Tag: Tom Jackson

Full list of 30 former Broncos nominated for 2025 Hall of Fame class

The Broncos have 30 former players nominated for the 2025 Hall of Fame class, and Mike Shanahan is expected to be a top coach candidate.

Earlier this week, the NFL announced 19 former Denver Broncos players have been nominated for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class as modern-era candidates.

Those 19 players join a previous list of 11 senior candidate nominees who were announced earlier this month, giving the Broncos 30 total players who have been nominated for next year’s Hall of Fame class. Here are the full lists.

Broncos modern-era HOF candidates

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

Broncos senior HOF candidates

  1. LB/DL Karl Mecklenburg
  2. LB Tom Jackson
  3. DB Dennis Smith
  4. WR Lionel Taylor
  5. WR/R Rick Upchurch
  6. CB Louis Wright
  7. WR Bob Scarpitto
  8. DL Michael Dean Perry
  9. RB Sammy Winder
  10. DL Lyle Alzado
  11. DE Rich Jackson

Former Denver coach Mike Shanahan is also expected to be nominated for the 2025 Hall of Fame class in the coach category.

The Hall of Fame’s selection committee will trim the list of nominees in mid-October 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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Karl Mecklenburg among former Broncos nominated for Hall of Fame

Karl Mecklenburg headlines the list of former Broncos players nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2025 class.

Following the enshrinement of senior candidate Randy Gradishar this year, 11 more Denver Broncos legends are now candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame announced 183 senior nominees for the 2025 class on Tuesday and do-it-all-defender Karl Mecklenburg is joined by 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 on the ballot.

Former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan is also expected to be a candidate once again this year in the coach category. Shanahan’s chances of getting in might be improved now that coach and contributor categories have been separated.

As for senior players, Mecklenburg, Jackson, Smith, Taylor, Upchurch and Wright all have impressive resumes and they are all members of the Broncos Ring of Fame. Because he was a versatile playmaker in Denver’s 3-4 defense, Mecklenberg might have the best chance to get in among the team’s senior candidates.

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Gary Kubiak and Tom Jackson will serve as presenters for 2024 Hall of Fame class

Tom Jackson (Randy Gradishar) and Gary Kubiak (Andre Johnson) will serve as presenters for the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

The 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement weekend will be dotted with former Denver Broncos.

Former linebacker and anchor of the “Orange Crush” defense Randy Gradishar will be presented in Canton by teammate Tom Jackson, as Broncos Wire has previously noted.

In a press release issued by the Pro Football Hall of Fame earlier this week, it was revealed that there will be another former Bronco in August. Former Houston Texans and Denver head coach Gary Kubiak will be presenting wide receiver Andre Johnson.

Kubiak was a backup to Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway from 1983-1991, and was the offensive coordinator for the Broncos’ Super Bowl XXXII and XXXIII teams. Kubiak also coached the Broncos to their third Super Bowl title in 2015 before stepping down in 2017.

The Hall of Fame Game featuring the Texans and Chicago Bears will kick off festivities in Canton this summer on Aug. 1, followed by a gold jacket dinner for the 2024 class on Aug. 2 and an enshrinement ceremony on Aug. 3.

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Tom Jackson was the best player to wear No. 57 for the Broncos

A three-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, Tom Jackson helped the Broncos reach two Super Bowls during his Ring of Fame career.

Tom Jackson was the best player to ever wear jersey No. 57 for the Denver Broncos.

After playing college football at Louisville, Jackson was picked by the Broncos in the fourth round of the 1973 NFL draft. He went on to spend his entire 14-year career in Denver as a key member of the team’s famous “Orange Crush” defense.

Jackson helped the Broncos reach their first Super Bowl in 1977, and they reached the Super Bowl again in Jackson’s final season in 1986. A three-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, Jackson totaled 40 sacks and 20 interceptions during his career, returning three of those picks for touchdowns.

One year after hanging up his cleats, Jackson joined ESPN as a broadcaster. He now co-hosts “NFL Primetime” with Chris Berman on ESPN+.

Jackson is a member of Denver’s Ring of Fame and the team’s 50th Anniversary Team, making him an easy choice as the best player to ever wear jersey No. 57 for the Broncos.

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Tom Jackson will present Randy Gradishar at Hall of Fame induction

Former Broncos linebacker Tom Jackson will present Randy Gradishar at his Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony in August.

When it comes to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the inductee’s speech itself becomes secondary, after choosing the person who will present them prior to their bust unveiling.

This time around, the “Orange Crush” defensive anchorman, Randy Gradishar, has chosen former Denver Bronco linebacker and Ring of Famer Tom Jackson to present him.

Jackson and Gradishar were Broncos teammates from 1973-1983, and recently, Jackson has become a major voice for Gradishar’s induction.

It has been a special time for former Broncos defensive members. Gradishar received “The Knock” from fellow Hall of Fame defensive star Steve Atwater, who was enshrined in Canton in 2021 (as part of the delayed 2020 class).

Gradishar is the latest, but hopefully not last, Bronco to be inducted into the halls of Canton.

Here are the previous presenters from other Denver Hall of Famers:

  • John Lynch – Jake Lynch, son and Herm Edwards, coach
  • Peyton Manning – Archie Manning, father
  • Steve Atwater – Dennis Smith, Broncos teammate
  • Champ Bailey – Jack Reale, Champ’s agent
  • Pat Bowlen – Steve “Greek” Antonopulos, longtime Broncos trainer
  • Brian Dawkins – Troy Vincent, friend and former teammate
  • Terrell Davis – Neil Schwartz, Terrell’s agent & friend
  • Shannon Sharpe — Sterling Sharpe, Shannon’s brother & former Green Bay Packers wide receiver
  • Floyd Little  — Marc Little, Floyd’s son
  • Gary Zimmerman — Pat Bowlen, Denver Broncos President & CEO
  • John Elway — Jessica Elway, John’s daughter

The 2024 class will be enshrined in Canton on Saturday, Aug. 3.

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