Dennis Smith was an established veteran with two Pro Bowl nods and two first-team All-Pro selections when the Broncos drafted Steve Atwater in the first round of the 1989 NFL draft. Smith quickly became a mentor for Atwater and the two safeties became one of the best DB duos in the NFL.
Smith and Atwater combined to record 54 interceptions and 20 sacks during their careers, earning 14 Pro Bowl selections along the way. Both players are now in the Broncos’ Ring of Fame.
After being voted into to the Pro Football Hall of Fame last week, Atwater revealed during a press conference Thursday that Smith will serve as his presenter in Canton, Ohio next summer.
“Dennis was the guy I had in my mind all along just because when I came into the league, he really spent a lot of time getting me up to speed and sharing things with me as a player that I never would have known,” Atwater said. “How to go about the game, the right mindset to have, and then just watching him play.
“Seeing how fast he played and how fearless he was when he went in to make tackles or make an interception when he covered one on one. He was great in man-to-man coverage, too. He played some slot corner for a while as a 6-3, 205-pound safety. That takes some skills to do that.”
Atwater is the eighth Bronco to enter the Hall of Fame and he hopes that Smith will one day join him. If not for Smith, Atwater might not be Canton-bound himself.
“I just learned so much from him,” Atwater said. “It’s a small way for me to say thank you for how much time he spent getting me up to speed and inspiring me. Just watching him play, it was inspiring.”
