As far as defensive positions go in the NFL, safety requires the highest level of quick-thinking intelligence. With the most ground to cover to reach their opponents, safeties must not only be quick-minded but also fleet of foot. They are just as often the point of last defense as they are asked to prevent plays from getting to the second level.
Safety is an extremely difficult position to excel at, but these five Broncos outshone their peers in both intelligence and talent.
No. 5 – Billy Thompson
Image Credit: Jim Larson, Pinterest
Draft: 1969 (61st overall, Denver Broncos)
Broncos career: 1969-81 (179 games)
Pro Bowls: Three (1977, ’78, ’81)
Super Bowl: XII
Though Thompson spent his first years in the league at cornerback, many credit him with redefining the strong safety position when he switched in 1972. He spent all 13 years of his prolific career with Denver and only missed 11 games total.
In each of those 13 seasons, he intercepted at least one pass, and he led the franchise in defensive touchdowns with seven. He set the standard for hard-hitting safeties who came after him – like Steve Atwater and John Lynch.
No. 4 – T.J. Ward
Draft: 2010 (38th overall, Cleveland Browns)
Broncos career: 2014-Present (25 games)
Pro Bowls: Two (2013, ’14)
Super Bowl: 50
“Boss” Ward has only spent a couple of seasons with Denver, but the effect he has had on the defense is undeniable. Before he came to Denver, he became the first Cleveland Brown in 18 years to start all 16 games as a rookie. He led all rookies that year with 105 tackles.
His explosive nature has earned him a few fines over the years, but that is what makes him a great motivator for his teammates. With Ward, the Broncos had the number one defense in the league in 2015. The core group consisting of Ward, Von Miller, Chris Harris Jr. Aqib Talib and Derek Wolfe carried an aging Peyton Manning to a Super Bowl 50 victory – where Ward intercepted his first pass of the season.
Ward complied 60 tackles in 2014 and 50 in 2015 during the regular season, and another nine during the Super Bowl 50 run. He credits his production to defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ transition to the 3-4 scheme.
“I love it. He uses me the way I should be used,” Ward said. “Moving me around, playing strong and free, in the box, blitzing, playing me everywhere, the offense not knowing where I am going to be.”
No. 3 – John Lynch
Draft: 1993 (82nd overall, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Broncos career: 2004-07 (60 games)
Pro Bowls: Nine (1997, ’99, 2000, ’01, ’02, ’04, ’05, ’06, ’07)
Super Bowl: XXXVII (with Tampa Bay)
Lynch might be higher on the list of greatest safeties of all time – but he played only four of his 15 seasons in Denver – landing him at number three.
These days, Lynch is better known as the Fox Sports analyst with the kind face and good-natured smile, but during his days as a player, he was anything but nice.
Lynch’s hard-hitting style of play earned him a trip to nine Pro Bowls – including all four years he played in a Broncos uniform. Lynch’s list of accomplishments and accolades reads like a statistic book, but what is more impressive is the mark he left on the Mile High city.
In his four short years, Lynch stole the hearts of Broncos fans and will be inducted into the Broncos Ring of Fame this year.
On Sundays in Broncos Country you can still see number 47 jerseys strolling about with pride. He was a fierce competitor on the field and a class act off of it.
He was the Walter Payton Award recipient in 2002, and though he did not make the Hall of Fame in 2016, it will only be a matter of time before he is enshrined in Canton.
No. 2 – Dennis Smith
Draft: 1981 (15th overall, Denver Broncos
Broncos career: 1981-94 (184 games)
Pro Bowl: Six (1985, ’86, ’89, ’90, ’91, ’93)
Super Bowl: XXI, XXII, XXIV
Wide receivers from the 1980s probably still shudder hearing Smith’s name. He established a reputation as a bone-crunching, tireless strong safety during his 14 seasons in Denver.
But since I couldn’t find a quote from an opponent, let teammate Karl Mecklenburg tell you himself.
“A guy that was as tough of an individual as you’d ever see. There were players across the league who were just scared to death of Dennis,” Mecklenburg said. “He would knock somebody out every third or fourth game – out cold. He knocked me out cold one time by accident. I remember seeing the ball, and the next thing I saw was the trainer.”
Six Pro Bowls is an impressive achievement, but Smith really should have gone to a seventh in 1983. He had a career-high five sacks that season, along with 114 tackles – the first of five 100+ tackle seasons to follow.
Former head coach Mike Shanahan said Smith “is the hardest hitter I have ever been around. On any team. Bar none.”
Smith finished with 1,171 tackles, 30 interceptions and 15 sacks, and 17 recovered fumbles, making him the greatest safety in Broncos history second to just one other, his backfield partner for six years.
No. 1 – Steve Atwater
Draft: 1989 (20th overall, Denver Broncos)
Broncos career: 1989-98 (155 games)
Pro Bowl: Eight (1989, ’90, ’91, ’92, ’93, ’94, ’95, ’96, ’98
Super Bowls: XXIV, XXXII, XXXIII
Before there was Antonio Brown’s mega-watt smile, there was Steve Atwater, nicknamed the Smiling Assassin.
Atwater was not only the greatest safety to ever play in orange and blue, he’s one of the greatest Broncos of all time, period. His 2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame Finalist status could tell you that by itself, but he has a plethora of other attributes to talk about.
As a safety, injuries are usually a constant, but Atwater missed a mere five games in 10 seasons in Denver, and it sure wasn’t because he took it easy.
Atwater and Dennis Smith were the fiercest safety tandem of their time. Atwater’s hit on a Monday Night game in 1990 is still one of the greatest and most famous tackles in Broncos history.
At 6-foot-3, Atwater was giant for a safety, but it didn’t stop him from being agile and quicker than his opponents. He posted 1,038 tackles, 24 interceptions and five sacks during his tenure.
His defensive prowess was huge in Denver’s Super Bowl bids, and especially in their back-to-back victories. Atwater earned eight Pro Bowl trips and was a three-time All Pro.
Besides that, he is a family man and a darn good guy. Just ask Broncos safety Bradley Roby, who played with Atwater’s son in high school.
“That’s my best friend, Lil’ Steve,” Roby said. “His dad, Mr. Steve, had a great family atmosphere. He had four kids and a big ol’ mansion. I always loved to go over there. They made me feel like part of the family, and Mr. Steve would always welcome me.”
Outstanding player and all around class act. That earns Atwater the number one spot on this list.