It all starts with a nomination. Anyone can nominate an eligible player (Pssssst... Randy Gradishar).

Any fan may nominate any player, coach or contributor who has been connected with pro football simply by writing to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The only restriction is that a player and coach must have been retired at least five years before he can be considered. There is no mandatory retirement period for a contributor before he may be considered. Every nomination of an eligible candidate received will be processed and forwarded to the Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee.

To visit the HOF website for more information on how the senior committee nomination (or general nomination) process works, click here.

Why Randy?

If you don’t know why, this isn’t the article to get into all he has meant to the game of football and the Denver Broncos. Check out Kaptain Kirk’s article from Mile High Report’s Greatest to Wear series where he broke it all down.

How should I nominate?

In today’s technological age, nothing hits a point home more than a personally written old-school snail mail-type letter. Sure, it takes a little longer and costs you the price of a stamp, but that’s a small price to pay to nominate your favorite deserving (Randy Gradishar) Denver Bronco!

Here are some suggestions for your letters:

- Nominate a player (Randy Gradishar) you are passionate about (familiar with or interested in).
- Do a little research on their career achievements (stats, pro bowls, all pros). Did you read the Greatest to Wear link above?
- Think about including salient quotes from notable people (players, coaches, and media) regarding that player.
- Speak to your geographic location, especially if living outside Colorado.
- Avoid negative pronouncements (we know it’s easy to fall into) about the Broncos under-representation in the hall. This is most important.

These letters don’t need to be epic, just sincere. Here’s the address you should mail your nomination to:

Pro Football Hall of Fame
2121 George Halas Drive NW
Canton, Ohio 44708

Randy not your favorite? Here’s a list of eligible Broncos seniors.

The Dark Ages (1960-1975)
Lionel Taylor, WR [Senior Committee]
Rich Jackson, DE [Senior Committee]
Austin “Goose” Gonsoulin, S [Senior Committee]

The Orange Crush (1976-1980)
Randy Gradishar, ILB [Senior Committee]
Tom Jackson, OLB [Senior Committee]
Billy Thompson, S [Senior Committee]
Louis Wright, CB [Senior Committee]

Who is on the horizon for the Broncos and the hall of fame? Here’s a list of even the most borderline of candidates and their status.

The Reeves Era (1981-1994)
Dennis Smith, S [Eligible for Standard Selection - LAST YEAR]
Karl Mecklenberg, OLB/ILB [Eligible for Standard Selection - LAST YEAR]
Dan Reeves, Coach [Eligible for Standard Selection until 2028]

The Shanahan Age (1995-2009)
Steve Atwater, S [Eligible for Standard Selection until 2024]
Jason Elam, K [Eligible for Standard Selection until 2034]
Tom Nalen, G [Eligible for Standard Selection until 2033]
John Lynch, S [Eligible for Standard Selection until 2032]

The Post-Shanahan Era (2009 - Present)
Peyton Manning, QB [Eligible for Standard Selection in 2021]
DeMarcus Ware, LB [Eligible for Standard Selection in 2022]

Is there someone you want to nominate that’s not on the list above? Someone who you think shouldn’t be on the list? Rather than bicker in the comments, use that energy to get out a piece of paper and make your case to the HOF Committee for Randy Gradishar (or whomever you choose... but seriously, nominate Gradishar). Broncos Country will thank you for it.

HORSE TRACKS

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