, joining quarterback Craig Morton, wide receivers Haven Moses and Rick Upchurch, linebackers Randy Gradishar and Tom Jackson, owner Gerald Phipps, defensive tackle Paul Smith, safety Billy Thompson, kicker Jim Turner, cornerback Louis Wright and head coach Red Miller.

Foley was part of the back end of the famed “Orange Crush” defense, which was anchored by linebacker Randy Gradishar. Foley played his entire career for the Broncos from 1976-1986, starting 136 of 150 total games, snatching 44 interceptions (a franchise record) with 622 return yards.

Odoms caught a total of 41 touchdowns from 1972-1983, totaling 5,755 yards. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and a two-time First-Team AP All-Pro.

The 2024 campaign is shaping up to be a huge year for this historic roster. Randy Gradishar is set to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August, the first member of the “Orange Crush” defense to receive this distinction. In addition, Denver will roll out special throwback jerseys that specifically honor the 1977 Super Bowl team.

Gradishar, Odoms, Foley and the rest of the 1977 team will be honored during Week 5’s Alumni Week game against the Las Vegas Raiders, one of the Broncos’ oldest rivals.

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