Nalen: An All-Time Great Bronco

[Dos Rios]

Can we take a break from bitching about the season to stop and acknowledge one of the greatest to ever play for the Broncos?

Hopefully yesterday wasn't Nalen's last football game, but if it was, we're talking the second best player on the team who has been consistently one of the top 5 players at his position for over a decade. People marvelled at the procession of Davis, Portis, Gary, Anderson, and other backs through the Denver "system". Alex Gibbs came and went. Zimmerman was replaced by Lepsis. The one constant to the "system": Tom Nalen.

Elway, Sharpe and Bailey are the only Broncos who must be in the top 4-5 of any conversation about best ever at their position. Nalen's in that next tier, along with greats like Gradishar, Atwater/Smith and Zimmerman.

The guy has played 14 frickin' years for the Broncos. Winning seasons come and go. One year rentals like Travis Henry (and Dale Carter, Daryl Gardner and others) unfortunately come and go. Shiny new toys like Cutler and Marshall come as well, thankfully.

But it ain't often the team sees a player like Nalen. If you're a longtime Bronco fan, it might be a day to step back from this season and recognize a Ring of Famer.

[cutthemdown]

Nalen was a great Bronco. His loss will make the oline completly fall apart.

[DomCasual]

The guy has played 14 frickin' years for the Broncos. Winning seasons come and go. One year rentals like Travis Henry (and Dale Carter, Daryl Gardner and others) unfortunately come and go. Shiny new toys like Cutler and Marshall come as well, thankfully.

Dude, let's not put Travis Henry in that class just yet. Granted, he might get there. But for now, he's producing a lot more than either of those clowns on their best days.

[rovolution]

A salute to Tommy Nalen, one of the Bronco greats.

I remember when he made his first start in 1994 replacing some injured guard...

Look how far hes come since then.

He should have been to all those Pro Bowls over that media darling center Jeff Saturday.

[Bronco Yoda]

Good thread!

I was going to do the very same thing last night but logged onto the front page and got PO'ed over the Denver Donkey headlines.

It isn't a bad time to stop and appreciate those players that may be in their last years. Let's not forget those players just because our season is sliding down hill. Nalen is obviously the tops in this subject.

I don't even want to think what our line is going to be without him. What a character.

Like I suggest last week here.... kick'em all in the balls this week Nails. That performance deserves it! I know you own some steel toed kodiak boots and your right foot isn't whats injured.

To me nalen is our quiet unspoken team leader right now.

We've now lost all our old guard leaders...

[vailitaliano319]

Mawae for Jets/Titans Kreutz for Bears, other than that I can not think of a center who has been more important to their team. If the Hall of Fame didnt hate the Broncos he would/ should be in there for SURE! Going to miss him!

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

Mile Hi Salute to Nalen. Hope you come back next year just to prove everyone wrong.

[atomicbloke]

For a long time, I knew I would shed a tear when Nalen was done with the Broncos. I always felt he was the most important player on our offense for the last decade and a half.

I just didn't expect the day to come so abruptly :(

C'mon Nails. Prove us wrong. Make a comeback next season!

[Los Broncos]

Tough to see one of the best go down like this.

But i think this is his last year, he even said something to that affect on the channel 4 news.

[manchambo]

As great as he has been, I have to say that this should be his last year. Is there any chance that the Broncos will compete for a championship within the one or two good years he might have left? Obviously not, so why should he come back? And for that matter, why should the Broncos pay for him to come back?

It's time to make some serious decisions about what will make this team competitive in the 3-5 year time-frame when players like Cutler and Marshall will be in their primes. In my mind, that means saying goodbye to a few well-loved players (Nalen, Lynch and Smith, if he recovers) and some not-so-well-loved players (Adams and Rice, hopefully before the next game).

None of which is to say Nalen is not in my top 5 for all-time favorites, should not go into the ring of fame as soon as he's elligble, and should not get consideration for the hof.

[telluride]

Nalen was a warrior. Only the best wishes to him.

And yes, our bad team just got a bit worse. I kinda wish they'd bring Alex Gibbs back in to help the youngsters get into a groove. Lord knows this team could use some fire. (Actually, maybe Gibbs could also scream at the D-line some, too.)

[NYBronco]

Wishing Nalen the best and a quick recovery. :notworthy