Thread: Randy Gradishar, Dan Reeves, Mike Shanahan named semifinalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2023

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — A Broncos legend considered to be a major snub from the Pro Football Hall of Fame may finally get his shot next week.

And Broncos Ring of Fame linebacker Randy Gradishar feels as good about his chances as he has in quite a while.

"This is the first year in a long time that I've felt there's a real possibility of possibly getting in the Hall of Fame," Gradishar said Tuesday.

In late July, Gradishar was named one of 12 Senior candidates who could receive final consideration for the Class of 2023, and he will find out on Tuesday if he'll take the penultimate step toward joining the game's greatest players in Canton.

rest - https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/a...-possibility-o

Originally Posted by Gyldenlove

Gradishar should have been in a long time ago.

Reeves shouldn't get in, just because he coached a lot does not make him a great coach. Shanahan I am borderline on, he wasn't good in Washinton and he wasn't good with the Raiders, but he was good with the Broncos.

IMO, if Dick Vermeil can get in this year, Reeves/Shanahan should be locks. They did way more as coaches than Vermeil. Reeves took 3 different teams to the playoffs, and two different teams to the Superbowl, just like Vermeil. But unlike Vermeil he took teams multiple times to the SB and Championship game. Shanny won it twice and has a 3rd Championship game on his resume. They both have superior accomplishments to Vermeil (who I like) but if we are measuring what it takes to get in, they certainly are not lessor coaches than Vermeil. Reeves coaching the dirty birds to the SB against us though was his masterstroke. That team had no business getting past the Vikings.

Gradishar should have been in ages ago, and would have, if some east coast bias with a hard on against him hadn't campaigned against him.

I haven’t been able to find any news. When are they supposed to announce the selections?

*edit - Sounds like Gradishar was passed over again.

It was confirmed that Gradishar got snubbed again. Haven't heard about the others yet.

Former Broncos linebacker great was a top 12 seniors finalists but committee instead nominated Riley, Howley and Klecko.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — This is bigger than Randy Gradishar.

This is about the iconic Orange Crush defense continuing to have ZERO members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Because Gradishar for whatever reason has been unable to get into the Hall of Fame, the candidacies of Louis Wright, Tom Jackson and Billy Thompson can’t be considered.

Karl Mecklenburg, whose career spanned the 1980s and early 1990s and therefore not an Orange Crusher, is another Hall of Fame-worthy former Broncos’ defensive player who seems blocked from consideration while Gradishar finds such crushing disappointment year after year.

Still, it’s not time to shuffle the deck.

"Out of everyone you mentioned in that group, Randy is the most deserving to go in," Mecklenburg said Wednesday after learning Gradishar did not make the cut from 12 senior player finalists to three nominated for final election into the Hall of Fame. "I got to play with him for one year (1983) and his preparation, the way he played, the professionalism he brought every single day – he was special."

rest, plus video - https://www.9news.com/article/sports...f-3b6118b179d7

Maybe he should start crying about it every chance he gets. That worked for the far less deserving Drew Pearson.

09 p.m.

Free Randy Gradishar!

After being snubbed far too many times to count for too many years to fathom, forced to stand outside, his nose pressed against the glass of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, hasn’t the leader of the Orange Crush been held hostage by unreasonable disappointment long enough?

As a diplomat experienced at negotiating with hostile foes, the daughter of a football coach and a minority stakeholder in her beloved Broncos, Condoleezza Rice needs to tackle this task:

Rescue Gradishar from football purgatory.

Secure him a gold jacket from Canton, Ohio.

“I’m part of the Orange Crush generation,” Rice said last week, after being introduced by the Waltons as a member of the team’s new ownership group.

As you might have heard, Gradishar was snubbed again, when the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Wednesday that Dallas Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley, New York Jets defensive lineman Joe Klecko and Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Ken Riley are the three senior finalists for the class of 2023.

Although all three must receive 80% approval from the full selection committee on the eve of the Super Bowl early next year, that vote is considered a mere formality. Howley, Klecko and Riley will get gold jackets.

“People keep telling me, ‘If you played on the East Coast, you’d already be in,’ ’’ Gradishar said.

rest - https://www.denverpost.com/2022/08/1...e-mark-kiszla/

It's a joke. He should have been in by Clinton's term, at the latest.

I tell you this, though: If Randy stayed one more year, and if the 84 Broncos got to the SB and somehow won it (the 84 49ers weren't playing on the same level as the 89 49ers), he would have been in a long time ago.

Originally Posted by Denver Native (Carol)

rest - https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/a...-possibility-o

Damn poor guys feeling is hurt over this.

Originally Posted by spikerman

Maybe he should start crying about it every chance he gets. That worked for the far less deserving Drew Pearson.

Who is Drew Pearson and when did he go in?

Google is your friend. He played for Dallas.

Originally Posted by Canmore

Google is your friend. He played for Dallas.

I’d rather ask fellow member’s sometimes, you get better details sometimes on the situation at hand!

Originally Posted by Jeudy10Hamler1

I’d rather ask fellow member’s sometimes, you get better details sometimes on the situation at hand!

Look up Hail Mary Roger Staubach to Drew Pearson on you tube.