{"id":865941,"date":"2026-04-14T03:40:59","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T03:40:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/865941\/"},"modified":"2026-04-14T03:40:59","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T03:40:59","slug":"broncos-legend-steve-foley-humbled-by-colorado-sports-hof-induction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/865941\/","title":{"rendered":"Broncos legend Steve Foley \u2018humbled\u2019 by Colorado Sports HOF induction"},"content":{"rendered":"

This time, after Steve Foley is honored, he figures to have a lot more room when offered congratulations.<\/p>\n

In October 2024, the former defensive back was inducted into the Broncos Ring of Fame. About 100 relatives showed up and surrounded him when his pillar outside Empower Field was unveiled at the end of the ceremony.<\/p>\n

\u201cDave Logan (the Broncos radio play-by-play announcer who served as the emcee), said, \u2018OK, the Foley family can move close to the statue so that it can be unveiled,’\u201d Foley said. \u201cHe didn\u2019t realize the whole place got up and moved over there. It was hilarious. I loved it.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Thursday night, Foley will be inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame at the Hilton Denver City Center, and Logan will be co-emcee along with Broncos radio sideline reporter Susie Wargin. But an onslaught of Foley family members will not be on hand.<\/p>\n

\"\"Riley Odoms and Steve Foley, right, appear at the Broncos Ring of Fame ceremony on Oct. 6, 2024. (Chris Tomasson, The Denver Gazette)<\/p>\n

With Foley noting that tickets for the banquet are $250 apiece, he didn\u2019t want some relatives to have to fork over that much along with any possible travel expenses. Foley, who has 12 siblings, said a bunch of nieces and nephews traveled from afar during Week 5 in 2024 to see his induction into the Ring of Fame and take in Denver\u2019s 34-18 win over Las Vegas.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Hall of Fame gave us six tickets and the Broncos gave me a table of 10, so I just limited it to that,\u201d Foley said. \u201cA couple of other people will spend some money, so that should come to about 20 (relatives).\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s still enough for Foley, who played for the Broncos from 1976 to 1986 and remains their career leader with 44 interceptions, to get a good number of cheers.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust to be in that kind of company, it\u2019s just a great honor,\u201d Foley said of his induction.<\/p>\n

Inducted along with Foley will be Nuggets guard Lafayette \u201cFat\u201d Lever, University of Colorado quarterback Kordell Stewart, tennis ace Beatriz \u201cGigi\u201d Fernandez, Olympic runner Wendy Koenig and University of Denver basketball player Harry Hollines.<\/p>\n

All the inductees learned last October that they would be enshrined.<\/p>\n

\"\"Former Denver basketball star Harry Hollines will be inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday. (Photo courtesy of University of Denver Athletics)<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a shock,\u201d said Hollines, 80, who starred for the Pioneers from 1965 to 1968 and later was recreation director for the Denver Parks and Recreation Department for 34 years. \u201cIt felt great, but I didn\u2019t expect it. It was quite a surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hollines, who averaged a school-record 25.1 points in his three Denver seasons, didn\u2019t deny he will be nervous when giving his speech.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will be a short and sweet speech,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Foley is expected in his speech to thank many former teammates. He was on the \u201cOrange Crush\u201d defense that helped lead Denver to the playoffs for the first time and to a Super Bowl berth in the 1977 season, when \u201cBroncomania\u201d reigned. The Broncos lost 27-10 to Dallas in Super Bowl XII.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a chance to reflect upon all the people that have been a part of my journey and that have helped me along the way,\u201d Foley said. \u201cIt\u2019s nice to be recognized but you didn\u2019t play to be recognized necessarily because you had no idea when you started the longevity of what you were going to do and what impact you were going to have on the game. You were really just thinking of how you could be better and how you could impact your team and help your team win.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Denver Broncos safety Steve Foley (43) in action during a game. (Courtesy of the Denver Broncos)<\/p>\n

The New Orleans native was a quarterback at Tulane before he was selected in the eighth round of the 1975 draft by Denver. Foley became a defensive back with Jacksonville of the World Football League in 1975 before joining the Broncos the next season. He played both cornerback and safety on the \u201cOrange Crush\u201d defense.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got to thank my fellow defensive backs, such as Louis Wright, Billy Thompson, Dennis Smith and Mike Harden,\u201d Foley said. \u201cThey helped me make a craft out of it. I watched each of them and really learned to backpedal and how to cut. But having been a quarterback, I felt like I had good hands because you\u2019re always handling the ball every play of every game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Foley used his good hands to grab those 44 interceptions, including three seasons with six. His team record still stands after 40 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am a little surprised it has lasted this long,\u201d he said. \u201cSomebody will come along but they\u2019ll probably have to stay 10 years to break it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Foley was overshadowed at times by other members of the \u201cOrange Crush\u201d defense. Players from those teams previously enshrined in the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame include Thompson, Wright, Smith, linebackers Randy Gradishar and Tom Jackson, and defensive lineman Barney Chavous.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s one of the most underrated I think really, really great players the Broncos have had,\u201d said Logan, Foley\u2019s Denver teammate in 1984. \u201cHe sort of got lost a little bit because the defense was so prolific.\u201d<\/p>\n

Foley will be inducted into his second state shrine. He was welcomed into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.<\/p>\n

\"\"Former Denver Broncos defensive back Steve Foley addresses the fans after being inducted into the Empower Field at Mile High Ring of Fame during pregame of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo\/Geneva Heffernan)<\/p>\n


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