Randy Gradishar cried, disappointment streaking the craggy face of a linebacker who defined the fabled Orange Crush defense.
His tears will dry. But the agonizing wait for a Broncos icon goes on.
Will Gradishar, now 67 years old and 36 NFL seasons removed from the last of his slobber-knocking 2,049 tackles, ever get that call from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, welcoming him into the sport’s most exclusive club?
“Today was not my best day of 2020,” Gradishar told me, hours after being snubbed yet again for induction in Canton, Ohio.
This time, much to the shock of Broncos officials preparing for a celebration, Gradishar was left out of the “Centennial Class,” which welcomed 15 legends previously ignored by the Hall.