The greatest tackler in Broncos history soon could be looking for some more chores to tackle.

Randy Gradishar, 74, was a hard-working Denver linebacker from 1974-83 who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024. He served as an NFL uniform inspector on the sidelines at Broncos games for 10 years until he was 71. And he worked for 28 years in corporate communications at Phil Long Ford before finally retiring last September at age 73.

“I started working when I was 11 years old in my dad’s grocery store in Champion, Ohio, and that’s been my lifelong thing of staying involved and working with people and helping people,’’ Gradishar told The Denver Gazette.

Despite his retirement from Phil Long Ford, Gradishar will still do some appearances this summer in Colorado on behalf of the dealership and he still works at the Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center talking to ex-servicemen.

“I just figured I’m 70-some years old and eventually I had to make that decision,’’ Gradishar said of finally retiring from the dealership. “It’s been good for my wife (Beth) and we’re just kind of planning on seeing what else we can do.”

Gradishar said he’s now “keeping busy enough to stay busy” and he’s “not at this point looking for any jobs.” But he doesn’t deny that, at some point, he might need to take on extra tasks.

“He likes to be involved,’’ said linebacker Karl Mecklenburg, who starred for the Broncos from 1983-94. “Randy was a great community liaison for Phil Long and lasted for a long time, and he’s such a good person.”

Even after being enshrined in Canton, Ohio, in August 2024, Gradishar continued to work 9-to-5 at Phil Long Ford for another year. Having that honor added a bit more excitement when he met clients, even if he wasn’t wearing his Hall of Fame gold jacket.

But Gradishar did don his gold jacket last Sunday to the Denver Broncos Alumni Charities Gala & Golf event at the Omni Interlocken Hotel and Golf Club.

“Well, this is the only clean coat that I had,’’ he said.

Pardon Gradishar if he wants to get as much wear out of that jacket as he can. He first became eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1989 and waited 35 years before finally being inducted. He put on a brave public face for many years while wondering internally what the heck was going on.

“It took many more years than I thought and after a while I was starting to think, ‘Well, my statistics are better than guys that are already in there, and why can’t I get in?'” he said. “I was just personally thinking that to myself but then that call finally came and I got in, and so I’m just very grateful and feel blessed to be able to have that honor upon me.”

Gradishar is credited by the Broncos with having a whopping team-record 2,049 career tackles, although some are skeptical of that statistic. One reason is the NFL didn’t begin regulating such statistics until 1994, when no more than two defensive players could be credited with a tackle on one play. Legendary Broncos defensive coordinator Joe Collier charted tackles when Gradishar played and sometimes awarded more than two players a tackle on the same play.

Nevertheless, Gradishar certainly was worthy of the Hall of Fame. In his 10 seasons, he won NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1978, played in seven Pro Bowls, and twice was named first-team All-Pro and three times to the second team.

“He was kind of the face of the franchise,’’ Mecklenburg said of when Gradishar played.

Gradishar returned to the Hall of Fame last August for the 2025 enshrinement ceremonies. He said he can’t make it back this August to Canton due to appearances he is making for Phil Long Ford, but hopes to return in 2027.

That is, unless he has found another pursuit by then to keep him busy.

Broncos have ample OLB depth
if Cooper misses time

It was interesting that on June 4, hours before Broncos outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper was arrested for the first time, head coach Sean Payton said Jonah Elliss would remain primarily at outside linebacker.

Payton had said March 31, with the Broncos so deep at that position and having less depth at inside linebacker, that Elliss would be getting some snaps in a new role.

Well, on Thursday night, Cooper was arrested for a second time. After previously being charged with misdemeanors following an alleged incident with his ex-girlfriend, he now faces a felony assault charge after a new affidavit said he choked her and pinned her against the wall. He also had tacked on misdemeanor charges of harassment and violation of a protection order.

More will be known after Cooper’s trial, which is scheduled for July 22. But even if Cooper, who pleaded not guilty Monday to the original charges, is found not guilty, the NFL still could hand him a suspension based on its personal conduct policy. It calls for a baseline suspension of up to six games, with a higher or lower range based on the severity of conduct.

So the Broncos could be facing time without Cooper in 2026. If so, at least outside linebacker is their deepest position and Elliss could move into a starting role, if needed.

Denver’s starters over the past three years have been Cooper and Nik Bonitto, a two-time Pro Bowl selection. As reserves, in addition to Elliss, the Broncos also have solid Dondrea Tillman and up-and-coming Que Robinson, entering his second season.

It was also interesting that on Thursday, hours before Cooper’s second arrest, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph raved about Robinson.

“After the season, watching the cut-ups again when Que played, he played really well,’’ Joseph said of Robinson, who as a rookie got into just six regular-season and one playoff game while being inactive a dozen times. “It looked like a guy who can be a future star. So it’s our job to keep improving with Que and get him more reps. … It’s a year later and he’s ready for the next step as far as playing more defensive snaps.”

If Cooper misses time, that would be a simple way for Robinson to get more snaps.

What I’m hearing

–Kym Galloway, the wife of late legendary Broncos quarterback Craig Morton, said he had asked for his ashes to be spread over Tightwad Hill, which overlooks Memorial Stadium, where he played at the University of California. Galloway said the plan is to spread the ashes of Morton, who died May 9 at the age of 83, in the range of Sept. 12-13, when Morton’s son, Michael, who lives in the Phoenix area, will be in the San Francisco area for a conference. “Craig will be there eternally to watch the Bears play, which is exactly where he’d want to be,’’ Galloway said. She said the outpouring of support has been “unbelievable” and she has gotten numerous “lovely cards” since the death of Morton, who played for the Broncos from 1977-82. “He was more than a friend,’’ Gradishar said. “So it’s a big loss. My memories of Craig always have been very good.’’

–Several Broncos players have talked about the goal this season to win the Super Bowl. Add linebacker Justin Strnad to the list. “The task is we want to win a Super Bowl and I go to work each and every day for that,’’ he said. “It would be the greatest accomplishment in my career and for everyone on this team. So it’s something that we’re striving for every day.” The Broncos came up just short of making the Super Bowl last season, losing 10-7 to New England in the AFC Championship Game.

What I’m thinking

–Payton said Thursday the Broncos should “absolutely” hold onto nickel back Ja’Quan McMillian after he is due to become an unrestricted free agent next March. Yes, they should, and they should get an extension done before the season. McMillian was rated as the NFL’s fourth-best cornerback in 2025 by Pro Football Focus in his third straight season in the nickel role. There’s no reason to believe that second-year man Jahdae Barron can beat McMillian out. The Broncos should have Barron compete at outside cornerback with Riley Moss, who has been a starter the last two seasons and is also due to become a free agent in March if not signed to an extension.

–The Broncos will have an ideal opportunity at their mandatory minicamp Tuesday through Thursday to put aside any speculation that quarterback Bo Nix’s surgically repaired right ankle could hamper him this season. Payton said Nix is expected to take part in the minicamp, and reporters and camera operators will be chronicling every move. Nix broke his ankle in a 33-30 divisional playoff win over Buffalo on Jan. 17, and had surgery on Jan. 20 and a clean-up procedure in late April.