ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — In honor of Black History Month, 9NEWS has ranked the all-time 9 best Broncos players who hailed from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Two players on the list are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, three are in the Broncos’ Ring of Fame and two went on to have better careers with the Raiders. We realize we should have put together this list a few weeks ago, if not decades ago. But it’s never too late to recognize the deserving. (Thanks to Broncos’ web writer Ben Swanson for research contribution).
1. Shannon Sharpe, tight end, 1990-99, 2002-03, Savannah State
The only Pro Football Hall of Famer on this list who played the majority of his career with the Broncos, Sharpe came out of small school Savannah State as a receiver. A 7th-round tweener – a bit too big and therefore not quite fast enough for a receiver, but not quite big enough at 6-foot-2, 228 pounds as a tight end, Sharpe became an H-back in his third season after head coach Dan Reeves noticed he was a mismatch against linebackers and strong safeties.
Sharpe’s career took off. Arguably the funniest, most outsized personality in Broncos history, Sharpe finished his career as the all-time NFL leader among tight ends with 815 catches, 10,060 yards and 62 touchdown reception yards. (He is still No. 4 in those categories, behind only Tony Gonzalez, Jason Witten and Antonio Gates).
2. Billy Thompson, safety 1969-81, Maryland Eastern Shore
A college teammate of Hall of Famer Art Shell, Thompson was no less than the captain of the famed Orange Crush defense that went 12-2 and reached the franchise’s first-ever Super Bowl in 1977. As a rookie, he led the AFL in both punt returns (11.5 yards average) and kickoff returns (28.5).
A 13-season starter for the Broncos, he began as a cornerback but elevated his game after he was switched to strong safety, from where he scored six of his 7 defensive touchdowns. A member of the Broncos’ Ring of Fame, Thompson continued to work for the team after his retirement as a player, and his now head of its alumni association.
3. Rich “Tombstone” Jackson, defensive end, 1967-72, Southern University
There was a three-year period from 1968-70 when “Tombstone” rivaled Deacon Jones as the best pass-rushing defensive linemen in pro football. In fact, in Dr. Z’s NFL All-Century Team that was published in 1999, Reggie White, Jones and Jackson were his three defensive ends. “In his prime, he was the very best run-pass defensive end the game has seen,’’ Zimmerman wrote of Jackson.
Tombstone had a combined 33 sacks in those three, 14-games seasons of 1968-70 and made first-team All Pro and the Pro Bowl all three seasons. Unfortunately, a knee injury cut Jackson’s career short and he wanted to get on with his life as a high school teacher and coach. He was one of four Broncos elected into the team’s inaugural Ring of Fame class of 1984.
4. Barney Chavous, defensive end, 1973-85, South Carolina State
Started 14 games as a rookie and all but five games in his 13-year career. Became one of the best two-way, 3-4 defensive ends in Broncos history. Much stronger against the run than the 4-3 pass rushers of his era and a much better pass rusher (75.0 career sacks) than the typical defensive end run stoppers. Chavous spent another 12 seasons as a strength and conditioning and defensive line coach.
5. Willie Brown, cornerback, 1963-66, Grambling State
Although 12 of his 16 seasons were with the Raiders, Brown’s best season was his second with the Broncos when he had 9 interceptions in a 14-game season to make his first All Pro and AFL All Star teams. He made the AFL All Star team again in 1965. But when Lou Saban took control of the Broncos in 1967, one of his first moves was to trade Brown and quarterback Mickey Slaughter to the Raiders in exchange for defensive lineman Rex Mirich and a third-round draft pick that turned out to be Bob Vaughn.
For many years it was widely proclaimed as one of the worst trades in NFL history. Mirich had 4.5 sacks in three seasons with the Broncos and Vaughn appeared in just one game. Brown went to seven consecutive Pro Bowls in his first seven seasons in Oakland and had three postseason pick sixes of at least 50 yards – including a 75-yard interception return score off Minnesota’s Fran Tarkenton to clinch Super Bowl XI.
Brown became the first player who put on a Broncos uniform to be inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he was elected in his first year of eligibility – a rarity at the time – in 1984.
6. Al Denson, receiver, 1964-70, Florida A&M
A three-time All-Conference selection in college, Denson was selected in the sixth round. He played outside receiver, tight end and flanker during his seven seasons with the Broncos. Once the record-setting Lionel Taylor era was finished, Denson became the Broncos’ next No. 1 receiver. A tall, slender target at 6-foot-2, 208 pounds, Denson tied for the team-lead with 46 catches in 1967, ranked 6th in the AFL with 899 receiving yards, and tied the Chiefs’ Otis Taylor for an AFL-most 11 touchdowns. Limited by a collarbone he fractured twice in 1968, Denson bounced back in 1969 to rank third in the AFL with 53 catches and 10 touchdowns and was 7th with 809 yards.
He still ranks among the top 14 receivers in Broncos history with 250 catches (14th), 4,150 yards (13th) and 32 touchdowns (11th).
7. Steve Wilson, CB, 1982-88, Howard
Not only went undrafted in 1979, he was signed as college free agent receiver/returner by the Dallas Cowboys. Became primarily a No. 3 cornerback in seven seasons with the Broncos. Had 9 interceptions combined in the 1983-84 seasons, and started all three 1987 postseason games during the Broncos run to Super Bowl XXII.
8. Goldie Sellers, CB-R, 1966-67, Grambling St.
Drafted in the 8th round by the Broncos and 20th round by the Bears, Sellers only had two seasons with the Broncos but had spectacular moments in each. In 1966, he had a team-best three interceptions as a cornerback and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns (100 and 88 yards) as he was the AFL’s top kickoff returner with a 28.4-yard average.
In 1967, Sellers had a pick six among his 7 interceptions. He was then traded to the Chiefs and was part of their Super Bowl IV championship to cap the 1969 season. Sellers and his wife of 54 years Vasa “Peaches” Sellers made the Denver-area their home. He passed away following a battle with cancer two years ago at 78.
9. Hewritt Dixon, TE, 1963-65, Florida A&M
Dixon was a very good tight end for the Broncos, catching 38 passes for 585 yards (15.4 yard average that was remarkable for a tight end) in his second season of 1964. Unfortunately he was even better fullback for the Oakland Raiders. Traded to the Raiders after the 1965 season, Dixon became the AFL’s best fullback in the five years between 1966-70.
Others: Al Frazier, RB-FL-R, 1961-63, Florida A&M; Nemiah Wilson, cornerback, 1965-67, Grambling State; Chuck Gavin, defensive end, 1960-63, Tennessee State; Louis Green, special teams LB, 2004-08, Alcorn St.; Ken Woodard, special teams LB, 1982-88, Tuskegee; Nick Ferguson, safety, 2003-07, Morris Brown (one year, transferred sophomore year to Georgia Tech); Dan Williams, defensive end, 1993-96, Tennessee State (one year, transferred sophomore year to Toledo).
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