Broncos jersey numbers that should never be worn again: No. 53, Randy Gradishar
For my money, of all the former Broncos players who are not yet in the Hall of Fame, Randy Gradishar is the most deserving.
Gradishar was chosen in the first round of the 1974 draft and spent 10 years with the Broncos wearing No. 53. He made the Pro Bowl in seven of those seasons, was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1978 and was the leader of one of the best defensive units in league history.
But since Gradishar retired following the 1983 season, 14 players have worn that jersey. The most notable on that list is Bill Romanowski, who some fans may even think of first when they think of No. 53 in orange and blue since Gradishar played so long ago.
However, Doug Farrar over at Touchdown Wire recently named Gradishar the best player to ever wear No. 53 in NFL history. He really was one of the best linebackers of all-time and never gets the credit he deserves. Retiring that number in his honor would go a long way to show that.
Jonathon Cooper most recently wore No. 53 but he will be wearing No. 0 this season so that number is currently not assigned to a player.