1. Champ Bailey
YEARS WITH BRONCOS: 2004-2013 (10 seasons)
STATS WITH BRONCOS: 34 interceptions; 3 touchdowns; 596 tackles; 2.0 sacks
CAREER ACCOLADES: 12-time Pro Bowler; 3-time First-Team All Pro
Was there any question? If you took the Broncos out of the equation and just started listing the greatest cornerbacks in NFL history, there’s a good chance Champ Bailey may still be in this No. 1 spot.
He was a generational talent. He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer. And he’s the greatest defender in Denver Broncos history.
In a decade of play for the Denver Broncos, Champ racked up 34 interceptions, fourth most in franchise history, and he would have had even more if quarterbacks dared to so much as look in his direction.
There have been a lot of great cornerbacks through the years that have had the ability to defend receivers, but Champ Bailey eliminated them; quarterbacks would go entire games without targeting Bailey’s side of the field once.
And through it all, he was as classy and humble as they came. There was no “Bailey Island” because Bailey never said there was one. He was a quite leader, and he deserves every bit of recognition he receives.
