The Lead
As one of just 13 head coaches to have won multiple Super Bowls and as the coach who led the Broncos to their first world championship, Mike Shanahan's legacy stand tall on its own.
But if there's anyone who can speak to his impact, it's the men who played for Shanahan.
"I am happy for coach Shanahan. It's so well-deserved. Broncos Country will never forget he did for Denver and for the state of Colorado," Hall of Fame TE Shannon Sharpe told Denver7’s Troy Renck. "When you played for him, you either got better or you weren't there anymore. He demanded perfection. He knew the right mix on when to push you and when to let the guys be guys. He helped so many players reach their potential. Before he got to Denver, we would hope to win. After he got there, we expected to win."
"Well deserving of being a Ring of Fame member," Mark Schlereth said in a video for 104.3 The Fan. "Great man, great coach. A friend to all of us who played for him. I couldn't be more excited. I'm more proud of Mike Shanahan for his accomplishments and what he means to the Denver Broncos."
"It's so well-deserved," Hall of Fame safety Steve Atwater told Renck. "He was a great coach in so many ways. He listened to the players, and he held us accountable."
Below the Fold
In an appearance on NFL Total Access, Melvin Gordon III talked to NFL Network host and Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson about the upcoming season alongside Phillip Lindsay. "I hope it's electric," Gordon said. "… I'm excited to learn from him and take some things from him, and I know he feels the same way."
Five years into retirement, Peyton Manning is still the NFL's top earner in royalties and marketing, The Athletic’s Daniel Kaplan reports. The number comes from the NFLPA's annual report for the Department of Labor.
