Broncos Legends: Top-5 Safeties of All Time

John Lynch came to the Broncos after having made quite a name for himself in Tampa Bay. He was a Super Bowl winner and had already received four All-Pro awards before landing in Denver. 

Even though he arrived in Denver past his 'prime,' Lynch was still good enough to receive four straight Pro Bowl invitations in the four years he was in the Mile High City. Lynch was still a fearsome hitter, but his leadership on the defense cannot be overstated. 

Lynch's impact was felt on the field as well as he forced nine fumbles in four seasons. He was quickly ushered into the Broncos Ring of Fame as soon as he was eligible and soon after became a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The original Bronco, Gonsoulin played for the franchise from 1960 to 1966 and was the premier ball-hawk in the American Football League. He led the league with 11 interceptions as a rookie, had no less than six interceptions in his six seasons, and when he did leave for the NFL in 1967, he was the AFL leader for career interceptions with 43. 

In every season except one, Gonsoulin received either an AFL All-Star invitation or a first-team All-Pro award. He is also a member of the AFL All-Time Team and the Broncos Ring of Fame. 

Although Gonsoulin has largely been ignored for the Pro Football Hall of Fame (as many AFL stars are), he has a strong case for enshrinement.

On an iconic defense filled with great players, Thompson was the playmaker. In the historic 1977 run, the Broncos recorded 39 turnovers that season, and Thompson was responsible for eight, or 20%, of the takeaways. 

Thompson led the team with five interceptions and recorded three fumble recoveries. That total was more than Randy Gradishar, Tom Jackson, Louis Wright, or any other great from the Orange Crush defense. 

During his 13 seasons in the Broncos’ secondary, Thompson tallied 40 interceptions, 21 fumble recoveries, and seven defensive touchdowns. His impact was felt throughout the NFL. 

When he retired, Thompson's career fumble returns for a touchdown total was No. 1 in history. It was a record that stood until 1998, nearly two decades later. 

Thompson's career fumble return yardage ranked No. 2 all time when he retired, and he wasn’t knocked off that pedestal until 1997. He has two All-Pro awards, three Pro Bowl nods, is a member of the Broncos Ring of Fame, and has a solid case to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Smith was a fearsome hitter and incredibly athletic from his safety spot. He was a solid tackler, as evidenced by his 1,158 career tackles (most all-time for safeties when he retired), and a turnover machine. 

Smith tallied 30 interceptions and 17 fumble recoveries for his career. He played in three Super Bowls, received six Pro Bowl invitations, an All-Pro award, and was regarded highly enough to garner attention for Defensive Player of the Year award in 1989. 

Smith’s impact is felt long after his retirement. He is responsible for ushering in a new breed of safety into the NFL. 

Smith's physicality and tackling prowess along with his coverage ability gave way to the new breed of in-the-box safeties who can slide down to play linebacker and cover in pass defense. He rightfully sits on the Broncos Ring of Fame.

Another fearsome hitter, Steve Atwater is the best safety to ever don the Orange and Blue. He was an integral part of the Broncos' first championship and could have been voted the Most Valuable Player in Super Bowl XXXII. 

This two-time Super Bowl winner burst onto the scene his rookie year as he was second in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, and through his career, he received three All-Pro Awards and eight Pro Bowl invitations. 

Atwater took what Smith, his teammate and close friend, ushered in and took it to the next level. Atwater was the quintessential in-the-box safety and sits on every 'hardest hitter' list. 

Atwater is the No. 1 safety on the 1990s NFL All-Decade Team and rightfully sits in the Broncos Ring of Fame. In 2020, Atwater was finally enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and was introduced by Smith.