Manning among four first- timers up for Pro Football Hall of Fame
Former Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning and safety John Lynch are among the 25 modernera Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalists for the Class of 2021 revealed Tuesday.
Manning is one of four firsttime eligible semifinalists, joining receiver Calvin Johnson, defensive back Charles Woodson and defensive end Jared Allen.
Lynch is a semifinalist for the ninth consecutive year.
Former Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Tony Boselli, a native of Boulder, is a semifinalist for the sixth consecutive year.
In 17 years, Manning was a five- time NFL MVP, seven- time first- team All Pro, two- time Super Bowl champion and, at the time of his retirement, the alltime leader in passing yards ( 71,940) and touchdowns ( 539).
Upon signing with the Broncos in March 2012, Manning played the final four years of his career with the Broncos and went 45- 12 in the regular season ( 140 touchdowns/ 53 interceptions) and 5- 3 in the playoffs ( 11 touchdowns/ six interceptions).
The strength of the first- time eligible class — Manning is a lock and Johnson and Woodson also have first- ballot resumes — will impact Lynch and Boselli. The modern- era class is a maximum of five players.
The breakdown of the 25 semifinalists is 15 on defense, nine on offense and one on special teams. The semifinalists were chosen from a group of 130 nominees and the list will be trimmed to 15 modern- era finalists.
The full list of semifinalists: Manning, Allen, Woodson, Johnson, cornerback Eric Allen, offensive tackle Willie Anderson, cornerback/ safety Ronde Barber, linebacker Cornelius Bennett, safety LeRoy Butler, guard Alan Faneca, safety Rodney Harrison, receiver Torry Holt, linebacker Clay Matthews, linebacker Sam Mills, defensive lineman Richard Seymour, special teamer/ receiver Steve Tasker, running back Fred Taylor, linebacker Zach Thomas, receiver Hines Ward, receiver Reggie Wayne, linebacker Patrick Willis, safety Darren Woodson and defensive tackle Bryant Young.
The Hall of Fame class is traditionally announced the night before the Super Bowl.
Business competition unveiled. Launched this week was the “Broncos Business Boost” program encouraging fans to support local businesses.
Through Dec. 31, fans can nominate deserving local businesses for a chance to win a prize pack that includes a $ 1,000 U. S. Bank gift card, United Airlines vouchers, advertisements on the Broncos’ social and digital channels and 2021 stadium signage. Fans who nominate a business at www. BroncosBusinessBoost.com are also eligible for prizes.
“It was really early on in the shutdown, as far back as March, that we started to have dialogue looking for ways to help our sponsors and support these small businesses,” said Brady Kellogg, the team’s senior vice president of corporate sponsorships.
Kellogg said the Broncos will select at least 13 winners and will be a mix of business and consumer operations. In just the first 24 hours after the launch, 100 businesses had been nominated.
Broncos make donation. A month after pledging $ 20,000 to the Colorado Restaurant Foundation’s Angel Relief Fund to assist restaurant/ hospitality employees experiencing hardship due to the coronavirus, the Broncos have donated an additional $ 30,000 to the Colorado Restaurant Foundation.
Restaurants who have applied for assistance are eligible to receive grants to be used toward design, construction and applicable fees/ supplies to help meet the state COVID- 19 protocols. The board of directors for Denver Broncos Charities, a non- profit arm of the franchise, unanimously voted to make the second donation once the state’s dining restrictions were tightened last Friday.
“Restaurants are having to pay out- of- pocket to accommodate the restrictions so they’re not only strapped with their staffing and capacity, but to ensure they have the proper procedures in place, the costs are increasing week to week it feels and we absolutely value what the Colorado Restaurant Foundation does in the community,” said Allison Engleken, the Broncos’ executive director of community development.
Bolles takes stock. During an informative video conference on Tuesday, Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles, in the midst of by far his best season, said it was to up him and him only to silence the doubters entering the year.
“I know you all kicked me in the butt over the years, but that’s just something that I took and was for me to change,” he said.
“I look that very seriously and I took it into this offseason. I fixed the things I did ( wrong).”
Bills game set. The NFL announced the Broncos will host the Buffalo Bills at Mile High on Saturday, Dec. 19 at 2: 30 p. m.
When the schedule was revealed last spring, Bills- Broncos had a date of Dec. 19 or 20. The game will be broadcast on NFL Network and also KMGH locally.
Undetermined is if the Broncos’ Week 16 game at the Los Angeles Chargers will be played on Dec. 26 or 27.
Bellamy activated. The Broncos activated rookie running back LeVante Bellamy and waived reserve right tackle Jake Rodgers.
Bellamy played in Weeks 2- 4 before sustaining a knee injury and his return gives the Broncos four tailbacks on the 53- man roster, joining Melvin Gordon, Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman.
In the Week 9 loss at Atlanta, Rodgers replaced an injured Demar Dotson, but he injured his shoulder and missed the last two games.