No. 53
Legendary player who wore it: Randy Gradishar
Player who wore it next: Anthony Thompson
Player currently wearing it: Malik Carney
Why this number is still there for the taking is beyond me. Randy Gradishar is among the best players the team has ever had and he just doesn’t seem to get the respect on a national media level that he richly deserves.
Gradishar was the No. 14 pick of the 1974 draft and he played in 10 seasons with the Broncos. During that time, he became the key figure in the team’s legendary “Orange Crush” defense. He wasn’t just a good player. He wasn’t even just a great player. He was a rare, extremely talented player that could pretty much do it all.
The fact that he isn’t in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is borderline criminal and is another store for another day. But in terms of what has happened with the No. 53 since he wore it, there hasn’t been a player that has come close to matching what he did on the field.
It took seven years for another player to put No. 53 on. That was linebacker Anthony Thompson, who played a grand total of 10 games with the team and did absolutely nothing.
During the team’s Super Bowl runs in the late 1990s, Bill Romanowski brought some respect back to No. 53, but former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver J.J. Stokes would likely beg to differ (video).
With the No. 53 generally reserved for a linebacker, it’s hard to imagine ever seeing one in Denver like Gradishar again. This number should absolutely be retired by the organization and honestly, it should be the next one to receive that honor.