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The announcement of the Seniors players for the Hall of Fame Centennial Class of 2020 came and went Wednesday morning, and Randy Gradishar - one of the greatest linebackers in NFL history - was once again royally snubbed in a long-overdue recognition from Canton that he belongs in the Hall of Fame.
The push for Gradishar on social media showed not only that Broncos Country was feeling good about it, but so were those who really knew their football and their football history - and therefore Gradishar’s role in it.
Hi, #SeniorsCommittee:
— Ron - SuperBowl SuperFan (@ronNcaphill) August 3, 2019
Today @ChampBailey is 1st #Broncos D #PFHOF-er.
But the great #RandyGradishar waits - please make #GradisharForPFHOF reality this month.@danpompei @RickGosselin9 @McClain_on_NFL @RonBorges @Jeff_Legwold @IKaufman76 #FrankCooney #IraMiller #JohnCzarnecki pic.twitter.com/87xaIFBTkj
Hoping we hear Randy Gradishar’s name being called this Wednesday for the @ProFootballHOF ! #BroncosCountry pic.twitter.com/vf6Y7SCVne
— DenverBroncos QBClub (@BroncosQBClub) January 13, 2020
Many will tell you that no linebacker was better in short yardage situations than #Broncos Randy Gradishar. This play vs Billy Sims is an example why. #Denver7 pic.twitter.com/E103F0bcQ4
— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) January 15, 2020
"Randy was the most-decorated player on the list."@ProFootballHOF voter @Jeff_Legwold assesses the Centennial Slate candidacy for Randy Gradishar, Dan Reeves » https://t.co/mwuU0a0Ant pic.twitter.com/tcwpxr6aaI
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) January 11, 2020
A thread.
— Joe Nguyen (@JoeNguyen) January 13, 2020
Former #BroncosCountry linebacker Randy Gradishar is up for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He's one of the 38 finalists in the 15-person centennial class.
And our reporters, past and present, have been talking him up for a while.
Andrew Mason wrote a great story about Gradishar, pointing out that the linebacker - a member of an iconic defense that has ZERO representation in the Hall of Fame (which is its own travesty) - should have been inducted the moment he was first eligible, making him the first Bronco inducted into the Hall of Fame:
Unfortunately for Gradishar, his 2,049 tackles are not an official NFL statistic. Sacks weren’t official until 1982, his next-to-last season in the NFL, so just 4.5 of his career tally of 19.5 are “official.”
But interceptions are in the books. So are fumble recoveries. Pro Bowl selections, too.
And through research compiled on pro-football-reference.com, this shows that Gradishar is one of 10 linebackers in NFL history with at least 20 interceptions, 10 or more fumble recoveries and a minimum of seven Pro Bowl appearances.
Broncos Country has spent a lot of time rightfully demanding the Hall of Fame quit ignoring some of the NFL’s best players - especially Randy Gradishar.
Unfortunately, it was left wanting as the voters once again seemed only to be able to choose players from the Steelers or Cowboys.
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