4. Steve Atwater
If you need proof of how hard a hitter Steve Atwater was, go watch his hit on Christian Okoye. The Nigerian Nightmare was one of the most feared running backs in the game. The Chiefs were playing in Denver during the 1990 season. Okoye was given the ball and trying to make his way into the second level of the Broncos defense when Atwater flew down from the secondary and stopped him in his tracks.
The hit became one of the biggest highlights of Atwater’s Hall of Fame career. He was in his second season that year, and he also ended up making his first Pro Bowl in ‘90. Atwater was a Pro Bowl selection every year from 1990-96, and also made two All-Pro teams in that seven year span.
He was the staple of Denver’s defense for 10 years. Atwater was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and a two-time All-Pro. The hard-hitting safety helped the Broncos bring home consecutive Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998. He is one of the best, and most beloved, Broncos of all time, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021 as a part of the class of 2020.