Randy Gradishar officially joins Pro Football Hall of Fame

Raindrops couldn’t run a day for which Randy Gradishar had waited far too long.

The legendary Denver Broncos linebacker officially joined the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, stepping into the club of his sport’s immortals nearly 41 years after his retirement following 10 stellar seasons at the core of the “Orange Crush” defense.

“To the Broncos and Bronco Country, I would not be standing here without you, because the best franchise and the best fans in the NFL are the Broncos,” Gradishar said.

Gradishar’s lengthy list of shout-outs not only included his wife, Beth, family, friends and his pastor, but also Ohio State teammate Archie Griffin, college coach Woody Hayes and Broncos owners Greg Penner, Carrie Walton Penner and Rob Walton for their outreach to Broncos player alumni.

Fellow Broncos Ring of Fame linebacker Tom Jackson, who played alongside Randy Gradishar for the Hall of Famer’s 10-year career, introduced Gradishar and unveiled the his bust on the stage at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

“Our journey began in the summer of ’74 at the Broncos’ Mile High Stadium, a journey of shared experiences built on loyalty and trust,” Gradishar said, “and 50 years later, we stand here on the Pro Football Hall of Fame stage.”

Gradishar told stories about growing up in Champion, Ohio, roughly 47 miles from Canton. He also cited Biblical scripture, befitting the deep religious faith he holds — and often cited when discussing his feelings about missing out on the Hall of Fame for one year after another before he finally broke through this year.

He mentioned multiple coaches from the Broncos staff and a slew of teammates from his 10 years with the team.

Two people upon whom Gradishar lingered in his speech died earlier this year. Longtime Broncos defensive coordinator Joe Collier passed away in May. And Gradishar’s boss for most of his decades working with Phil Long Auto Dealerships, Jay Cimino, died in February.

Cimino helped push Gradishar’s Hall of Fame case for decades.

Gradishar finally went over the top into the Hall of Fame as a nominee of the Seniors Committee. His induction was confirmed in February at the NFL Honors event, although he actually learned of it from the Penners during a meeting this winter.

How Randy Gradishar found out he was headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame …

It’s a tale that involves Broncos owners Greg Penner and Carrie Walton Penner, some subterfuge and two legendary Broncos Ring of Famers: pic.twitter.com/xhYHHebooe

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) February 9, 2024

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