Top 10 Greatest Denver Broncos of All Time

A few players I cannot find a place for in the top 10, but I feel deserve a mention for their achievements. (No particular order)

John Lynch—Hard to put him on the list because of his limited time in Denver. Plus he will always be remembered as more of a Tampa guy. Nevertheless a blast to watch and a huge momentum changer at the safety position.

Ryan Clady—Only his second year in the NFL but he is one of the best left tackles in the league and I project that he will be one of the all time great Broncos if he is not traded.

Bill Romanowski—A great linebacker for the Broncos when they won their two straight Super Bowls. He did have some character issues though.

Howard Griffith—A fullback who came to Denver in 1997 when they were on the cusp of a Super Bowl season, and he helped push them over the top with the huge holes he made for Terrell Davis.

Neil Smith—A phenomenal defensive end, won two Super Bowls with Denver, but the bulk of his career was played at Kansas City. Wouldn't be right to put him in the top 10.

Mark Schlereth—Number 69 was a powerful bodyguard for John Elway when they won their two Super Bowls. Interesting fact about him is that he would piss himself on the field if he had to go. "I'm already miserable, my knees hurt, my back hurts, I'm not gonna hold it in."

An eight-time Pro Bowl corner back with 43 interceptions and counting. Champ Bailey deserves to be known as one of Denver's all-time great defenders.

He is one of the most feared corners in the league and is also known for his hard tackles on the edge. While his production has dropped in the past few years, he will be Canton-bound when he chooses to retire.

Favorite quote: "I'm like the FAA, all flights closed to my side."

One of the hardest hitters in the history of football, Steve Atwater played safety and won back-to-back Super Bowls.

He is a member of the 1990's all-decade team and an eight-time Pro Bowler. His defining moment was when he laid out Kansas City running back Christian Okoye, the Nigerian Nightmare. Known as the hardest runner in the league to bring down, Atwater proved nothing was too hard for him.

Favorite quote: "I was crying, and I remember looking over to the other sideline and thinking to myself, that's my team over there."—On playing the Broncos after being traded to the Jets.

Kicker...in the top 10?

Yes. Why? Because no player has ever scored more points for a single team than Jason Elam has for the Broncos. He also is tied for the longest field goal of all time at 63 yards. He won two Super Bowls with the Broncos and completed 99.5 percent of his extra points with the Broncos—an NFL record.

Favorite quote: "It's exactly like golf."

The seventh leading rusher in NFL at the time he retired, No. 44.

Floyd Little was drafted by the Broncos in 1967, and is considered the Broncos first superstar player.

While he never won a Super Bowl with the team, and he has not made it to Canton, Little helped the Broncos rise from a decade of mediocrity. For that, his jersey number is officially retired.

The Broncos' all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.

Rod Smith is the only undrafted NFL player to rack up more than 10,000 yards receiving.

He won two Super Bowls with the team and went to three Pro Bowls. He was a member of the Broncos organization for 14 years and never played for another team.

Favorite quote: "He's representing from Hawaii. He probably gets some free pineapples out of the deal. Maybe he'll give me one because I like pineapples."

Randy Gradishar of Ohio State was a linebacker for the Denver Broncos throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

He was a seven-time Pro Bowler and was part of the famous "Orange Crush" defense.

With an impressive 20 interceptions in his career and 2,049 tackles, he was one of the best linebackers of his era.

The tight end with a loose mouth.

Shannon Sharpe loved to talk, and he could get under anyone's skin. He was also an eight-time Pro Bowler, three-time Super Bowl champion (two with the Broncos) and the second all-time leading tight end in total yards.

It is expected Shannon Sharpe will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.

Favorite quote: "Mr. President. We need the National Guard. We need as many men as you can spare because we are killing the Patriots."

146-95 in his career coaching the Broncos.

He Led the Broncos to back-to-back Super Bowl wins.

There is no coach in the NFL that has ever been better at snagging late-round and free agent talent than Shanahan. No coach has ever posted more wins in a three-year period than this man—46 from 1996-1998.

Favorite quote: "You can't see? It don't matter we just need you in there otherwise they won't believe we are gonna run it."—Talking to Terrell Davis

Inventor of the Mile High Salute, two-time Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl MVP, member of 1990's All-Decade team, one of only five backs with a 2,000 yard rushing season...and the list goes on and on.

Terrell Davis' career ended early with a major knee injury from which he never fully recovered, yet he is still one of the greatest running backs in the history of the NFL.

He started his career off with the Denver Broncos by making an amazing tackle on special teams in a preseason game, and he essentially ended his career by trying to make another.

Favorite quote: "You can be the best person in the league, but if you don't win championships, something's missing."

The man who needs no introduction. One of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, John Elway.

To stick with a team as long as he did and to lose as many Super Bowls and AFC Championship games as he did, your heart has to go out to a player who was able to end on top...twice. John Elway is the heart and soul of the Broncos organization, and he always will be.

Favorite quote: "I've experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows. I think to really appreciate anything you have to be at both ends of the spectrum."