The Denver Broncos have been fortunate enough to have some of the best safeties that have ever played the game of football. Justin Simmons, a third-round pick out of Boston College, is a player that must be included in that conversation in the future.
Simmons had a stellar career for the Broncos, though he sadly never played in one postseason game for the team. In eight seasons with the Broncos, Simmons had 604 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 30 interceptions, which are the seventh-most in team history.
Back when the Broncos moved on from Chris Harris, I took a look at where he fits amongst the best cornerbacks in Broncos history. Now, let's see where Simmons fits in.
Justin Simmons ranks ahead of a pair of Hall of Famers
John Lynch and Brian Dawkins are both members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, so for Simmons to be ahead of them in the pecking order is something. Of course, both Lynch and Dawkins spent the majority of their careers elsewhere. They were still good for the Broncos, however.
Lynch spent four seasons in Denver, going to the Pro Bowl in each. He also is a member of the team's Ring of Fame. Dawkins spent three seasons with the Broncos and made the Pro Bowl in two of those.
Though both Lynch and Dawkins were at the end of their careers when they got to the Mile High City, they were still effective safeties and among the best in the league at the position up until the very end.
Both were better safeties than Simmons and are two of the better to ever play in the league, but considering their careers in Denver only, Simmons has a better overall body of work, which is impressive.
Three Broncos safeties from many moons ago were all fantastic
Going back to the AFL days, Austin "Goose" Gonsoulin was one of the best safeties of his era. He played seven seasons for the Broncos from their inception in 1960 through the 1966 season. His 43 career interceptions still rank second on the all-time list.
Gonsoulin was a member of the AFL's All-Time Second Team and played in the AFL All Star Game five years in a row. He was part of the first class of players ever put into the team's Ring of Fame.
Billy Thompson was another player many Broncos fans have forgotten about, but he was an incredible safety in his era.
Thompson played his entire 13-year career in Denver after being chosen in the third round of the 1969 draft out of Maryland State. He finished his career with 40 interceptions, the third-most in Broncos history. He played cornerback and safety for the team and was solid in both roles.
Thompson made the Pro Bowl three times and his 179 career starts are the third-most ever by a Broncos player. He also holds the team record with 784 career interception return yards.
Finally, Steve Foley was a member of the team's defense from 1976-1986 after being chosen in the eighth round of the 1975 draft out of Tulane. He holds the team record with 44 career interceptions and was a steady hand during his playing days.
The heavy hitters
Any list of great Broncos safeties has to have two names at the top, Steve Atwater and Dennis Smith. They made up the best safety combination in Broncos history and one of the best the NFL has ever seen.
Atwater is one of the best safeties of all time, regardless of team, and that was cemented by his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020. A first-round pick out of Arkansas in 1989, Atwater spent 10 seasons in Denver and he went to the Pro Bowl in eight of those.
But the accolades don't stop there. Atwater, who finished his career with over 1,100 tackles and 24 interceptions, was a member of the 1990s All-Decade Team while helping the Broncos win back-to-back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998.
Dennis Smith was no slouch either. The former USC Trojan was selected in the first round of the 1981 draft and spent his entire 14-year career in Denver. Though he was never a part of a team that won the Super Bowl, he played in the big game three times.
Smith went to six Pro Bowls and had 30 interceptions during his career, which ended following the 1994 season. He was later inducted into the team's Hall of Fame.
Atwater and Smith are best remembered for their hard-nosed nature, willing to lay out ball carriers with devastating hits. They turned into enforcers in the defensive backfield in Denver and are beloved by fans to this day for their style of play.
It's hard not to call them the two best safeties in team history. So, where does that leave Simmons?
Ranking all-time Broncos safeties
Simmons is certainly in the discussion of the best safeties that have ever worn orange and blue. However, the terrific names from the past cannot be forgotten. For Simmons to be on this list is truly an honor as the Broncos have an argument for the best overall collection of safeties in NFL history.
For the eight years that Simmons was in Denver, he exemplified what it is to be a defensive leader and a player that stepped up for his team, even when he played on really bad teams. He also has five career interceptions of Patrick Mahomes, a number the Chiefs quarterback knows well as no player has picked him off more.
With everything that has been outlined here, these are the top eight safeties in Broncos history.
8. Brian Dawkins
7. John Lynch
6. Billy Thompson
5. Justin Simmons
4. Steve Foley
3. Austin "Goose" Gonsoulin
2. Dennis Smith
1. Steve Atwater
Simmons cracks the top five. His time in Denver should be remembered fondly and he would get even more credit if he ever played on a team that was a contender. Still, that should not be held against him.
Congratulations to Justin Simmons on a great Broncos career.