ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos are set to honor some of the franchise's greatest players this fall.
Denver will recognize both the 25th anniversary of the Broncos' Super Bowl XXXIII win and the Hall of Fame induction of DeMarcus Ware during the team's Week 2 game against the Washington Commanders, the team announced Tuesday.
The Broncos won the second of their back-to-back Super Bowls during the 1998 season, as they rolled to a 14-2 record and won each of its playoff games by at least 13 points. Denver knocked off Atlanta in a 34-19 decision to cap one of the most successful stretches in NFL history. Quarterback John Elway was named Super Bowl MVP in the final game of a Hall of Fame career.
A year ago, the Broncos honored the 25th anniversary of their Super Bowl XXXII team.
As the Broncos celebrate their second championship team, they'll also recognize a team captain that helped lead the Broncos to their third Super Bowl win.
Ware, who is set to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in August, will be recognized for a three-year career in Denver that included a world championship. The talented edge rusher earned two Pro Bowl nods in Denver and recorded 21.5 sacks in 33 starts with the Broncos. He also notched 3.5 sacks, four tackles for loss and 12 quarterback hits during the Broncos' dominant defensive run to Super Bowl 50.
While the Broncos will honor both their Super Bowl XXXIII team and Ware, the organization will not elect a new member to its Ring of Fame in 2023.
"One of our key priorities is to deepen relationships with alumni and better connect with not only Ring of Famers but all former players, coaches and administrators," Broncos Owner & CEO Greg Penner said. "This year, we're thrilled to celebrate the 25th anniversary of our Super Bowl XXXIII team as well as newest Pro Football Hall of Famer DeMarcus Ware to highlight Alumni Weekend.
"We're also excited to welcome new perspectives to our Ring of Fame Committee, which met this morning, and look forward to adding to the Broncos' exclusive group of distinguished alumni in the future."
Denver's new Ring of Fame committee — which includes the Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group, Ring of Fame head coach Mike Shanahan, Pro Football Hall of Fame safety Steve Atwater, team historian Jim Saccomano and 850 KOA Radio's Voice of the Broncos Dave Logan — made the decision during a recent meeting.
The Broncos will now have gone the last two years without an inductee, which has not been uncommon during the team's history. On three previous occasions since the Ring of Fame was founded in 1984, the team has seen at least three years pass between inductees. There have been at least two years between inductees on another six occasions.
Since 2014, the Broncos have elected 11 new Ring of Famers to the highest honor in team history. Those individuals — inducted over an eight-year span — make up nearly a third of the Ring of Fame.
The Broncos' Week 2 game against Washington, during which it will honor the Super Bowl XXXIII team and Ware, is set to kick off on Sunday, Sept. 17 at 2:25 p.m. MT on CBS.
