DeMarcus Ware will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of the 2023 class in Canton, Ohio on Saturday evening.
Ware played the final three years of his career with the Denver Broncos, helping the team win Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season.
“I have a handful of memories — some of them good, some of them not so good,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said when asked about his memories of Ware after a training camp practice on July 26. “He was an immediate impact player with great makeup and everything that you look for. [He was] well-coached, well-raised, disciplined, smart and very athletic.”
Ware started his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys in 2005 while Payton was serving as the Cowboys’ assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach. The following year, Payton became the head coach of the New Orleans Saints.
“Shortly thereafter, I went to New Orleans, and we played him a number of times. The game that stands out is in our 2009 season. I think we were 13-0 and we were playing them on a Saturday night. He had been out all week and was on the injury report. It didn’t look positive, especially when it was a neck and back. In our Wednesday third-down meeting — normally we’d be spending a lot of time on how we’re going to handle [him]. We’d nudge him or chip him, but we made the mistake of kind of overlooking that.
“Then here comes on game day, and he’s running through the tunnel. I’m like ‘You have to be kidding me.’ He had a sack and a fumble. Now that would serve us well later because six games later in the Super Bowl, we went through the same thing with Dwight Freeney, who had an injured ankle. We met until two in the morning as if Dwight was healthy and full speed. You learn some lessons the hard way. I know how much Bill [Parcells] thought of him, as did anybody who had a chance to play with him or coach him either here in Denver or in Dallas. I think you saw right away all those traits that you’re looking for, and it’s much deserved.”
Ware played against the Saints six times in his career. In those contests, Ware totaled nine quarterback hits, five sacks, three forced fumbles and one pass breakup. He was a disruptive playmaker as a pass rusher.
Ware retired following the 2016 season and he ranks ninth on the NFL’s all-time sack list with 138.5. His addition to the Hall of Fame is certainly well-deserved. Ware becomes the 11th former Broncos to reach the Hall.
Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Google Podcasts
