The Denver Broncos have 35 players (and coaches and owners) in their Ring of Fame, including four wide receivers.
The first wide receiver is Lionel Taylor, a trailblazing receiver who dominated in the early era of the AFL. Taylor was the first player in pro football history to record 100 receptions in a single season with the Broncos in 1961 (he was the only player to ever accomplish that feat during a 14-game season). Taylor was a five-time All-AFL receiver and five-time AFL receptions leader.
The second receiver is Haven Moses, who ranks ninth on Denver’s all-time receiving list with 5,450 yards. After earning an AFL All-Star nod with the Buffalo Bills in 1969, Moses made the Pro Bowl with the Broncos in 1973. His 44 receiving touchdowns are tied with Taylor for fifth-most in franchise history.
The third receiver is Rick Upchurch, who made his mark in Denver both as a receiver and as a returner. Upchurch ranks 12th on the team’s all-time receiving list (4,369 yards) and No. 1 on the club’s all-time return list (5,363 yards). He was a four-time Pro Bowler, a five-time All-Pro and a member of the NFL’s All-Decade Teams for both the 1970s and 1980s.
The fourth receiver in the Broncos’ Ring of Fame is Rod Smith, the team’s all-time leading receiver in yards (11,389) and touchdowns (68). A two-time Super Bowl champion, Smith made three Pro Bowls and earned two All-Pro nods during his career.
A notable receiver who is not yet in Denver’s Ring of Fame is Ed McCaffrey, who ranks fifth in franchise history with 6,200 receiving yards. McCaffrey won three Super Bowls (two with the Broncos and one with the San Francisco 49ers) and he made one Pro Bowl and one All-Pro squad.
The most notable former Denver receiver who is not yet eligible for the Ring of Fame is the late Demaryius Thomas, who died in 2021. Thomas ranks second in receiving yards (9,055) and touchdowns (60) on the team’s all-time list, only trailing Smith. A four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Thomas won Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos in 2015. Players are eligible for the Ring of Fame five years after retirement, which will be 2026 for DT.
1
Lionel Taylor (1960-66)
2
Haven Moses (1972-81)
3
Rick Upchurch (1975-83)
4
Rod Smith (1994-2007)
5
Not yet in the Ring of Fame: Ed McCaffrey (1995-03)
6
Not yet eligible: Demaryius Thomas (2010-18)
