Denver, CO
Next crop of Broncos who should get a look for the Hall of Fame
Good morning, Broncos Country!
The path has finally opened for Randy Gradishar. Now, that needs to happen for a few others.
Since some time has passed since the announcement that Grardishar is headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the hope is this opens the opportunity to some more deserving Denver Broncos.
Namely, Gradishar’s teammate on the Orange Crush defense, Louis Wright. The original shutdown cornerback in the NFL and one of the best to ever play the position. Wright is deserving of a look by the Seniors Committee.
Another is Tom Jackson. He was the voice of that iconic defense and a helluva linebacker, but also what he did for the game on ESPN with Chris Berman. Again, another Broncos player should get a look by the Seniors Committee.
The next two were part of the Orange Crush, per se, but both should get into the Hall of Fame. Dennis Smith and Karl Mecklenburg. In terms of Smith, ask Steve Atwater and Ronnie Lott. As for Mecklenberg, he could play any position in the front seven of a defense and do so at an All-Pro level. Both Smith and Mecklenberg should be in the Hall.
Next is Tom Nalen, one of the best centers to ever play in the NFL and a blocker for one of the greatest running offenses in history.
Rod Smith, the greatest undrafted player in NFL history.
Jason Elam, one of the best kickers in the league’s history.
Dan Reeves contributed so much to the game as a player and coach. Not to mention he coached a team to three Super Bowls in four years, which is a remarkable accomplishment.
Mike Shanahan, who should already be in and the fact he isn’t is nuts.
Of all on this list, Shanahan is the most likely to get induction, and it’ll probably happen in 2025.
Every other name mentioned faces a steep hill.
But the fact that Gradishar finally got inducted hopefully opens a path for Wright, who is more than deserving of getting into the Hall of Fame.
Broncos news
9 quarterbacks for the Denver Broncos to consider | 9news.com
Denver Broncos QB free agency mock draft board rumors: Baker Mayfield, Mason Rudolph, Kirk Cousins, Ryan Tannehill, Gardner Minshew, Sam Darnold, Jameis Winston.
Broncos position outlook: RB position could use more juice | 9news.com
Denver Broncos running backs Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and Samaje Perine were all good in 2023, but explosive runs were lacking.
Broncos offseason puzzle begins in earnest
Broncos offseason puzzle begins in earnest. Coach Sean Payton must figure out solutions beyond quarterback.
Will the Broncos break up their wide receiver corps? – ESPN
Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick and Jerry Jeudy are currently among the Broncos’ top nine salary cap charges for the 2024 season.
NFL news
2024 NFL predictions: Super Bowl 2025 picks, MVP, breakouts – ESPN
Who will win Super Bowl LIX? Which players, teams could break out in 2024? We asked 11 of our NFL experts to make predictions for next season.
NFL continues to wrestle with its ownership problem – NBC Sports
Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.
Poll shows NFL’s Peacock gamble paid off
NFL’s Peacock experiment yields record viewership and high subscriber retention, but faces mixed reactions and challenges.
NFL free agency 2024: Ranking top 25 defensive players, including Chiefs’ Chris Jones, other star D-linemen – CBSSports.com
An early look at the big-name defenders set to hit the open market
Chiefs pick up option on Chris Jones’ contract, retain right to franchise tag star DT, per report – CBSSports.com
Jones gets paid $4.25M in incentives
2024 NFL offseason: Free agency, draft questions for 32 teams – ESPN
Will Miami extend Tua? What’s going to happen with Higgins? Our reporters take a closer look at the biggest questions for the 2024 offseason.
Denver, CO
‘I’m good.’ Bengals’ Amarius Mims says he’ll play vs. Denver Broncos after ankle injury
Amarius Mims thinks he’ll be ready for the biggest game of the Cincinnati Bengals’ season.
In Sunday’s win over the Cleveland Browns, Mims, an offensive tackle, was hampered by an ankle injury. He was in and out of the game as he battled the injury.
With a make-or-break home game against the Denver Broncos coming Saturday, Mims told The Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway he anticipated playing in the game.
“No, I’m good,” Mims told The Enquirer in the Bengals’ locker room post-game.
Absent Mims, the Bengals would be thin at tackle. That would make for less than ideal circumstances for quarterback Joe Burrow in a game of real significance.
After dropping to 4-8 on Dec. 1, the Bengals have played their way back to 7-8 and are attempting to overtake several teams including the Broncos for the final AFC Wild Card spot.
Saturday’s game against Denver is scheduled for a 4:30 p.m. kickoff and will be broadcast on NFL Network.
Denver, CO
Suns lookahead: Phoenix looks to end Christmas skid in holiday matchup vs. Denver Nuggets
Phoenix Suns coming off back-to-back wins
The Phoenix Suns won their last two games despite missing injured guard Bradley Beal. What’s next for the team?
The Phoenix Suns will play in their fourth consecutive Christmas Day game Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets at Footprint Center.
The week begins with a Monday game at Denver and finishes with a back-to-back set: Friday’s home game against the Dallas Mavericks and Saturday’s matchup at Golden State.
It’s nice to play on the most celebrated holiday of the year, especially at home.
Family and loved ones in town. Everyone watching on national television.
A festive time for celebrating and gift-giving, but the Grinch keeps showing up and ruining Christmas for the Suns.
Phoenix is 1-7 in its past eight Christmas games, losing the past three to the Golden State Warriors, 116-107, in 2021; at the Denver Nuggets, 128-125 in overtime, in 2022; and against Dallas, 128-114, last year.
What’s even crazier is the Suns lost to teams that either won an NBA championship or reached the finals that season.
The Warriors won it all in the 2021-22 season, the Nuggets took it in 2022-23 and the Mavericks advanced to the finals before losing to the 2023-24 NBA champion Boston Celtics.
The Suns last won on Christmas in 2009, beating the Los Angeles Clippers, 124-93, at home. Phoenix went more than 10 seasons without playing on the holiday until the 2021-22 season, the year after it reached the 2021 finals.
Phoenix is 12-9 overall on Christmas.
Christmas 2021: Curry leads Warriors past Suns
The Suns played the centerpiece Christmas game in 2021 against the Warriors during their historic 64-win season. They entered the marquee matchup with a 26-5 record and on a five-game winning streak, but lost at home.
Phoenix bolstered the best home record that season at 32-9 with one of those rare losses coming on Christmas. The Suns didn’t score in the final three minutes while Otto Porter Jr. scored the game’s final seven points.
Stephen Curry punched out a game-high 33 points to go with six assists to just one turnover while Chris Paul led the Suns with 21 points and eight assists to two turnovers and six rebounds.
Devin Booker managed just 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting.
Christmas 2022: Booker injured early, Suns fall in OT
In 2022, the Suns lost Booker within the first five minutes of their Christmas loss to the Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver as he aggravated a groin injury. Scoring just two points, he had missed the previous three games.
Landry Shamet came off the bench to deliver 31 points to match a career-high, and Nikola Jokic posted another insane triple-double of 41 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists, but the game will forever be remembered for Aaron Gordon’s ferocious one-handed dunk in overtime over Shamet, who tried to take the charge on the play.
Gordon was first called for an offensive foul, but after review, the call was overturned because Shamet was ruled outside of the restricted area.
Gordon missed the ensuing free throw, but his dunk gave Denver a 126-123 lead with 24 seconds left.
Christmas 2023: Doncic 50-piece dooms Suns
Then last season, Luka Doncic cooked the Suns for 50 points in leading Dallas to victory at Footprint Center. Shooting 8-of-16 from 3, Doncic became the seventh-fastest to reach 10,000 career points.
Grayson Allen scored a team-high 32 points to lead the Suns, going 8-of-17 from 3 while Kevin Durant and Booker combined for just 36 points on 10-of-25 shooting.
The Suns were without Bradley Beal (right ankle sprain) and Jusuf Nurkic (personal reasons) while the Mavericks won despite Kyrie Irving being sidelined due to a heel injury.
The Suns now have another chance to win on Christmas.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
Denver, CO
Esther Romero
Esther Romero
OBITUARY
Esther Romero (Lopez), 84, entered into eternal rest surrounded by her loving family. Born in Mt. Harris, Colorado, a small coal mining town near Steamboat Springs, her family moved to Denver in 1950. She graduated from North High School in 1957 and was the first in her family to attend college. She left for Colorado State College now UNC in 1958 where she soon met the love of her life and future husband Richard Romero. Esther graduated in 1961, married a week later, and together moved to Castle Rock where she began her career as an educator. Before long they returned to Denver where their three daughters were born. In 1972, Esther became one of Denver Public Schools first bilingual bicultural teachers and soon earned her Masters Degree from UNC. A passionate advocate, she understood the value of building a strong educational foundation in a child’s home language and honoring culture while also learning English. She taught at Elmwood, Del Pueblo, and Fairmont elementaries. A founding member of the Congress of Hispanic Educators (CHE), Esther served as president for many years helping to ensure children in DPS had access to a quality bilingual education. She continued this work through her final days. Esther taught for 30 years, was recognized as a master teacher of children, an exceptional mentor and coach to future educators, and served as a liaison between CU-Denver and DPS. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma.
Esther enjoyed traveling with family and friends to Mexico, Europe, South America, the Caribbean, and almost all fifty states. She and Richard were avid Broncos fans holding season tickets since 1970, traveling to two Super Bowls. She loved organizing family gatherings, gambling trips, camping, reading, puzzles, and playing games with family. She had the unique ability to make everyone feel seen, heard, valued, and loved.
She was preceded in death by her parents Luis and Tommie G. Lopez, devoted husband Richard Romero, brother Baltazar Lopez ( Lourdes) and survived by her loving daughters Rosana (Dean) Trujillo, Carla (Arturo) Perez, Diana (John) Romero Campbell, and her grandchildren Arturito, Juliana, Claudia, Sofia, Orlando, Geronimo and Alicia, her sister Alice (Joe) Marquez, brothers Louie (Pat dec.) Lopez, Davey (Pat dec.) Lopez, Robert (Shari) Lopez, Ray (Melva) Lopez, and numerous extended family members. Please see www.cfcscolorado.org for service details.
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