Cool to see Steve Atwater get the HOF nod. I felt like he's a player who never really had the stats that fit the position he was assigned by footbaw writers. He wasn't a "centerfielder" type FS so he never put up a lot of interception numbers and didn't get the respect he deserved. He was the key player for a lot of amazing Denver defenses and while he was listed as a FS, his role was more like a SS or even a linebacker, in that run defense was his primary responsibility. Denver's entire defense was built around his unique skill set and he was an awesome player to watch. The only reason he really played FS to begin with was that Denver already had a good SS in Dennis Smith. That combination was awesome against the run, but was a liability against the pass, as evidenced by all the Super Bowl blowouts. I really wish they could have played Atwater at SS and picked up an honest to god coverage FS. If Denver had that luxury, he could have been a better version of Polamalu at SS.
I'd legitimately say he was a better player than Horseface, who was never more than about the 3rd-5th best QB in the league in any given year. Atwater was the 2nd best Safety (after Ronnie Lott) in the NFL for most of his career.
So with that being said, I depart for another year with the following:
GO CHIEFS!