The Denver Broncos will have three players — quarterback Peyton Manning and safeties Steve Atwater and John Lynch — enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August. Atwater was voted in as part of the 2020 class but his enshrinement ceremony was postponed one year because of COVID-19 concerns.
With three representatives heading to Canton, Ohio this summer, the Broncos would have made sense as a candidate to play in the Hall of Fame Game, which kicks off NFL preseason each year.
Last year’s Hall of Fame Game was canceled because of the pandemic. The game was supposed to feature the Pittsburgh Steelers taking on the Dallas Cowboys. The league decided to postpone the game one year, with Pittsburgh and Dallas set to face off in August 2021. If not for COVID-19 forcing a rescheduled game, Denver would have been a smart choice.
The Broncos previously played in the Hall of Fame Game in 2019, defeating the Atlanta Falcons 14-10. Denver coach Vic Fangio spoke well of the extra preseason game two years ago.
“I’m glad we have it,” Fangio said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for us to have five extra practices. We need it. We are a new staff and a new team, a lot of new things going on. It gives us an extra game to play young players and help our evaluation. I see no negatives to it myself.”
The Hall of Fame Game will be played on Aug. 5 at 8:00 p.m. MT.
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