Former Central Warrior and Denver Bronco Ben Garland will be enshrined in the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025.
The 2006 Central graduate was a four-year player on the defensive line for the Air Force Academy from 2006-2010. Garland compiled 115 tackles, 11.5 sacks, forced three fumbles and blocked a pair of kicks in 39 games, 34 starts, for the Falcons in his collegiate career. Garland was enshrined in the Air Force Academy Hall of Fame in October 2024.
The former Warriors standout went undrafted in the 2010 NFL draft, but after his compulsory two years of military service, Garland found a home on the Broncos’ practice squad, where he transitioned to the offensive side of the ball. Garland appeared in eight games for the 2014 Broncos team that reached Super Bowl XLVIII, a 43-8 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
The Grand Junction native also played for four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and two more with the San Francisco 49ers after the end of his tenure with the Broncos. Garland reached the Super Bowl with each team, LI with the Falcons and LIV with the 49ers, but his squad fell short of winning the title on each occasion.
Five other individuals and a pair of teams will be inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside Garland. Former Doherty High School and CU women’s basketball standout Valerie Johnson, auto racing pioneer Ralph Bruning, longtime Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind head football coach Joe Sisneros, Colorado high school soccer legend Jay Engeln and Olympic gold medal-winning volleyball player Haleigh Washington, as well as the 1984 Fountain-Fort Carson track and field team and 1975 Mitchell football team round out the class.
Garland, alongside the remainder of the Class of 2025, will be enshrined in the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame at the 25th annual Hall of Fame banquet on Oct. 21 at the Broadmoor World Arena. Tickets for the event go on sale in the fall, according to the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation.