Denver Broncos: 30 greatest players of all time
26. player. 45. . G. (1995-00). Mark Schlereth
Mark Schlereth, better known as ‘Stink’, was a 10th round draft pick of the Washington Redskins in the 1989 NFL Draft.
After playing the first six seasons of his NFL career with the Redskins (where he won his first Super Bowl), Schlereth signed with the Broncos as a free agent in 1995 and immediately became synonymous with the Broncos’ glory day teams.
Schlereth was part of some of the best teams in Broncos history, and his toughness on the offensive line at left guard was a major reason this team was able to win two Super Bowl Championships, and nearly a third were it not for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1996 NFL season.
Schlereth was part of an offensive line that made the ‘zone blocking scheme’ famous and
a 2,000 yard back in 1998.
Despite his great toughness, Schlereth was unable to continue his NFL career beyond the 2000 season.
He had so many surgeries on his knees that he wouldn’t even allow himself to sign a (sizeable) contract extension.
He retired after 156 NFL games (140 career starts, 81 in Denver) with two Pro Bowl appearances and three Super Bowl rings.
– SB