Steve Atwater To Join Colorado Sports Hall of Fame

In Denver’s first Super Bowl win, safety Steve Atwater had six tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. (Cliff Welch/Icon SM)

There was nobody that could crush in the secondary like former Denver Broncos safety Steve Atwater.

“Super Bowl 32 was the epitome of what Steve Atwater was all about when he knocked himself out on that one post pattern,” former teammate and current Broncos front office executive John Elway said Tuesday. “Can’t remember who he hit, but he knocked himself out.”

It was announced Tuesday that Atwater will be inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of fame with five other former athletes in April.

Atwater was drafted by the Broncos in the first round (20th overall) of the 1989 draft  out of the University of Arkansas. He played for the Broncos for 10 seasons, earned eight Pro Bowl appearances and was a two-time Super Bowl winner. He played for the New York Jets during the last year of his career, but signed a contract to retire a Bronco.

With his 1,074 tackles and 24 career interceptions, Atwater is already a member of the Broncos Ring of Fame.

“He’s really kind of one of the first big, big safeties that came into the league, and kind of revolutionized that position, and really was a force back there,” Elway said. “We’re hoping that this is just the first step for many halls for him. It couldn’t happen to a better guy.”

Here’s a clip of Atwater knocking himself out during the Super Bowl against the Green Bay Packers as Elway mentioned above as well as other bone-crushing hits from the safety.

This year’s Colorado Sports Hall of Fame also includes Don Baylor (first manager of Colorado Rockies), Adam Foote (Avalanche defenseman), Don Cockroft (NFL punter and kicker), Steve Jones (US Open golfer), and Stan Williams (L.A. Dodger pitcher).

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