Whenever the 1980’s Denver Broncos are brought up the first player that comes to mind is John Elway. Rightfully so as he led one of the NFL’s most successful teams during the decade. However his teams did have some great talent on them. Did you know LB/DE Karl Mecklenburg & FS Dennis Smith have been Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalists in the last couple years?? Atwater was immortalized in Bronze in 2020.

If we rewind the clock to 1989, Atwater was a wide-eyed rookie learning the ropes under Smith’s tutelage. Big hits rang up all year as receivers ducked for cover against these big safeties. Smith was a Pro Bowl player in 1989, the 3rd of 6 trips to Hawai’i after an 82 tackle 2 interception season.

courtesy of Roger Guinn

Atwater was the team’s 1st round draft pick out of Arkansas and passed out big hits like Christmas presents. Much like Jack Tatum you heard Atwater. Whether it was the whole stadium giving a collective “Ooooh!” or thumping of the pads.

With 129 total tackles & 3 interceptions Atwater didn’t make the Pro Bowl but came in 2nd to KC’s Derrick Thomas for NFL Defensive Rookie of the year. Both are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Think back to the ’87 team where Doug Williams consistently beat then FS Tony Lilly for several TDs in the 2nd quarter. They couldn’t stop the bleeding or deliver a big hit to send Redskin receivers a message. Not so 2 years later. In ’89 he rung more bells than a Christmas caroler. The intimidation factor Atwater & Smith brought led the Broncos to a #3 defensive ranking overall or #2 in the AFC, and yielding the fewest points in the league with 226.

Atwater career retrospective

Meanwhile Mecklenburg was a Pro Bowl player with 143 tackles, 7 1/2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 4 fumble recoveries. The 1989 season was the 4th of his 6 Pro Bowl trips and where there are a ton of vids showcasing Smith and Atwater, Mecklenburg is largely forgotten in circles outside of Denver. This vignette from ’86 showcases his talent best

In each of the Denver Broncos Super Bowl seasons they fielded a top 10 defense. Unsung players like Simon Fletcher and Michael Brooks made the back 7 one of the best during this era.

Another factor in 1989 was the Broncos finally landing a top running back in rookie RB Bobby Humphrey out of Alabama. He was Denver’s first true breakaway threat since Floyd Little. He rushed for 1,151 yards and 7 TDs after starting the season on the bench. Denver climbed to #6 in rushing where they had ranked 20th in the 1st Elway era Super Bowl team in 1986.

However history outside Taylor Blitz doesn’t bring up the excellent play from defenders who played with John Elway. When this team is discussed they make it seem as though there was John Elway and nothing else. Ask those receivers, QBs, and running backs on other teams how lethal this defense was. They’re not as heralded as the original “Orange Crush” but shouldn’t be in the dustbin of history either for coming up short in XXIV. It would be great to see Dennis Smith or Mecklenburg from this era make it to Canton since they weren’t on the Super Bowl winning Broncos a decade later.

Yet alas this team ran into one of the all time great teams in Super Bowl history. This is the championship ring won by Denver after beating Cleveland for their 3rd AFC championship in 4 years.

Please lend your thoughts as well by writing in to the Pro Football Hall of Fame to the address below. Please be respectful and positively lend your voice:

Write & nominate Karl Mecklenburg / Dennis Smith
Send letters to:
Pro Football Hall of Fame
Attention Hall of Fame Selection Committee
2121 George Halas Dr NW, Canton,
OH 44708

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