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Two Denver Broncos recently received a big honor.
On June 30, the Pro Football Hall of Fame honored its first class of Awards of Excellence recipients. The Awards of Excellence were created to honor assistant coaches, athletic trainers, equipment managers and public relations personnel. The winners will have their names displayed inside the museum.
Hall of Fame president Jim Porter spoke about the award.
“These 20 outstanding Assistant Coaches, Athletic Trainers, Equipment Managers and Public Relations personnel not only helped to determine results on the field, but they also helped to promote the game’s growth, safety and popularity over several decades of devotion to their teams and to the National Football League.”
Among the recipients were former Broncos offensive line coach Alex Gibbs and former public relations vice president Jim Saccomano.
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Gibbs and Saccomano Excelled in Their Roles for the Broncos
Gibbs spent 14 years as a coach for the Broncos. From 1995 to 2003, he also served as assistant head coach. He won two Super Bowls with the franchise (1997, 1998).
Overall, Gibbs had 45 years of coaching experience, with stints as assistant head coach for the Los Angeles Raiders (1989), Atlanta Falcons (2004), Houston Texans (2008-2009) and Seattle Seahawks (2010).
Gibbs die July 12, 2021, at age 80.
Saccomano worked for the Broncos for 36 years. According to the team’s official site, he is the longest-tenured pro sports administrator in Colorado history. Saccomano previously won the Pete Rozelle Award, which is awarded to the league’s best public relations staff.
Broncos: Courtland Sutton Named Team’s Best Contract
On June 28, Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus wrote an article listing every AFC team’s best contract. For the Broncos, he listed the contract of wide receiver Courtland Sutton. Sutton is currently on a four-year, $60 million deal.
“That said, Courtland Sutton’s deal could be one of the best values in the entire NFL, especially with new quarterback Russell Wilson entering the picture in Denver,” Spielberger wrote. “Sutton’s 31 receptions hauled in 20-plus yards downfield since 2018 ranks 14th, and that’s with him missing effectively the entire 2020 season. Wilson’s 124 completions on passes 20-plus yards downfield over the same span ranks second. This duo could put up huge numbers over the next few years, and Sutton’s deal could look like more and more of a bargain.”
Sutton’s average salary ranks 23rd among NFL wide receivers, per Spotrac. That is an excellent value for the former Pro Bowl wide receiver.
In 2019, Sutton recorded 72 receptions for 1,112 yards and six touchdowns. With Russell Wilson at quarterback, the sky is the limit.
Spielberger also mentioned running back Melvin Gordon’s one-year, $2.5 million deal.
“Running back Melvin Gordon III returning to the Broncos on a one-year, $2.5 million deal was an underrated steal of the offseason after Gordon played so well that upshot rookie Javonte Williams couldn’t eat into his workload despite his own strong campaign. Gordon’s 83.4 rushing grade ranked ninth among running backs with at least 100 carries in 2021, and his 23 explosive runs ranked 10th.”