Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Grit was calling card for Gradishar

Former Broncos assistant says he's 'worthy' finalist

By Lynn DeBruin, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published January 31, 2008 at 12:45 a.m.

Text size  
Randy Gradishar will be in the country when the votes are in.

Randy Gradishar will be in the country when the votes are in.

Randy Gradishar expects "a whole different set of emotions and feelings" if he's elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Photo by The Rocky / File

Randy Gradishar expects "a whole different set of emotions and feelings" if he's elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Related Stories

More Denver Broncos

More stories »

Seventeen years ago, Stan Jones was alone in his New England Patriots office when the call came that caught him by surprise.

At nearly 60, he had been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"I was the only one in the entire building," said Jones, who just had joined the Patriots as an assistant coach. "I couldn't even find the janitor to tell him."

The feeling, nonetheless, was one of great excitement, one former Broncos linebacker Randy Gradishar hopes to experience Saturday.

"He's certainly worthy," Jones, a former Chicago Bears lineman and Broncos assistant, said of Gradishar.

"There's no question in my mind that he was one of the best that I've ever been associated with, and I've played with some Hall of Famers (Bill George and Sam Huff) and I've seen a lot of great linebackers."

Gradishar, who went to seven Pro Bowls in his 10 seasons with the Broncos from 1974 to 1983, couldn't say where he would be Saturday when the Class of 2008 is announced.

After spending three of the past four Super Bowls in the Middle East on goodwill tours to visit soldiers in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Afghanistan, he'll at least be in the country. And hoping for that phone to ring.

"If it rings, that will be great and that will be a whole different set of emotions and feelings," said Gradishar, 55, who is in his 20th and final year of eligibility on the modern-era ticket. "If the phone does not ring, there will be some sense of disappointment but knowing there will still be some opportunity."

Gradishar was referring to the pool of seniors committee candidates, where the list of names is much longer and the odds slimmer - though Jones made it through that way in 1991.

"I joke with people about it. I say there's always hope to go into the Hall of Fame because you can go in when you're dead. That's part of the reality," Gradishar said.

Gradishar was a finalist in 2003 with former Broncos left tackle Gary Zimmerman; neither was voted in. Both are finalists this year.

After watching Colorado Springs resident Goose Gossage finally make it into the National Baseball Hall of Fame this month, Gradishar wonders "if there's a Colorado connection" this year.

Jones, among the large contingent of Gradishar supporters who worked to get the facts to the 44 Hall voters, is hopeful.

"I've got a pretty good feeling this year," Jones said. "If they don't vote him in this time, it won't be for (lack of knowledge). You'd just have to wonder . . . if it's just because they're against him."

Five years ago, one Hall voter reportedly lobbied against Gradishar because he believed New York Giants linebacker Harry Carson was more deserving. Carson was voted in with the 2006 class.

"Harry was a good football player, no question, but I would have put Randy in ahead of him," Jones said. "(Gradishar) was the finest short-yardage middle linebacker that I've ever been around. He had the ability to, what we used to refer to as, skim the garbage. Guys would come out and try to cut him and he would move down the line, get over them and hit the point and make the tackle."

Jones also pointed to Gradishar's leadership.

"He was a captain on a football team that looked up to him. He certainly is a quality guy, the type of person I would think would be in the Hall of Fame and should be. And he should have been in there before," he said.

Jones wonders if an East Coast bias has kept more Broncos out of the Hall. Only John Elway (2004) is enshrined.

Jones spoke of a time years ago when news didn't travel as fast as it does now. When he played for the Bears, a receiver named Lionel Taylor was a teammate for a short time in 1959.

"We all kind of lost track of him, but somebody came into the locker room one day when we were practicing and said, 'Hey, did you hear? Lionel Taylor caught 100 passes.' My first question was, 'Where did he catch them?' "

Told it was with Denver, Jones was puzzled.

"It never occurred to me they had a franchise in Denver," he admitted. "In those early days, we didn't get a lot of information on the American Football League."

The news certainly is out now on Gradishar. Jones just hopes the voters listen.

debruinl@RockyMountainNews.com

Two of a kind again

They are together again.

The last time the Broncos had two players among the finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame was 2003.

The players that year? Randy Gradishar and Gary Zimmerman.

The two are among the 17 finalists to be considered for the Hall's Class of 2008.

It is Zimmerman's sixth year of eligibility and fifth year he has been a finalist.

"No question he's a Hall of Famer," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. "None."

Gradishar has been eligible for 20 years and it is only the second time he has made it to the list of finalists. It is his last year to be considered among the modern-era candidates.

"No question about his credentials," Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen said.

If Gradishar is not elected Saturday, he moves into the pool of senior candidates and must be selected by the seniors committee to be considered again for enshrinement.

Tough go

Gradishar's candidacy, while endorsed by many teammates, coaches and opponents, has faced two traditional hurdles.

* He played inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Players on the inside of that defense haven't been considered very often for enshrinement. There is only one inside linebacker from a 3-4 defense who has been enshrined - former Giants great Harry Carson.

* He played for the Broncos. There is but one Broncos player in the Hall - quarterback John Elway.

Twice as nice

Zimmerman, a left tackle, is the eighth player eligible for the Hall who was named to two all-decade teams. Seven of those players are enshrined in Canton, Ohio; six were elected in their first year of eligibility and the seventh, former Raiders standout Ted Hendricks, got in in his second year.

Gradishar resume

* Broncos, 1974 to 1983.

* Broncos' all-time leader in tackles (2,049).

* Played in 145 consecutive regular- season games; never missed a game.

* Seven-time Pro Bowl selection.

* Five-time first-team All-Pro.

* NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1978).

Zimmerman resume

* Los Angeles Express (U.S. Football League) 1984, 1985; Minnesota Vikings, 1986 to 1992; Broncos, 1993 to 1997.

* Started for Broncos' Super Bowl winner at end of 1997 season.

* Seven-time Pro Bowl selection.

* Five-time first-team All-Pro.

* Named to 1980s All-Decade team.

* Named to 1990s All-Decade team.

Competition

Gradishar and Zimmerman are among 17 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The others:

* Cris Carter, WR, 1987 to 2002 (Eagles, Vikings, Dolphins).

* Fred Dean, DE, 1975 to 1985 (Chargers, 49ers).

* Richard Dent, DE, 1983 to 1997 (Bears, 49ers, Colts, Eagles).

* Marshall Goldberg, RB, 1939 to 1943, 1946 to 1948, Chicago Cardinals.

* Darrell Green, CB, 1983 to 2002 (Redskins).

* Russ Grimm, G, 1981 to 1991 (Redskins).

* Ray Guy, P, 1973 to 1986 (Raiders).

* Bob Kuechenberg, G, 1970 to 1984 (Dolphins).

* Randall McDaniel, G, 1988 to 2001 (Vikings, Buccaneers).

* Art Monk, WR, 1980 to 1995 (Redskins, Jets, Eagles).

* Andre Reed, WR, 1985 to 2000 (Bills, Redskins).

* Paul Tagliabue, commissioner, 1989 to 2006.

* Derrick Thomas, LB, 1989 to 1999 (Chiefs) .

* Emmitt Thomas, CB, 1966 to 1978 (Chiefs).

* Andre Tippett, LB, 1982 to 1993 (Patriots).

Fab five

Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, the Broncos are one of four teams among the league's top five in winning seasons, regular-season wins, overall wins and overall winning percentage. The Hall of Fame count for those four teams:

Team Hall of Famers

Pittsburgh Steelers 17

Dallas Cowboys 10

Miami Dolphins 9

Broncos 1

How it works

The selection committee will follow this process when it meets Saturday morning to consider 17 finalists:

* Two seniors committee finalists first will be considered on a "yes" or "no" vote.

* Remaining 15 modern-era finalists will be presented and debated. First committee vote will cut that group to 10; additional arguments then can be made for remaining 10.

* Group of 10 is trimmed to five.

* Remaining five are considered on a "yes" or "no" vote for enshrinement.

Comments

  • January 31, 2008

    9:31 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    kmeissner writes:

    Both Zimmerman and Gradishar deserve to get in. At least one of them should make it this year. If not, then the committee doesn't know talent.

  • January 31, 2008

    1:20 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    LarryB writes:

    The Pro Bowl may be largely a popularity contest, but these guys (Gradishar and Zimmerman) was EACH a FIVE-TIME, FIRST-STRING ALL-PRO. That is a different story. It is a shame that they only reason they haven't yet made it is because they didn't play for the New York Giants.

  • January 31, 2008

    5:27 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Broncos4Life writes:

    Why is'nt Terrell Davis in the conversation for enshrinement? Is it because he only dominated the league for 6 years? Sounds like Gale Sayers all over again, except TD had better numbers and a couple of Super Bowl rings!

  • January 31, 2008

    11:35 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    BroncoB writes:

    It's not TD's first year, but it would be nice if he made it.