Two former Denver Broncos stars have been nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. They are wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, who passed away in 2021, and cornerback Aqib Talib.

They are among 16 first year-eligible players who have been nominated for the 2025 class. To be nominated for the hall, players must have retired at least five full seasons ago.

Thomas and Talib both were keys to the Broncos most recent Super Bowl-winning season. Denver’s win over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50 in February 2016 was a high point in both of their careers.

Thomas was a five-time Pro Bowler across 8-and-a-half seasons with the Broncos. The end of his career included stints with the Houston Texans and the New York Jets. He was 33 when he died in what was believed to be a medical emergency. His quarterback for four of his years in Denver was Peyton Manning, who called DT “the most unselfish person and teammate I ever played with.”

Talib joined the Broncos as a free agent in 2014. Along with his teammates on the secondary, he was part of the Broncos No-Fly Zone which gave opposing quarterbacks nightmares. When he moved on to another NFL team after his time in Denver, he said “So many memories were made over the past 4 years, Super Bowl 50 being our best.”

There are 167 modern-era players nominated for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, and they include numerous players who played for the Broncos at different points during their careers. The list will be cut down to 50 players in October and then there will be further cuts between then and Super Bowl LVIX. Eventually only between three and five modern-era players will be chosen for the class in the week leading up to the Super Bowl.