Kiszla: It’s a blasted shame Broncos safety isn’t already in the Pro Football Hall of Fame By Mark Kiszla Post Jan. 27, 2019

Hey, we all know: The Pro Football Hall of Fame doesn’t like or guys who played safety.

So there are two strikes against Steve Atwater, who should have been fitted for a gold jacket in Canton, , a long time ago.

But I’m here to help. We’ll start to make the case for Atwater, with this simple question:

Who was the most valuable player of XXXII, when the Broncos won the NFL championship for the first time?

“T.D.,” replies Atwater. “. That’s easy.”

No, no, no. Work with me, Steve. That’s the wrong answer.

“What?” says Atwater. He’s perplexed.

Atwater, a defensive stalwart on two championship teams, knows very well Davis received the MVP award for gaining 157 yards on the ground in Denver’s stunning 31-24 upset of Green Bay on Jan. 25, 1998. Well, I’m here to say when a vote is left to my brethren in the sports media, those knuckleheads often get it wrong, due to a stubborn refusal to see anything but the painfully obvious. (Come to think of it, those same blind spots might be the major reason the Broncos are so underrepresented in the Hall of Fame.)

The real MVP of Super Bowl XXXII was Atwater. That’s right. The Smiling Assassin killed the Packers. While nobody can forget the “helicopter run” by , and there’s no denying the importance of the three Davis scored, it was Atwater who made the play that best illustrated why the Broncos shocked Green Bay, which entered the game as a prohibitive 11-point favorite.

“It was a beautiful play,” says Atwater, recalling a strip sack of Packers in the second quarter he recorded on a blitz. The resulting turnover set up a field goal that gave Denver a 17-7 advantage and left the Green Bay sideline in disarray.

“In my career, I blitzed plenty of times when it was blocked perfectly and a running put me on my butt,” he said. “I like it much better when they never see me coming.”

Boom goes the dynamite! And went Favre, hit so hard it wiped the smug off his face.

Why does Atwater belong in the Hall? Because the biggest hit of his career wasn’t the famous smackdown of Kansas City that has been replayed so many times I’m surprised the videotape hasn’t broken. This hit in Super Bowl XXXII had far more impact, because it not only rattled Favre’s bones, it set the tone. The AFC had lost in the championship game 13 straight times. But Atwater and the Broncos didn’t give a hoot about history. They came to win.

The memory is sweet enough to make an assassin smile.

“We had showed blitz to Favre repeatedly early in the game, but I always dropped out of it in Cover 2, with deep half responsibility, before the snap,” Atwater recalls. “When we finally called the blitz for real, I think the Packers believed I was faking it again. I came free, unblocked. The ball came loose, and Neil Smith recovered the . I thought: ‘Yes! It worked!’ ”

Now, let’s add two essential pieces of little-known background information.

No. 1: Despite being heavy underdogs, the Broncos were so confident coach had installed a game plan capable of shocking Green Bay that , after swearing me to secrecy, confided 72 hours prior to kickoff there was no way Denver would lose this game.

No. 2: Blind-side blitzes, like the one that allowed Atwater to dislodge the ball from Favre, proved to be a crucial part of that game plan, especially because stubbornly refused to adjust his blocking scheme, so intent was the Green Bay coach on flooding the secondary with five receivers.

“When you fail to adjust in critical situations, you’re going to lose, and that’s what happened,” general manager Bob Wolf told Bob McGinn, who has covered the Packers for nearly 40 years. “To be pig- headed about it …”

At his best when it counted most, Atwater recorded six tackles and broke up two passes against the Packers, including one in the final minute of the fourth quarter that saw him unload a hit so explosive it knocked three players unconscious: Green Bay , teammate and Atwater himself.

Hall of Fame voters will obviously consider Atwater’s eight appearances, but let’s hope they don’t overlook the strip sack of Favre documented here. I humbly submit it’s the most underrated big play in Broncos history.

As the committee gathers next weekend to consider the qualifications of 15 modern-day finalists and select the Hall’s class of 2019, I will ask one more time:

With all due respect to Davis, who was the Broncos’ MVP of Super Bowl XXXII?

“You think it was me? Well, I appreciate it,” says the Smiling Assassin, allowing himself a chuckle.

Then, Atwater makes a request: “OK, if you really think I was the MVP, can you get me that trip to Disneyland?”

Know the only thing better than going to Disneyland?

Being fitted for a gold jacket in Canton.

Kickin’ it with Kiz: Why the Broncos won’t enter 21st century and draft Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray By Mark Kiszla Denver Post Jan. 27, 2019

Wait another year for the Broncos to find a quarterback? I am trying to see your point, Kiz, but it’s difficult. Let me encourage you to relook at Kyler Murray, the winner from Oklahoma. He broke all of ’s records, carried a team with a weak defense to the Playoff and helped it score 34 points against . If Murray is available when Denver picks, I think the Broncos would be crazy not to take him.

Robert, Boomer Sooner

Kiz: Hey, preacher. Meet the choir. Despite Murray’s diminutive size, I would bet on him becoming an effective NFL quarterback long before Missouri’s Drew Lock, who seems to be all the rage in Broncos Country these days. But for all of John Elway’s insistence the team is going to embrace new offensive concepts, the concepts of the new Denver coaching staff sound a whole lot like the West Coast concepts of 20 years ago. The Broncos want their next quarterback to line up under center on first and second down. Run the bootleg. All the classic Mike Shanahan stuff. That doesn’t fit Murray’s game. So why waste a draft pick on him?

John Bowlen sure talks big for a guy whose only accomplishment is inheriting his father’s fortune.

Jim, Denver

Kiz: Well, if nothing else, I think we can safely say which Bowlen child won’t be taking over Mr. B’s big chair at Dove Valley Headquarters. While I try not to take views expressed on social media too seriously, I’m beginning to wonder: Does Johnny Bowlen exist to sully his father’s good name?

Take it easy on John Bowlen. He is “the blood of the city.”

Andrew, Denver

Kiz: He’s more like the Doofus of Denver, don’t you think?

If Kansas City knew which side of the football to put his head on, we’re talking about Patrick Mahomes’ magic at the Super Bowl.

Daniel, never out of line

Kiz: NFL experts tell me is the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. They might be right. And I might be crazy, but I would call Brady the luckiest quarterback of all time. In addition to Ford’s brain freeze, I seem to recall that the dumbest goal-line decision in Super Bowl history by Seattle and a total meltdown by gifted Brady two of his championships rings.

The Chiefs’ defense is as soft as a newborn kitten.

T.J., dogging ’em

Kiz: Here at Kickin’ It Headquarters, we tried to warn everyone way back in October a soft defense gave the Chiefs a less-than-zero chance of winning the Super Bowl. Not everyone in Chiefs Kingdom appreciated it. How do you like me now, Kansas City?

And today’s parting shot wonders if hiring Rich Scangarello from to be the was as close as Elway could get to bringing back Mike Shanahan as Broncos coach.

How different is ’s bootleg from ’s bootleg West Coast offense? I know they learned if from the same guy.

Brent, just askin’

Phillip Lindsay at the Pro Bowl: Spectator this year, participant next year By Ryan O’Halloran Denver Post Jan. 27, 2019

During the AFC’s Pro Bowl practice Thursday, Phillip Lindsay played the role of social media contributor for the league. He donned his No. 30 Broncos jersey, an orange wig, oversized sunglasses and two foam fingers.

Lindsay posed for pictures and signed autographs for fans and pretended to get autographs from teammates and Chris Harris. He was having a good time.

Great fun? For sure.

But the week has also served as a motivator.

“You’re getting a taste of it this week,” he said. “I want more.”

Lindsay wants to be in the Pro Bowl next year … as a player.

Ideally, Lindsay would cap his star-turn-of-a-season Sunday by playing in the Pro Bowl. Last month, he became the first undrafted offensive rookie named to the game. But, six days after the announcement, he sustained a left wrist injury in the Broncos’ loss at Oakland that required surgery, keeping him off the field this time around.

The NFL covered Lindsay’s expenses to bring him to Orlando to be around the game and provide content for their website.

“It was really dope what the NFL did for him,” said defensive end Calais Campbell, a fellow Denver South alum. “Being undrafted and making the Pro Bowl your rookie year is incredible. I was probably his biggest fan this year among NFL players because I had followed his career since high school.

“To experience the festivities of the Pro Bowl, he earned it and he deserved to be here.”

His numbers resulted in a deserving invitation. He finished third in the NFL in per-carry average (5.4 yards) and his 1,037 yards rushing were second since 1970 among undrafted rookies.

When the Broncos won three consecutive games to climb back to 6-6 in December, Lindsay was a big reason why — he scored a combined five touchdowns against the Chargers, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati and gained 346 yards (averaging a whopping 7.9 yards per carry).

Lindsay was limited to 54 yards in losses to San Francisco and Cleveland that ended the Broncos’ playoff hopes but eclipsed 1,000 yards before his injury. He remains in a cast that runs about halfway up his forearm.

“Everything’s good and on track,” he said. “By OTAs, I should be pretty good.”

“Pretty good” is how Lindsay has handled the injury. He tore his ACL as a high school senior and has leaned on that experience to get through the latest rehabilitation.

“It’s an injury you can’t rush,” he said. “If you rush it, you won’t come back how you want or won’t come back at all. No matter what, it’s going to make you patient. You have to do other things to help your body out. I’m working on my lower body a lot and getting stronger. It gives you a chance to focus on other parts of your bodies.”

Lindsay made it through the first 14 games unscathed, providing ultra-tough running inside. That combined with his big-play ability made him a highlight regular.

“You watched him play and saw stuff on Instagram and social media and when you would watch film when (preparing) for other teams,” running back Saquon Barkley said. “I definitely respect his game and his story, being undrafted and nobody thinking he would be in this position. It’s amazing.”

Barkley, the second overall pick in last spring’s draft, finished second this season in rushing yards (1,307). Last year, ’ Alvin Kamara made the Pro Bowl as a rookie.

“It’s hard to do as a rookie so for (Kamara), for myself, for Saquon, to be able to do it, it’s an honor,” Lindsay said. “It feels good (to be attending). You get to see a lot of dudes you watch on TV. You get to see their personality, interact with them, share stories.”

That was Miller’s message to Lindsay when they arrived in Orlando. Take everything in. Listen. Watch. Ask questions. And reap the benefits.

“Enjoy the moment and take in being around the guys,” Miller said. “If he can get anything from them, that’s what we need.”

Starting training camp wearing No. 2 and being listed behind Devontae Booker, Royce Freeman, DeAngelo Henderson and David Williams on the running back depth chart to leading a late November/early December resurgence, Lindsay will have a lot to talk about when reflecting on his rookie year. Whenever he decides to do so.

“Everything is going so fast and there was so much (that happened),” Lindsay said. “I can’t wait to really sit down and get time to just look back at everything.”

New Broncos coach and offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello have likely spent a lot of time looking back at Lindsay’s production and how he will fit into their new scheme. Lindsay said he is “very interested,” to see what Scangarello’s playbook looks like. Once he is cleared to resume football activities, Lindsay can return to the grind that got him named to the Pro Bowl.

“We have a lot of talent on the offensive side,” Lindsay said. “I’m not worried about the defensive side. They’re going to handle their business and Coach Vic is going to have them rolling. It’s on us to get the offense rolling so we can compete and have a chance to win a Super Bowl.” Hall of Fame poll: seems a cinch, Champ's chances are strong By Mike Klis 9 News Jan. 27, 2019

Based on a 9News straw poll, it’s safe for Blair Buswell to start forming the foundation on Pat Bowlen’s bronze bust.

And while shouldn’t jinx his election by sitting down to pose for the bust sculpting Buswell before Saturday’s vote, there is a strong chance the former Broncos’ will join his former owner in the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2019.

9News polled 10 of the Hall of Fame’s 48 voters to get an idea on what to expect for the four Broncos who are among the 18 finalists. Bailey and safeties Steve Atwater and John Lynch are among the 15 modern- era finalists with no more than five eventually selected for the Hall of Fame on the eve of Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta.

Dave Birkett, of the Detroit Free Press, represented the consensus view of his colleagues by summing up this year’s class of 15 modern-era finalists.

“I would think there are two locks this years: and ," Birkett said. “I would think Champ Bailey is probably No. 3 on the list. I think he probably does get in, but he’s just below a slam dunk is how I would put it."

Bowlen, the Broncos’ owner since 1984, is one of two “contributor” finalists, along with former ’ scouting boss . Former safety is the senior committee finalist.

Bowlen got 10 out of 10 votes from the 9News poll.

“Pat Bowlen is a lock," said John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

“He’s five years overdue," said Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com and WKNR radio. “I don’t know why it’s taken this long. Of all the contributing owners to come down the pike since this new category, he’s the strongest candidate I’ve seen."

But while the majority of voters say Atwater and Lynch are Hall of Famers and will be elected at some point, the competition to make the final cut from 15 to 5 is so fierce, our poll suggests the safeties may have to stay patient for another year.

After Gonzalez, Reed and likely Bailey, there figures to be a push to get one of four offensive line finalists elected. , who grew up in Boulder, , and Steve Hutchinson all made the cut from 15 to 10 finalists last year before they all fell short of the elected five.

That could well leave one spot available for the other eight finalists: Receiver , running back , defensive end Richard Seymour, coaches and , Atwater, Lynch and Law.

Here’s a look at what 9News learned from its poll about the Broncos’ four Hall of Fame finalists:

Pat Bowlen

While the 15 modern-era finalists must first survive a cutdown vote from 15 to 10, then 10 to 5, then receive 80 percent “yes” votes for election, Bowlen, Brandt and Robinson go straight to the final 80 percent “yes” requirement.

For the most part, it’s a rubber-stamp process, because the 48-person voting body respects the work the contributor and senior subcommittees put forth in coming up with their nominees.

There was an exception two years ago when former commissioner received too many “no” votes and wasn’t elected as a contributor. Tagliabue’s problem was his faith in NFL medical advisor Elliot Pellman, who too often dismissed the severity of concussions and football’s relationship with brain injuries.

There is no such controversy with Bowlen as all 10 voters polled said they would give the nod to the Broncos’ owner.

“For the most part if the (contributor) committee recommends him, then I’ll support the committee," said one voter. “And I think I’ll do that here. They’re the ones that have done the heavy lifting. They have vetted the guy."

Champ Bailey

Among the finalists, only the tight end Gonzalez has more Pro Bowl appearances with 14 than Bailey’s 12. The safety Reed had 9 Pro Bowls, but the reason he’s considered a greater lock for HOF election is he had more than Bailey (64 to 52), more defensive returns (9 to 4) and anchored more Super Bowl champion teams (2 to 0).

Bailey received four Pro Bowl berths in five seasons with Washington, then registered 8 Pro Bowls in 10 seasons with the Broncos.

“He’s a slam-dunk Hall of Famer," said Dan Pompei of ’s Bleacher Report. “I guess there is some question as to whether or not it will be this year. But I think the chances are very good.”

The only reason why Bailey may not be considered a first-ballot cinch is because there may be sentiment for New England cornerback , who is a finalist for a third time. Law made the cut from 15 to 10 last year.

But entering the vote Saturday in Atlanta, Bailey will be a favorite.

“I think when everybody looks at what Champ Bailey did for two organizations, he’ll go in on the first ballot,’’ McClain said. “My personal opinion is there are three locks on the modern ballot.’’

Steve Atwater and John Lynch

What’s working against these two is Reed, who is also a safety. Reed is going in and so is Robinson as a senior candidate. That’s two safeties and there are so many other top players at other positions to consider.

And if there should be room for a third safety, which one, Atwater or Lynch?

“I think Atwater is special,’’ said one voter. “He changed the game a little bit, with his size and the way he played. Unfortunately, this is not like where you can point to a number and say he should be in. It’s talking to people and making a judgment. I think Atwater helped to define the position.’’

That was one view. But others side with Lynch, who is a top 15 finalist for a sixth consecutive year. He made it inside the top 10 in both 2016 and 2017 but fell back to the bottom five among finalist voting last year.

“I think Lynch is a little bit ahead (of Atwater) in the pecking order," said another voter. “Because he was in Tampa, too, there’s a little bit more of a pull. He’s been on the ballot a little bit longer. I think he probably has to wait but he probably makes that final 10. After those top three it’s very up for grabs. Maybe an offensive lineman goes in because there’s a logjam there."

To summarize the 9News poll, the Broncos and their fans can realistically expect their Hall of Fame group to expand by 40 percent, with Bowlen for sure and Bailey in all likelihood joining John Elway, , , Shannon Sharpe and Terrell Davis.

Woody Paige: Denver Broncos turmoil continues with Johnny Bowlen and By Woody Paige Colorado Springs Gazette Jan. 27, 2019

In the Broncos’ Bizarro World, up popped The Odd Couple of Johnny Bowlen and Vance Joseph.

“The Blood of the City’’ and “The Leader of Men,’’ who each are collecting considerable funds from the franchise for doing nothing and causing trouble, posed for a curious late-night Instagram video in downtown Denver recently. They looked rather glassy-eyed (euphemism) as they joked:

“Hey, coach, who are the gangstas?’’ Bowlen said with his arm draped around Joseph inside what has been described as a club. Strip club.

“You are,’’ Joseph said while flashing a grin and an odd two-finger sign.

“Nah, you are. Tell them the truth.’’

“You are.’’

“You are. Mike Tomlin and all of us know.’’

“You are,’’ Joseph replied

“You are. Nothing but the truth.’’

You are ignoramuses, Johnny Be Bad and Vance Be Gone.

If only Pat Bowlen, who will be voted into prestigious Pro Football Hall of Fame on Feb. 2, was aware, he would be so disgusted that his son, ostracized from the Broncos, and the ex-head coach, who was a complete failure, had disgraced themselves (again), the organization, the Bowlen family and all fans and followers of the once-proud and championship franchise.

The Cardinals must not be elated about their new 47-year-old juvenile-acting , and courts in Colorado and California must not be gratified that they ordered lenient two- and three-year probations for the 32-year-old scoundrel in serious separate domestic abuse and DWI (100 mph) cases.

Just think: Johnny Bowlen, with his “Get Out of Jail Free’’ card, once was a candidate to become the Broncos’ principal owner. And Joseph, poster coach for “The Peter Principle,’’ sincerely believed he should return in 2019.

At about the same time, on his “SuperBowlen’’ Instagram account, in which he called himself “Mayor of (crude word) City,’’ Bowlen, who years ago, full disclosure, wanted to intern with me, went on an outrageous outburst against new Broncos’ coach Vic Fangio, GM John Elway and President .

What a pair to draw to?

But, then, the Bowlen Family Feud profoundly affects the franchise and its future off and on the field, and the reputation of Pat the Patriarch, who is in a dark place in his life.

The elder Bowlen’s two brothers and a sister, and Bowlen’s two oldest daughters are in a prolonged antagonistic dispute in public, in a lawsuit and in the NFL office against Bowlen’s second wife, Annabel, and their three daughters and two sons, and the three feudal overlords of the Bowlen Trust. Annabel Bowlen has announced she, too, has been stricken with the early stages of Alzheimer’s — as Johnny continues as the black sheep of the Orange family. Perhaps he belongs in the dungeon in an iron mask.

Meanwhile, Brittany Bowlen, soon to be 29, is the anointed one. Brittany is employed as an associate for the Denver office of McKinsey & Company, an international management consultant firm. Although her ascension was first reported months ago in The Gazette, Brittany said openly in October that she wants to succeed her father, Pat, who revealed to me during an interview in 2010 that he was suffering from “short-term memory loss’’ and that the young Brittany was his only child who had expressed interest in being the owner someday and was his first choice.

I’ve been told by a source on the inside that Brittany could rejoin (the Broncos) soon if the league requests, but it probably will be when she is 30, in an executive’s role. She would work in all areas for at least five years.

Stepsister Beth Bowlen Wallace has been rejected by the trustees as a possible controlling owner because, the trustees claimed, she “is not qualified’’ — a statement that touched off the Bowlen bad blood hostilities.

Pat tried the prevent the current strife-ridden situation when the Bowlen family trust was set up. His brother Bill, a minority partner until 1996 when he sold his share to Pat, filed a lawsuit against the trustees and basically stated that Pat wasn’t of clear mind, because of the advancing disease, when the trust contract was written and signed, and that the trustees — CEO Joe Ellis (60), general counsel Rich Slivka (73) and attorney Mary Kelly (64) — should be removed and replaced by a new board of directors. The trustees were granted a court delay and have requested that NFL commissioner arbitrate. Goodell, a strong Ellis advocate, most likely will be asked about the Broncos’ ownership mess at the state of the league address Wednesday in Atlanta.

This Bowlen battle is not the first the NFL experienced. All four AFC West franchises have passed from father to children, wives and grandchildren. Alex Spanos, who died in 2018 after publicly acknowledging he had dementia, passed the Chargers to his sons, and the franchise is headed by two grandsons.

The late , longtime owner-general partner of the Raiders, once kicked son Mark out of the family house for serving as an agent for one of the Raiders, and never allowed him inside the team’s offices. But Mark and his mother are the Raiders’ owners, and Mark is moving the franchise to . He’s primarily known for a Three Stooges hairstyle.

When , owner of the Chiefs since their origin in Dallas in 1960, died, he left the ownership to his three sons and a daughter. The transition was smooth as the siblings agreed to name Clark Hunt the controlling owner.

But other ownership changes in family were poisoned by venomous relationships. Saints owner Tom Benson, who died last year, remarried late, to an interior decorator. After a public spat between a daughter and the wife, Benson removed all three daughters from his will. Despite protests and a settlement, 72-year-old Gayle Benson is the Saints’ sole owner and a billionaire.

Former Panthers owner Jerry Richardson fired his two sons and dumped them as potential owners. Richardson then was forced to sell the franchise because of his unbecoming conduct with employees.

Several other franchises endured rancor within the ranks of family members: 49ers, Bears, the Washington football club, the Dolphins and, most infamously, the Titans. Seven other franchises are owned by inheritors.

The Packers are owned by more than 360,000 shareholders.

No other football team has more ownership instability than the Broncos, and the franchise will be in flux for years.

And no other team has just been forced to tolerate the bizarre foolishness of Johnny B and Vance J.

'He should've been a head coach long, long ago': Assistant coaches share impressions of HC Vic Fangio By Aric DiLalla DenverBroncos.com Jan. 27, 2019

Decades before joining the Broncos’ staff, Vic Fangio and grew up just apart in Eastern Pennsylvania.

At Dunmore High School, Fangio played safety as a student before returning a few years later in 1979 to begin his coaching career. Munchak, meanwhile, played his high school football in Scranton before embarking on a Pro Football Hall of Fame playing career.

But while they grew up just towns apart, the two didn’t meet until the mid 1980s.

“We didn’t know each other at that time, but I think just watching what he did, starting from high school and coaching high school football to being a head coach in the NFL is an awesome trip,” Munchak said. “To me, he should have been a head coach long, long ago.

“I remember my dad telling me when we were playing the Saints when I was with the Oilers, he said, ‘Go over and say hello to the coach, he’s from Dunmore.’ That’s the first time I think we met. I went over to him after the game.”

Munchak said he doesn’t know if Fangio remembers that meeting — but he does know that despite their limited interaction, he’s always respected the man who is the Broncos’ new head coach. And that led to Munchak accepting a role as the Broncos’ offensive line coach.

“We always knew of each other but never really had the chance to work together,” Munchak said. “That just made it just another huge plus for me [to take the job] because I know what a great guy he is, I know what a great coach he is and I know what a great job he’s going to do here. If I can help in any way — probably the best way I can help him is to have my guys playing really well. I think that’s all he’s caring about right now so that’s my goal: just worry about my area and that will help his area.”

Defensive Coordinator should know best of any of the new assistants about Fangio’s defensive expertise. The Broncos’ new defensive coordinator has spent the last eight years working alongside Fangio, and the two have the results to prove that they're among the best at their craft.

In their eight years in San Francisco and Chicago, Fangio and Donatell led some of the league’s best defenses. During the 2018 season, they helped the Bears post the best scoring defense in the league.

Fangio will try to maintain that success in 2019 as a head coach.

“This is a long-time thing that he’s deserved for a long time,” Donatell said. “He has a great ability to frame problems, and his ability to adjust — that’s where he separates from the competition. There are going to be all kinds of new problems coming down the road and he can frame it and he can get our staff and our players directed on fixing it.”

Special Teams Coordinator Tom McMahon, who accepted an offer from Fangio to stay on the Broncos’ coaching staff, will see Fangio’s problem-solving strategy for the first time. He hasn’t before worked with the long-time defensive coordinator, but McMahon seems impressed with the Broncos’ new head coach.

“The number one trait that I’ve noticed in being with him for this last week is he has a football presence,” McMahon said. “You feel people that are very knowledgeable in their craft. Everybody can speak, but when you can feel it, then you know you have something special.

“You can feel his football presence.”

Sacco Sez: A blast from the past By Jim Saccomano DenverBroncos.com Jan. 27, 2019

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote that I had a strong gut feeling, in a positive way, about the hiring of Vic Fangio as the Denver Broncos' new head coach.

That remains true today, and if anything, my feelings in this regard are even stronger, largely because I really like the coaching staff being assembled by Coach Fangio and the Broncos.

Sometimes the stars align in a really good way.

I think new Defensive Coordinator Ed Donatell is, in a way, symbolic of the new era taking shape here, and he perhaps ties together with the most successful period in team history.

This is Ed's third stint with the Broncos, and in terms of complete transparency, I consider him a really good friend.

But the main thing to me is that he just "fits," as the rest of the staff seems to fit.

Ed's second stint here was as secondary coach rom 2009-10, but most notable was his presence the first time around.

That was from 1995-99, and it was marked by the Broncos winning back-to-back Super Bowls, going undefeated for a calendar year (from December 1997 through the same December week in 1998), and the Broncos produced 46 victories from 1996 through 1999, at that time a record.

Plus, as we are one week before voting takes place for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, it's worth noting two of the players he coached (one from each of those stints) are finalists for the Class of 2019. Donatell's backfield included Ring of Famer Steve Atwater and future Ring of Famer Champ Bailey.

Both players should be inducted into the Canton Hall, but we can never count our chickens before they hatch, and the voters have a full slate of great players to consider.

Champ was always a great player, but his teams did not always match his greatness.

Atwater, on the other hand, was a member of one of the greatest teams in NFL history, one of the rare ones that went back-to-back.

He and Ed Donatell were key components of that success, as player and coach.

Atwater had one of the greatest games ever by a defensive player in Super Bowl XXXII.

Atwater's play in that victory over the , a game in which he totaled six tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and two pass breakups, was instrumental in Denver's winning its first-ever world championship.

He followed that up with another superb season in 1998, when Denver won Super Bowl XXXIII over Atlanta. After calling it a career following the 1999 season, the safety ranks second only to John Elway in career postseason starts by a Bronco, as he started all 14 playoff appearances, including three Super Bowls and four AFC Championship Games.

Meanwhile, Donatell was a part of those seven postseason wins in 1997 and 1998. The Broncos are the only team in NFL history to win seven postseason games in just two seasons, so his coaching and guidance played a major role in Denver's success.

But one of the key components to all that success was the veteran nature of the coaching staff.

It seemed to be comprised largely of men who had been there, done that, and who were not surprised by anything that would be thrown their way.

This is the type of staff that the Broncos seem to be assembling now.

Admittedly, while symbolism is a nice touch, you still have to plan, prepare, coach and play.

Nevertheless, there is a real, positive old-school feel to this coaching staff, which at the same time integrates younger coaches with dynamic ideas.

My guess and the hope of fans is that the foundation is being set for a return to the greatness which has been so much a part of Denver Broncos football.

Opinion: Time for Roger Goodell to come out of hiding, issue new rule after latest NFL crisis By Jarrett Bell USA Today Jan. 27, 2019

Go ahead, Roger Goodell. Be bold.

As the biggest event on the NFL calendar looms, it figures that the embattled commissioner has another crisis on his hands. Like clockwork.

Every year, it seems that Goodell steps onto the Super Bowl stage trying to put out one fire after another – , Lockout Countdown, Domestic Violence, Anthem Protests, to name a few issues from recent years. Now there’s an officiating crisis stemming from the debacle at the Superdome in the NFC title game and so far, with his silence, it looks like Goodell has stepped on a slippery banana peel.

Take it from Ben Watson, the thoughtful tight end who happens to be one of the most respected player voices in the league.

"Your continued silence on this matter is unbecoming of the position you hold, detrimental to the integrity of the game and disrespectful and dismissive to football fans everywhere,” Watson wrote about Goodell in a statement he posted Friday on .

"From the locker room to Park Ave., accountability is what makes our league great. Lead by example. We are waiting.”

Watson knows what we all know: The Saints got hosed when referee Bill Vinovich and crew didn’t throw a flag on the most obvious defensive pass-interference case you’ll ever see – Rams nickel back Nickell Robey-Coleman crashing head-first into before ’ third-down pass arrived. Robey-Coleman, subsequently fined $26,739 for the infraction, was willing to accept the consequences of a penalty that never came late in the fourth quarter than to give up a possible touchdown.

What should Goodell do now?

One solution is to empower NFL officiating director Al Riveron with the authority to use to overturn any call or non-call – on any type of play inside the final two minutes -- as an emergency measure to protect the integrity of the game.

I mean, Big Brother is already watching from the replay command center at league headquarters.

Goodell can take an out-of-the-box leadership approach as Super Bowl LIII looms and allow Riveron to rule to correct an obvious blunder – even on plays that are not typically “reviewable” under replay guidelines -- in a high-stakes contest that hundreds of millions can see for themselves on TV.

Not that Riveron would use such authority often. Maybe it comes up every five years. Or never.

Yet the idea is to ensure a safeguard, figuratively like a red button enclosed by glass to be broken only in case of emergency. I’m thinking that would help the NFL restore some lost credibility.

Institute a new rule like that now, without a vote of NFL owners, on the fly?

Sounds about as crazy as an official missing pass interference and a helmet-to-helmet violation – on the same play.

Goodell already has the power to enact such an extreme measure. That’s why he gets paid the big bucks – believed to be in the $50 million-per-year range – to make such major executive decisions.

Besides, in Super Bowl LII it seemed like the catch rule was altered in allowing Eagles touchdowns by Zach Ertz and after replay reviews, despite the slight ball movement on the receptions. Last spring, Riveron disputed that standards for a catch were liberalized for the last Super Bowl, even though we saw receptions with ball movement disallowed throughout the regular season. He maintained the Super Bowl TDs were allowed due to a lack of “indisputable” evidence to overturn.

In any event, when the NFL modified the catch rule in March – finally -- such movement was allowed. The theory is that the league used a modified catch rule in the Super Bowl, weeks before it was officially adopted by NFL owners.

And let’s not forget that standards for enforcing the helmet rule and roughing-the-passer sure seemed to be altered on the fly this season – with the drama including an early season, emergency conference call that Goodell demanded for the competition committee and leaders of the officiating department.

So you can’t say what you can’t do.

Of course, Goodell probably won’t take my advice. The issue will undoubtedly roll into the NFL meetings in March as owners, coaches, officials and others debate whether to expand instant replay. Even without the fallout from the New Orleans episode, expanding replay to include helmet-to-helmet violations needed to happen -- like last year when they instituted the new rule in the first place.

Think about another high-profile non-call that involved the Saints: Alvin Kamara knocked woozy by Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith on a helmet-to-helmet blow in crunch time. Smith, like the Rams’ Robey- Coleman, even crowed afterward about his enforcer mentality in breaking the rule.

Maybe there will be momentum for the idea that Patriots coach has proposed on multiple occasions – that any type of play is allowable for replay. I hope so.

That wide-ranging possibility doesn’t mean there would be replays on every play. Coaches would still be limited to two challenges (and a third, if successful on the first two). It would just mean that a coach could challenge DPI or holding or maybe a chop-block if it’s critical enough.

Any discussion of expanding replay will surely raise concerns about prolonging games. But again, with a finite number of challenges, I’d doubt the games would get much longer. Besides, the NFL has done an admirable job in recent years in trimming time off the games.

The average game time for the 2018 season: 3 hours, 4 minutes, 27 seconds. That’s the lowest in at least five seasons – and more than 7 minutes less than the 3:11:56 mark in 2012.

The NFL would be wise now to use some of the time it has saved to close the gap on blown calls. I mean, Mike Tomlin, the Steelers coach who was fined $25,000 in October for criticizing officials, was absolutely right: They need to do better.

It should also be noted that amid the Mardi Gras Pity Party – and in light of the pitiful demonstration by a Louisiana senator in a session on Capitol Hill, despite the real-world crisis of a government shutdown -- the Saints still had chances to win after the blown call. But they didn’t stop the Rams from driving for the game-tying field goal that forced overtime. And after winning the coin toss to start overtime, Brees threw an that set up Greg Zuerlein’s game-winning, 57-yard field goal that was no kind of a chip shot. Give the Rams their credit. They are not in LIII by default.

The Patriots won in overtime in Kansas City in the AFC title game, with Tom Brady seemingly determined to lead his team to a touchdown – while never letting Patrick Mahomes back on the field. ’s team, with Brees at the trigger, had that same opportunity, in its own stadium, after winning the toss.

Just like the officials, the Saints blew it, too.

Otherwise, the clamor now might be about changing the overtime rules. Instead, it’s about Roger, challenged to come out of hiding while his leadership is under fire. Again.

2019 : Only one of Drew Lock, Daniel Jones looks like first-rounder; Isabella, McLaurin shine in win By Ryan Wilson CBS Sports Jan. 27, 2019

The 70th annual Senior Bowl is in the books and the storyline to start the week remains the same: It's all about the . Missouri's Drew Lock and Duke's Daniel Jones came to Mobile as potential first- round picks looking to improve their draft stock. Several NFL evaluators told CBSSports.com early in the week that they were split on Lock and Jones, but that's almost certainly changed.

Yes, Jones was named Senior Bowl Most Valuable Player -- he went 8 of 11 for 115 yards and a touchdown, which led all North passers -- but the numbers don't tell the entire story. With temperatures in the mid- 50s, the sun shining and hardly any wind to speak of, Jones' downfield passes regularly wobbled, and many of the throws he got away with here on Saturday would be interceptions in the NFL. Ohio State's Terry McLaurin made a nice adjustment on a flea flicker pass from Jones that was slightly underthrown and behind the .

That play was good for 25 yards. A player later, this happened:

On the stat sheet that's two throws, 44 yards and a score for Jones. Never mind that McLaurin did all the work on the first pass and Andy Isabella -- one of our players to watch heading into the week -- took a , hit full speed two steps later and broke a tackle on his way to the end zone. All he does is make plays; Isabella led the NCAA with 141 receiving yards a game, and he led the Senior Bowl with seven catches for 74 yards and a touchdown.

And while Jones gets the MVP hardware, those watching know that Lock was the real star. He started the game and was composed from the first snap when he rolled right only to find Montez Sweat in his face, made an arm-angle adjustment to find McLaurin for a 12-yard gain. First down. Two plays later Lock pump-faked the defense out of position and came back to NC State's Jakobi Meyers across the middle, but Meyers couldn't hang on.

A series later and facing fourth-and-4, Lock rolled right and found Isabella for an eight-yard gain. It was poised, effortless -- and something an NFL quarterback is expected to do. But it was the pass on second- and-10 from the South's 26 that we'll remember most.

Yes, that's an incompletion but Lock put it the only place he could and McLaurin couldn't come up with it. That's the throw scouts will be talking about.

Not much else to get excited about at QB It's worth stating this -- and repeating it every few paragraphs: One game isn't going to make or break any of these players. Practices are more important for scouts, coaching and general managers -- it's why most of them headed out of town by Thursday -- but even with that caveat, the quarterbacks not named Lock were, in general, underwhelming.

There were exceptions -- NC State's Ryan Finley entered in the second half was looked a lot like the Ryan Finley we've seen throughout his college career: great anticipation thrower who sometimes struggles to come off his first read. Still, he was extremely poised in the pocket, and his best throw came in the third quarter when he threw to his right, just clearing Miami safety Jaquan Johnson who was flashing underneath, and hit UC Davis wideout Keelan Doss in stride for an eight-yard gain.

Doss, an FCS standout, told us this week that he was in Mobile to prove that he could consistently get off the and create separation. Mission accomplished.

Two plays after finding Doss, Finley had college teammate Jakobi Meyers lined up to his right. He knew where he was going before the snap, taking three steps before firing a back-shoulder throw in Meyers' direction that is just slightly underthrown. Meyers couldn't hang out, but he'll tell you he should always make that play.

If Finley was the most efficient passer on the field, Buffalo's Tyree Jackson was the most exciting. He didn't see the field until the fourth quarter, and he wasn't interested in easing his way into things. Instead, Jackson came out firing:

We've talked all week about Lock's arm, but Jackson's might be better. The issue, not surprisingly, is that sometimes Jackson struggles with accuracy and timing. That wasn't the case on the 54-yard bomb above, or on the laser he threw a player later to West 's Gary Jennings.

My word.

But a series later, Jackson was flushed to his left and tried to find Clemson's -- except he didn't see Delaware's Nasir Adderley lurking:

That's the bad news. The good news is that Jackson was unfazed because he came right back and found West Virginia's David Sills on a back-shoulder throw that required both timing and touch.

There's a lot to like about Jackson's game, but he's still raw and will require time to develop at the next level.

Other players who shined Texas defensive end Charles Omenihu told us this week that he was "a bigger version of Chandler Jones." He looked like it on Saturday. He just missed a strip-sack early in the game and his hard work paid off in the third quarter:

And he just missed another sack against Jackson in the fourth quarter.

The talk all week was about how Montez Sweat was getting after it. Kansas State's Dalton Risner w would have none of it on Saturday, doing a great job to keep Sweat off the stat sheet (he finished with one tackle; it was impressive, for sure, but you'd like to see more). Risner is expected to kick inside in the NFL, where he'll be a Day 1 starter, but it's clear he can play tackle too. He and Boston College's Chris Lindstrom (another potential first-rounder) were doing work during the game.

It was a tough afternoon for Kris Boyd, the Texas cornerback who had a good start to his week. He told us after Tuesday's practice that he loves playing press man but needs to work on his technique. We saw evidence of that on the South's second series when he was twice flagged for pass interference.

Hunter Renfrow remains awesome.

He won't be a first-round pick, and he may not go on Day 2 either. But whichever team takes Renfrow will get a lot of what we saw above -- and every week at Clemson where he played in 53 games and had more than 2,100 receiving yards.

Daniel Jones, Ryan Finley among five stars from Senior Bowl By Daniel Jeremiah and Chase Goodbread NFL.com Jan. 27, 2019

After a week of practices here in Mobile, 100-plus prospects for the 2019 NFL Draft capped off a crucial job interview in Saturday's Reese's Senior Bowl. NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah and Chase Goodbread provide a look at standouts from the game, as well as notes from interviews with players and coaches.

Five standouts from the Senior

Daniel Jones, QB, Duke: This was the best Jones has played all week. The Raiders' coaching staff, which coached Jones' North squad, did a good job of getting him on the move when he started the second half. That helped him get into a rhythm, which was good to see. There was a lot of pressure on him going into the game after an uneven week of practice and I thought he rose to the occasion on Saturday. -- Daniel Jeremiah

Ryan Finley, QB, N.C. State: Finley was probably the most consistent and effective of the quarterbacks today. He had a really good game, and was solid in practice during the week. He was accurate, poised and made good decisions.

Now, he doesn't have a huge arm, but teams that have met with him here in Mobile have really liked him. Given how precise he was and how quickly he was working through progressions, I thought Finley had the cleanest game of the Senior Bowl passers. -- Daniel Jeremiah

Khalen Saunders, DT, Western Illinois: Saunders had the first sack of the game, which wasn't a surprise given how well he's performed all week long. He showed his quickness and was disruptive, recording another pressure later in the game. He reminds me of the way Antwaun Woods played for the Dallas Cowboys this season. I can envision Saunders doing similar things at the next level -- he can hold up at the point of attack and give you a little quickness up the middle. He had as good a week as anybody here. -- Daniel Jeremiah

Andy Isabella, WR, UMass: He had some drops during the week and was a little disappointing in practice. But like his North squad teammate Jones, he saved his best for last, leading all receivers with seven catches for 74 yards and a touchdown on Saturday. He was good after the catch, putting his toughness on display. The team that drafts him is going to love using him on fly sweeps and bubble screens -- just get the ball in his hands and watch him go. -- Daniel Jeremiah

Charles Omenihu, DE, Texas: He has some physical traits that you love, including rare length, and he played really hard today. Some of his big plays were made off of effort and just not quitting on the play. He's not a finished product, but there's a lot to work with, and he helped himself in Mobile. -- Daniel Jeremiah

Bonus: There are a few other guys that I have to mention here. Delaware S Nelson Adderley picked off Buffalo QB Tyree Jackson and made a couple really good tackles in the open field, as well. ... Two former USC Trojans -- CB Iman Marshall and OT Chuma Edoga -- were probably the most consistent guys here all week. They both played well on Saturday. ... Last but not least, UC Davis WR Keelan Doss finished strong after a nice week of practices. He's so smooth, as he showed while making four grabs for 55 yards. -- Daniel Jeremiah

POSTGAME INTERVIEW NOTES: What we learned from , Drew Lock and more Gruden's take on QBs: North squad coach Jon Gruden had no shortage of quarterback talent to evaluate this week with Finley, Jones, Missouri's Drew Lock and Penn State's Trace McSorley on his roster. He mentioned a few of them in his postgame remarks.

-- On Lock: "He's exactly as advertised. I thought he had a touchdown pass dropped. He's the real deal -- he's got a great future."

-- On Finley: "(He) is a guy that just grows on you. He doesn't make mistakes. He was a prolific passer at N.C. State. Not a lot of people know about him nationally, but he threw for almost 12,000 yards and a lot of touchdowns in Raleigh."

-- On Jones: "He struggled a little at the end of the first half in the two-minute drill, but you see the arm he possesses, and you can see the mobility. ... He threw two interceptions in 7-on-7 in practice, which is uncommon, but he came back the next day better." -- Chase Goodbread

Learning the hard way: In-helmet communication with a coach is new to Senior Bowl quarterbacks, as it isn't allowed in the college game, and Lock had an interesting first go with pro technology. During a first- quarter drive in which Lock made some impressive throws, he at one point covered his earholes and looked to the sideline to signal a problem.

"We called plays all week verbally, just standing next to each other. And (in the game), it wasn't the normal headsets they use in games -- it was coming from a walkie-talkie coming into our ear," Lock said. "If you didn't enunciate really sharply, you really couldn't hear anything. A couple times I had to cover my ears, looked over, and they knew to say the play again. You can get 75 percent of the play and miss one part, and you don't want to miss that one part."

Lock, who started the game for the North, finished 9 of 14 for 57 yards, and will take away the experience of one game with in-helmet communication.

"It was definitely different. I think it was kind of cool. You don't have to have a wristband, you don't have to look over for signals, you're in the huddle and everyone's waiting for you," Lock said. "I loved being in the huddle and being able to look guys in the eye." -- Chase Goodbread

Sticking with it: Delaware S Nasir Adderley got an early feel for what it's like to have an NFL logo on his helmet. He and two other North squad captains, N.C. State C Garrett Bradbury and Notre Dame LB , were given Raiders helmet decals by the Raiders' coaching staff before the game. He picked up a third one for a big play in the first half -- Gruden said he's always liked the college tradition of helmet stickers for playmaking, and brought the tradition to the Senior Bowl.

"I'm leaving it on my helmet -- it's mine to keep. I love the coaching staff -- they're about their business," Adderley said. "They wanted to win this. They said from the beginning, we're here to beat the South. That's it."

Adderley added a fourth-quarter interception to seal a 34-24 win for the North. He was one of the top draft prospects in Mobile and is keenly aware of the buzz that he could be a first-round pick.

"It's all talk until it happens," he said. "I try to just keep my foot on the pedal and tune out all that outside noise." -- Chase Goodbread

Talking a big game: Kentucky CB Lonnie Johnson Jr. doesn't lack for confidence.

After an impressive practice week, Johnson made four tackles in the game Saturday and afterward, said he's come away from the Senior Bowl with a conviction that he's the best cornerback in the 2019 draft.

"I feel like I'm the best corner in the draft. That's what it is. I can tackle, I can cover, and some guys at my position don't even want to tackle," Johnson said. "I stood out. I'm 6-3, I'm 210 pounds, and I'm going to run 4.4 at the combine, so y'all can take it from there."

Johnson said he sensed a good connection with the in formal interviews this week. -- Chase Goodbread.