Atwater in Ring of Fame

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

Just heard - Atwater will be added to Ring of Fame this year.

Great choice - the guy was a one man defense for a couple of years. If he had any help, he might have gone down as the best safety ever in the NFL.

[SoCalBronco]

Great to hear, Big Guy.

Congrats to big #27.

[Kaylore]

Awesome.

[DivineLegion]

Yippy!

[Mediator12]

I guess the Atwater Throwback Jerseys just went up 100% ;)

[Crushaholic]

I mentioned on another thread that it would be a shame if he wasn't included. That's good to see.. :thumbs:

[Meck77]

Good for him. Hopefully they do it at the KC Monday night game. That would be cool.

[Rocket 7]

Congrats to Steve

[brncs_fan]

Just heard - Atwater will be added to Ring of Fame this year.

Great choice - the guy was a one man defense for a couple of years. If he had any help, he might have gone down as the best safety ever in the NFL.


Anyone have a link to the "rock the house" video as a minor tribute on such a momentus occasion?

[brncs_fan]

Good for him. Hopefully they do it at the KC Monday night game. That would be cool.


And appropriate. Maybe the crowd should chant "Okoye"

[Clockwork Orange]

It's going to be at halftime of the game against Washington.

Congrats to The Smiling Assassin, a well deserved honor.

[Smilin Assassin]

Was there really ever any doubt? ;)

[brncs_fan]

It's going to be at halftime of the game against Washington.

Congrats to The Smiling Assassin, a well deserved honor.

Think maybe this will give CP an idea of what could have happened if he would have stayed around here. Instead he will be a faint memory of a player who untalented children blow all his money.

[bpc]

He should go to the Hall. Definitely the most intimidating hitting safety of his time. He was the reason I wore #72 all throughout high school and college football. I had so much pride wearing that jersey and everybody laughed at me during practice in that time because i would usually snake the #27 number and wear it out throughout the season. People thought it was funny but it was the smiling assassin who motivated me to wear it. Kinda interesting seeing a 285 wearing a two digit number that small on the O-Line.

[Tredici]

Atwater was a class act all the way. I'll be glad to see his name included with the greats whenever I'm at the stadium.

[bronco militia]

http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=4384

[Old Dude]

Never any doubt about it in my mind.

Well-deserved.

The Ring just got brighter.

[CBF1]

What took so long? Next stop..... NFL HOF

Hope he is inducted at a game I am attending.

[jonny1]

My own personal multi-MVPs of SBXXXII:

TD, the OL, and #27

Well deserved honor.

Now if the HOF would follow suit . . .

but I doubt it.

[FADERPROOF]

My favorite Bronco, Steve Atwater, well deserving of the ring of fame.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Congrats Steve!!!


http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/bc/407a9f3c_98b2/bc/images/Steve.gif?bfL9o7CBopWFM0UA

[Florida_Bronco]

I think he will get the HoF, and I'm pulling for him there.

[Smilin Assassin]

If you haven't checked out the Broncos web site with the video of this news, it's a must.

Great Atwater highlights. If ya thought ya missed him before, the video will make it worse.

[KansasBronco]

I'll say this, the greatest game ever played by a safety in the playoffs was by Steve Atwater. Pop in the broncos win over Green Bay in the superbowl, and you'll never see a better game by a safety. He was a playmaking machine. He had sacks, caused a fumble, had an int and some of the most awesome hits ever in that game. If TD hadn't of dominated that game, Atwater would have been the MVP. I get chills watching that game the way he played. I'll never forget it!

[bpc]

Did Steve get the INT? I thought it was Braxton. I remember Steve dropping an INT late in the game. Had he caught it... I would have had split MVP's... him and TD.

[FADERPROOF]

Did Steve get the INT? I thought it was Braxton. I remember Steve dropping an INT late in the game. Had he caught it... I would have had split MVP's... him and TD.

I don't believe Atwater got a pick in the game, he dropped a cupcake though that Brett Favre threw way over his receiver, no one even 15 yrds around him and he dropped it.

His hit on Favre that caused the fumble was huge, although if you talk to some Packer fans they'll tell you that Brett's arm was going forward and should've been an incomplete pass instead, and his almighty hit that knocked himself, Robert Brooks, and Hillard(I believe, please correct me if I'm wrong) all out was just a monster hit.

That was such a memorable super bowl, not even for just Bronco fans. My good friend is a Patriots fan and even admits that while he enjoys his teams Super Bowl victories, that the Broncos vs. Packers SB was the best one he's watched.

[Florida_Bronco]

It was Braxton that had the interception, and yes it was himself (Steve), Brooks and Hilliard that he knocked out at once. Either Mock or Slap had a great quote about that play...I'll see if I can find it.

I remember in the SB against Atlanta, Chandler threw a pass into the end zone and it got tipped straight into the air and Steve was waiting underneath to catch it, but Mobley (I think) went for it to and knocked them both down before they could catch it....anyone else remember that play? I'm pretty sure in was later in the game.

Also, Favre's arm was not going forward when Atwater hit him, I've watched that play many times. :Broncos:

[anthonypacino]

Congrats to Steve! I'm sure that Canton will not honor the finest safety tandam in NFL history so I'm glad they can be honored here in Denver! Now let's get Simon Fletcher on that ring as well!!!

[SoCalBronco]

broncos
Broncos to honor safety
Defensive standout Atwater will join select few in Ring of Fame
By Bill Williamson
Denver Post Staff Writer





Steve Atwater, shown announcing his retirement from the Denver Broncos in December 2002. (Post / Hyoung Chang)

Memories are made in the Super Bowl. So are legacies.

Steve Atwater cemented his Broncos legacy with a memorable Super Bowl performance. After Monday's announcement that the hard-hitting safety will be the 20th member of the team's Ring of Fame, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen didn't hesitate when asked about his top memories of Atwater.

"I've got two," said Bowlen, harking back to January 1998 when Denver won its first Super Bowl (31-24 victory over Green Bay in Super Bowl XXXII).

"One was a sack of (Green Bay quarterback) Brett Favre that caused a fumble, and the other was an interception, which was typical Steve."

[SoCalBronco]

Atwater, who played for the Broncos from 1989-98 before finishing his career in 1999 with the New York Jets, was elected in his first year of eligibility. The rules state a player has to play four years for the Broncos and has to be away from the team for five years. The group meets every year but doesn't always vote a person in each time. Offensive lineman Gary Zimmerman was the last person voted in to the ring in 2003.

Atwater, who now works at an investment company in Atlanta, will be inducted into the ring Oct. 9 during halftime of the Broncos' game against Washington. Atwater is the fourth safety to be inducted




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into the ring, joining Austin "Goose" Gonsoulin, Dennis Smith and Billy Thompson.
Atwater, who also is eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, said the Broncos' honor would surpass the feeling he would have if Canton ever came calling.

"I am really proud of this award, because it means so much to be recognized in the city I played in for 10 years," Atwater said. "This is also great for all the fans and people that come in the future that will get a chance to see (the name in the Ring of Fame)."

Atwater was voted to a franchise-record seven straight Pro Bowls (1990-96) and has been named to eight Pro Bowl rosters. He finished his career with the Broncos with 1,301 tackles, 24 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries.

"You just look at the statistics," said committee member Joe Collier, the Broncos' former defensive coordinator. "He deserves it."

[Rausch]

I'll always dislike the guy for the Okoye hit.

But it was clean, legal, and what he did. Hitting people hard enough to make them sterile was his specialty. He made people fear the middle of the field, a real football player.

Congrats...

[Alkazar]

Glad to see Atwater recognized by the Bronco's organization, now if only the rest of the NFL will recognize him as well, doubtful, but you never know...

[Garcia Bronco]

A big hell yeah from the charlotte airport for 27! This is better in my mind than being named to the hall.

[Garcia Bronco]

The hit I remember most is the one oin the closing minutes of Superbowl 32....most people remember the Duke's Scramble....but I'll never forget the way he layed out himelf...Freeman...and Hillard. That hit was tough. He layed everbody out and left it on the field. Kennedy was the same type of hitter...but it's a different game now.

[Beantown Bronco]

Glad to see Atwater recognized by the Bronco's organization, now if only the rest of the NFL will recognize him as well, doubtful, but you never know...

The front office would certainly recognize him if he played today's game. He'd easily break the record for fines.

[broncosteven]

Congrats to #27. My Bro ran into him at the Canton airport & he was cool & signed his SB32 hat. The next day we ran into him right before HOF & he signed my hat he remembered my brother & was very cool.

I miss the billboard they used to have up near the stadium of him, it was very cool to come into town for a game & see Steve up there intimadating!

I will go back to canton to see him inducted.

[REB]

Congrats to my favorite S ever. It was a privilege to watch you play!

REB

1-2-3-:Broncos:!!!!!!!

[PatsWin2002]

Big deal. Almost anyone can reach 1,000 posts. :dummy:










Congrats to Atwater. I'm sure he appreciates the honor. :)

[Atlas]

Atwater played one of the great SBs of all time for a safety. But it's that one dropped int that critics remember. Hands of stone they say.