Denver Broncos: 30 greatest players of all time
45. . LB. (1974-83). Randy Gradishar. 13. player
One of the weapons on the Orange Crush defense, Randy Gradishar was a force to be reckoned with in the 1970s and 1980s.
I would even say that is the best inside linebacker to play for the Broncos. He made his impact not by way of sacking the quarterback, but by helping the Broncos defense with some takeaways whenever the quarterback threw the ball.
In his 10 seasons in the NFL, Gradishar recorded 20 interceptions. That number is almost unheard of for a linebacker currently. Three of his interceptions were returned for touchdowns. He only recorded four and a half sacks in his career. Fun fact, those sacks came during his final two years in the league.
His presence on defense earned him seven Pro-Bowl’s and two First-Team All-Pro selections. For a linebacker with 10 years in the league, that is quite impressive to have those accomplishments in almost three-fourths of your career.
While he did not win a Super Bowl in his time with the Denver Broncos, his accomplishments will hopefully earn him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame sometime soon.
When it will happen, we are unsure of. But I believe he has earned a spot.
– TW