The NFL officially enshrined its 2026 class in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. It was a loaded class that is headlined by former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who are both going in as first-ballot selections.
Any time the Hall of Fame is discussed, fans of the Denver Broncos within Broncos Country have a rich history of players to discuss for possible enshrinement. Having already seen the likes of John Elway, Terrell Davis, Shannon Sharpe and Steve Atwater receive busts in Canton, Broncos fans are hungry for more.
Fortunately for them, there are still several former greats who helped shape the success the organization has had who could gain entry one day. We rank them in descending
order here.
6 Broncos who should be in Hall of Fame
6. Dennis Smith, Safety
Dennis Smith is rarely talked about in terms of inclusion into the Hall of Fame, but he should be. Sadly, having ended his career over 30 years ago, he's becoming largely forgotten.
Smith had over 1,100 career tackles to go along with 30 interceptions and was one of the best safeties of his era. A first-round pick of the Broncos in 1981, Smith made the Pro Bowl six times and was selected as a first-team All-Pro in 1984 and again in 1986. He spent his entire 14-year career in the Mile High City and was known as one of the hardest hitters in the game.
Atwater, long considered the best safety in team history, was able to learn under Smith as a young player, and even he would likely tell you that he wouldn't have become the player he was without having Smith there with him.
5. Lionel Taylor, Wide receiver
Lionel Taylor actually left the Chicago Bears to pursue a playing career in the upstart AFL in the 1960s, where he became the first great wide receiver in Broncos history.
Taylor played seven seasons in Denver and was named to the first-team All-AFL squad in four of them. He caught 543 passes for 6,872 yards and scored 44 touchdowns in that time. Having played so long ago, it's a long shot that he will ever get to Canton, but that makes him no less deserving of the honor.
4. Karl Mecklenburg, Linebacker
Coming to the Broncos as a 12th-round pick in 1983, Karl Mecklenburg faced long odds of making much out of his NFL career. All he did was become one of the most versatile and consistent defensive players of the 1980s.
Mecklenburg went to the Pro Bowl six times and was named a first-team All-Pro four times. He is credited with over 1,100 career tackles and he was just a steady force on the Denver defense as he could line up all over the formation and be effective. His 79 career sacks still rank third in team history.
3. Louis Wright, Cornerback
Louis Wright was a "shutdown corner" before the term was even used. As good as the "Orange Crush" defense of the Broncos was, it's hardly represented in the Hall of Fame. It is somewhat shocking that Wright isn't part of it.
Wright went to five Pro Bowls and was named a first-team All-Pro four times. A member of the All-Decade Team of the 1970s, Wright is the only cornerback on that team not in the Hall of Fame, as Roger Wehrli, Jimmy Johnson and Willie Brown have all gained entry.
2. Rod Smith, Wide receiver
One of the greatest undrafted players in NFL history, Rod Smith went from a player from tiny Missouri Southern to the all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in Broncos history. Yet Smith doesn't get much recognition outside of Denver.
He wasn't flashy; he was just consistent. Playing his entire 12-year career in Denver, Smith finished with 849 catches for 11.389 yards and 68 touchdowns. You can compare those numbers with some wide receivers already in Canton and see that Smith's are better.
But it's not just statistics that made Smith so good. He was a leader on and off the field and a terrific teammate. Those traits helped the Broncos win two Super Bowls while he was there, and he was a key contributor on both of those teams.
1. Mike Shanahan, Head Coach
The wait for Mike Shanahan to be in the Hall of Fame will hopefully not drag on too much longer as it's obvious he should be there.
Aside from being one of only eight coaches to win back-to-back Super Bowls, his 170 career wins are tied for 19th-most in league history. He was also the architect of the offense of the 1994 San Francisco 49ers that broke records in Super Bowl XXIX.
Credited as one of the best offensive minds the league has ever seen, Shanahan was also known for being able to take any running back and turn them into a star. Beyond the 2,000-yard season posted by Terrell Davis in 1998, Shanahan's system churned out 1,000-yard rushers left and right, often with players no one had ever heard of.
Shanahan will likely have to sit and wait his turn behind Bill Belichick, but as he's soon to be 74 years old, let's hope the wait isn't much longer.
This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Ranking the Broncos' most deserving Hall of Fame candidates
