Pro Football Historian (PFH) is a blog page written by Flint Given. Pro Football Historian or PFH is a page to inform people on prior NFL events that people might not know about. Learning about teams from the 1920s or even the first few NFL World Championships in the 1930s fascinates me. It's these kinds of events that I want to discuss in this blog. Hopefully you are interested and will continue to check up on my blogs. Check out the website at https://profootballhistorian.lovable.app/
Stephen Dennis Atwater is an American former professional football player who was a safety for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time Super Bowl champion. Atwater was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on February 1, 2020.
Atwater and Dennis Smith made up a Broncos secondary that was known for their ferocious hits on opposing players.
On January 15, 1989, Atwater appeared in the East-West Shrine Game and made two interceptions for the West as they were defeated 24—6 by the East. He was named the Defensive Player of the Game and substantially raised his draft stock following his performance. He was considered to be one of the top two safety prospects available in the 1989 NFL Draft, along with Florida's Louis Oliver. Atwater was considered slow after running a 4.63s 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, compared to Louis Oliver who ran a 4.37s 40-yard dash. At Arkansas' Pro Day, Atwater improved his 40-yard dash time to 4.50. During the pre-draft process, he had pre-draft visits with multiple teams including the Broncos.
The Denver Broncos selected Atwater in the first round (20th overall) of the 1989 NFL draft. Atwater was the first safety drafted in 1989. Head coach Dan Reeves was conflicted on which safety to draft after Louis Oliver was unexpectedly still undrafted at 20th overall. Head coach Dan Reeves consulted with defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and defensive backs coach Charlie Waters and it was decided they would draft Atwater due to his leadership and instincts.
Due to failed contract negotiations, Atwater staged a contract holdout which subsequently caused him to refuse to attend the first two weeks of training camp. On August 1, 1989, the Denver Broncos signed Atwater to a four—year, $2 million rookie contract that included an initial signing bonus of $750,000.
Upon his arrival at training camp, Atwater was slated to take over a starting role at safety following the departure of Mike Harden. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips employed him to line up close to the line of scrimmage and as a strong safety in the box to fortify the Broncos' dismal run defense from the previous season. Head coach Dan Reeves named Atwater and Dennis Smith the starting safeties to begin the regular season. With both standing at 6'3", the Broncos employed possibly the tallest safety tandem of all-time.
On September 10, 1989, Atwater earned his first career start and made his professional regular season debut in the Broncos' home-opener against the Kansas City Chiefs as they won 34—20. On September 24, 1989, Atwater set a season-high with two interceptions and had his first career interception on a pass Jay Schroeder attempted to throw to wide receiver Willie Gault and returned it for a 30—yard gain in the second quarter as the Broncos defeated the Los Angeles Raiders 31—21. In Week 5, he set a season-high with 12 combined tackles during a 10—16 win against the San Diego Chargers. He started all 16 games during his rookie campaign and made 129 combined tackles (86 solo) and three interceptions.
The Denver Broncos' retained Atwater and Dennis Smith as the starting safeties to begin the regular season in 1990. On September 17, 1990, Atwater had a career highlight in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs that was nationally televised on Monday Night Football. As the Kansas City Chiefs' 260 lbs. running back Christian Okoye came through a hole in the line of scrimmage, he was met by Atwater early in the first quarter. The resulting collision stopped Okoye in his tracks and resulted in no gain, with Atwater standing over him, taunting the proclaimed "Nigerian Nightmare", while he lay on the ground stunned. The hit instantly became the most prominent play of their careers. His coach Mike Shanahan stated "That's the hit people will remember him for.". The Broncos went on to defeat the Chiefs 24—23. The following game, Atwater was sidelined as the Broncos defeated the Seattle Seahawks in overtime 31—34 due to an injury classified as a rib strain. In Week 6, he set a season-high with 18 combined tackles during a 17—34 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. On November 18, 1990, Atwater sacked Jim Harbaugh for a five—yard loss, marking the first sack of his career during a 16—13 loss to the Chicago Bears. He finished the season with a career-high 173 combined tackles (112 solo), made two pass deflections, and one sack in 15 games and 15 starts. His breakout season earned him a selection to the 1991 Pro Bowl, alongside Dennis Smith. This marked the first Pro Bowl selection of his career, although he was unable to participate due to injury.
On September 15, 1991, Atwater made ten combined tackles, a fumble recovery, and intercepted Jeff Kemp's pass to wide receiver Paul Skansi as the Broncos defeated the Seattle Seahawks 10—16. In Week 16, he set a season-high with 14 combined tackles and sacked Chris Chandler for a five—yard loss, marking his lone sack of the season as the Broncos defeated the Phoenix Cardinals 24—19. He started in all 16 games throughout the 1991 NFL season and finished with 150 combined tackles (83 solo), 11 pass deflections, five interceptions, and one sack. He finished with the second most tackles on the team for the second season in-a-row, behind linebacker Michael Brooks with 153 combined tackles. His performance in 1991 earned him a selection to the 1992 Pro Bowl.
On July 7, 1992, the Denver Broncos re-signed Atwater to a two—year, $3.50 million contract that included an initial signing bonus of $350,000. Head coach Mike Shanahan retained Atwater and Dennis Smith as the starting safety duo to begin the regular season. Atwater would be inactive as the Broncos defeated the Los Angeles Raiders in their home-opener due to an ankle sprain.
In Week 2, he set a season-high with 17 combined tackles (10 solo) during a 21—13 victory against the San Diego Chargers. On September 27, 1992, Atwater recorded five solo tackles, set a season-high with three pass deflections, and had his first interception of the season on a pass attempt by Mike Tomczak during a 12—0 win at the Cleveland Browns. In Week 15, he made seven combined tackles (six solo), a pass deflection, a fumble recovery, and intercepted a pass by Jim Kelly during a 17—27 loss at the Buffalo Bills. He finished the 1992 NFL season with 151 combined tackles (73 solo), 12 pass deflections, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one sack in 15 games and 15 starts. On December 28, 1992, the Broncos announced their decision to fire head coach Dan Reeves after they finished with an 8—8 record.
On January 26, 1993, the Denver Broncos announced their decision to hire defensive coordinator Wade Phillips to be their new head coach. Defensive coordinator Charlie Waters retained Atwater and Dennis Smith as the starting safeties to begin the season. On September 5, 1993, Atwater started in the Broncos' season-opener at the New York Jets and recorded eight combined tackles (six solo) and set a season-high with three pass deflections in their 26—20 victory. In Week 14, Atwater set a season-high with 14 combined tackles (nine solo) and had one pass break-up during a 10—13 loss at the San Diego Chargers. He started all 16 games throughout the 1993 NFL season and led the Broncos with 141 combined tackles (80 solo). He also made 12 pass deflections, two forced fumbles, two interceptions, and one sack. He was voted to the 1994 Pro Bowl, marking his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl selection.
Head coach Wade Phillips retained Atwater as the starting strong safety to begin the regular season. He started alongside Darryl Hall and Rondell Jones for the first three games while Dennis Smith sat out as a contract holdout. In Week 3, Atwater set a season-high with 14 combined tackles (11 solo) and had a forced fumble as the Broncos were routed 16—48 by the Los Angeles Raiders. On October 9, 1994, Atwater made six combined tackles (two solo), a pass break-up, recovered a fumble, and had his lone interception of the season after picking off Rick Mirer during a 16—9 victory at the Seattle Seahawks. He was inactive for two games (Weeks 15—16) after injuring his hamstring. He finished the season with 125 combined tackles (72 solo), eight pass deflections, one interception, two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble in 14 games and 14 starts. On December 30, 1994, the Denver Broncos fired head coach Wade Phillips after they finished the 1994 NFL season with a 7—9 record.
On February 1, 1995, the Denver Broncos announced the hiring Mike Shanahan as their new head coach after previously holding the position of offensive coordinator. On May 12, 1995, the Denver Broncos re-signed Atwater to a five—year, $12.50 million contract extension that included a signing bonus of $3.30 million. Defensive coordinator Greg Robinson retained Atwater as the starting strong safety and paired him with starting free safety Tyrone Braxton.
In Week 11, Atwater set a season-high 11 combined tackles (10 solo) during a 13—31 loss at the Philadelphia Eagles. On December 10, 1995, Atwater recorded three combined tackles (one solo), tied his season-high of three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass John Friesz threw to wide receiver Brian Blades during a 31—27 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He started all 16 games in 1995 and finished the season with 103 combined tackles (82 solo), 13 pass deflections, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles.
Head coach Mike Shanahan retained the duo of Atwater and Tyrone Braxton as the starting safeties in 1996. In Week 13, he set a season-high 12 combined tackles (10 solo) during a 21—17 victory at the Minnesota Vikings. In Week 16, Atwater recorded four solo tackles, tied his season-high of two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Jeff Hostetler as the Broncos defeated the Oakland Raiders 24—19. He started in all 16 games throughout the 1996 NFL season and finished with 81 combined tackles (64 solo), 11 pass deflections, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles. He was voted to the 1997 Pro Bowl, marking the seventh consecutive Pro Bowl selection of his career.
The combination of Atwater and Tyrone Braxton returned as the starting safeties for the third consecutive season. He was sidelined for the Broncos' 38—20 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4 due to a shoulder injury. On November 30, 1997, Atwater recorded four combined tackles (three solo), set a season-high with three pass deflections, and scored the first and only touchdown of his career during a 38—28 win at the San Diego Chargers. His scored on a pick-six in the second quarter after intercepting Craig Whelihan's pass to tight end Freddie Jones and returning it for a 22—yard touchdown. In Week 15, he set a season-high with eight combined tackles (six solo) during a 24—35 loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers. He ended the season with a total of 68 combined tackles (53 solo), seven pass deflections, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, one sack, and one touchdown in 15 games and 15 starts.
The Denver Broncos finished the 1997 NFL season second in the NFC West with a 12—4 record, clinching playoff berth. The Broncos defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 42—17 in the AFC Wild-Card Game and the Kansas City Chiefs 14—10 in the Divisional Round. They defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 24—21 in the AFC Championship Game to advance to the Super Bowl. On January 25, 1998, Atwater started in Super Bowl XXXII and had one of the greatest defensive performances in a Super Bowl, recording six solo tackles, one pass deflection, one sack, and a forced fumble in their 31—24 victory against the Green Bay Packers.
Head coach Mike Shanahan retained Atwater as the starting free safety to begin the season and paired him with rookie second round pick Eric Brown for the majority of the season. On December 21, 1998, Atwater set a season-high with eight combined tackles (five solo), made one pass deflection, and had his lone interception of the season on a pass Dan Marino attempted to throw to wide receiver O. J. McDuffie during a 21—31 loss at the Miami Dolphins. He started in all 16 games and finished the season with 55 combined tackles (43 solo), five pass deflections, and one interception. He was unexpectedly voted to the 1999 Pro Bowl. It was speculated his Pro Bowl selection was due to his performance in Super Bowl XXXII. His eight Pro Bowl selections ranks as the second most in franchise history.
The Denver Broncos finished the 1998 NFL season atop the AFC West with a 14—2 record to clinch a playoff berth and first round bye. The Broncos routed the Miami Dolphins 34—19 in the Divisional Round. On January 17, 1999, Atwater made four combined tackles (two solo), one pass deflection, and forced a fumble during a 23—10 victory against the New York Jets in the AFC Championship Game. On January 31, 1999, Atwater started in Super Bowl XXXIII and recorded seven combined tackles (six solo) and made one pass deflection as the Broncos defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34—19.
On March 1, 1999, the Denver Broncos released Atwater with one—year remaining on his contract due to salary cap concerns, saving $3.30 million.
Denver's defense jumped 20 spots to finish 7th against the run and tied for 3rd best in yards per carry with a 3.7-yard average. That same year, Atwater finished 2nd to the Kansas City Chiefs' Derrick Thomas in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. The additions of rookies Atwater and Bobby Humphrey, along with key free agent signings, helped Denver rebound from 8–8 in 1988 to AFC Super Bowl representative in 1989.
On March 2, 1999, the New York Jets signed Atwater three—year, $8.25 million contract as an unrestricted free agent that included a signing bonus of $1.80 million. He entered training camp slated as the starting free safety under defensive coordinator Bill Belichick. Head coach Bill Parcells named Atwater and Victor Green the starting safeties to begin the regular season.
Atwater played for the New York Jets for one season and became a free agent. He called Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, asking him if he could retire as a Bronco. He signed a one-day ceremonial contract with the Broncos before announcing his retirement from football. He thanked several of his coaches, stating "I bleed orange and will always bleed orange and blue." At the time of his retirement, he played in 155 consecutive games with the Broncos. Bowlen called Atwater one of the Broncos' "greatest players".
Atwater was inducted to the Broncos' Ring of Fame Archived November 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine in 2005. In 2017, Atwater was hired as both an insider for the Broncos' website as well as fan development manager.
Atwater was among 27 modern-era semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2012. He was one of four previously eligible candidates that made it to the semifinals for the first time. Atwater also made the finalist list for the 2016 and 2020 classes.
After 16 years, Atwater was selected to the 2020 Hall of Fame class on February 1, 2020.
Sources
"Lutheran High School Association of St. Louis". Archived from the original on May 8, 2010. Retrieved February 1, 2009.
O’Halloran, Ryan. ""Amazing" high school experience created foundation for Steve Atwater's Hall of Fame career". No. 7 August 2021. The Denver Post. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
"Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 28, 2012. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
"Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 23, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
"Steve Atwater, former Broncos "Smiling Assassin," is a Hall of Famer, Charlie Waters says". The Denver Post. January 20, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
"East-West Shrine Game : Tillman, Fake Punt Help Spark East Win, 24-6". Los Angeles Times. January 16, 1989. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
"Tales from the Draft: How free agency misfortune turned into a decade of success with the selection of Steve Atwater". DenverBroncos.com. Retrieved August 22, 2026.
Tajuan Edward "Ty" Law is an American former professional football cornerback who played in the National Football League for 15 seasons, primarily with the New England Patriots. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, earning first-team All-American honors, and was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 1995 NFL draft.
During his 10 seasons in New England, Law received four Pro Bowl selections and two first-team All-Pro honors. A three-time Super Bowl winner with the Patriots, he also holds the franchise record for interceptions. Law spent his final five seasons as a member of the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, and Denver Broncos, earning a fifth Pro Bowl selection with the Jets. Ranking 24th in NFL career interceptions, he twice led the league in interceptions during the 1998 and 2005 seasons. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
The New England Patriots selected Law in the first round (23rd overall) of the 1995 NFL draft. He was the second cornerback selected, following Tyrone Poole (22nd overall), and was the second of three Michigan players selected in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft, along with Tyrone Wheatley (17th overall) and Trezelle Jenkins (31st overall).
On July 20, 1995, the New England Patriots signed Law to a five-year, $5.50 million contract. Throughout training camp, Law competed against Maurice Hurst for the role as the No. 2 starting cornerback. Head coach Bill Parcells named Law a backup and listed him as the third cornerback on the depth chart to begin the season, behind starters Ricky Reynolds and Maurice Hurst.
On September 3, 1995, Law made his professional regular-season debut in the New England Patriots’ season-opener against the Cleveland Browns, ironically against Bill Belichick, and recorded two solo tackles in their 17–14 victory. On October 1, 1995, Law earned his first career start, appearing as a dimeback, and recorded four combined tackles (three solo) and set a season-high with two pass deflections during a 30–17 loss at the Atlanta Falcons. He missed two games (Weeks 8–9) due a hip flexor injury. On November 20, 1995, the Patriots cut starting cornerback Maurice Hurst after a poor performance in a 10–24 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, during which Hurst gave up two 40-yard passes from Jim Harbaugh to wide receiver Sean Dawkins. Head coach Bill Parcells subsequently named Law his replacement at starting cornerback for the last five games (Weeks 13–17) of the season. On November 26, 1995, Law earned his first start as a starting cornerback and had six combined tackles (four solo), one pass deflection, and had his first career interception on a pass thrown by Jim Kelly to wide receiver Justin Armour during a 35–25 victory at the Buffalo Bills. The following week, Law made three combined tackles (two solo), a pass break-up, and intercepted a pass by Jim Everett to wide receiver Quinn Early and returned it for a season-long 38 yards as the Patriots lost 31–17 to the New Orleans Saints in Week 14. In Week 15, he set a season-high with eight combined tackles (six solo), made one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass attempt by Jets’ quarterback Boomer Esiason during a 31–28 win against the New York Jets. He made an interception in three consecutive games since taking over the starting role. On December 23, 1995, Law set a season-high with eight solo tackles and made his first career sack on Jim Harbaugh for a six–yard loss during the first quarter of a 10–7 loss at the Indianapolis Colts. He finished his rookie season in 1995 with 47 combined tackles (40 solo), nine pass deflections, three interceptions, and one sack in 14 games and seven starts.
On February 16, 1996, the New England Patriots hired recently fired Cleveland Browns' head coach Bill Belichick to reunited with Bill Parcells as an assistant head coach and the secondary coach. Defensive coordinator Al Groh named Law and Ricky Reynolds as starting cornerbacks to begin the season, following the departure of Maurice Hurst.
On October 20, 1996, Law set a season-high with 12 combined tackles (10 solo) and made two pass deflections during a 27–9 victory at the Indianapolis Colts. He was inactive for three games (Weeks 11–13) due to a knee injury. In Week 15, he made one tackle, a pass deflection, and scored the first touchdown of his career after intercepting a pass thrown by Glenn Foley to wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson and returning it 38–yards for a touchdown in the third quarter as the Patriots defeated the New York Jets 34–10. On December 15, 1996, Law recorded seven solo tackles, set a season-high with three pass deflections, and also set a season-high with two interceptions on passes by Troy Aikman during a 12–6 loss at the Dallas Cowboys. He finished his sophomore season with 62 combined tackles (56 solo), nine pass deflections, three interceptions, and one touchdown in 13 games and 12 starts.
The New England Patriots finished the 1996 NFL season first in the AFC East with an 11–5 record, to clinch a playoff berth and a first-round bye. On January 5, 1997, Law started in the first playoff game of his career and made three combined tackles (two solo) and a pass break-up as the Patriots defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 28–3 in the AFC Divisional Round. In the AFC Championship Game, Law had four combined tackles (three solo) during a 20-6 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars to advance to the first Super Bowl of his career. On January 26, 1997, Law started in Super Bowl XXXI and made three combined tackles (two solo) during a 35–21 loss against the Green Bay Packers.
On January 31, 1997, New England Patriots' head coach Bill Parcells announced his resignation five days after losing in Super Bowl XXXI to accept the position as head coach for the rival New York Jets. His staff including Al Groh, Bill Belichick, and Romeo Crennel accompanied Parcells. On February 3, 1997, the New England Patriots hired San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator Pete Carroll to be their new head coach. The Patriots selected Chris Canty in the first round (29th overall) of the 1997 NFL draft following the departure of Ricky Reynolds. Throughout training camp, the Patriots held a competition to name the No. 2 starting cornerback alongside Law, in between Steve Israel, Chris Canty, and Jimmy Hitchcock. He was named a starting cornerback to begin the season and was paired with Jimmy Hitchcock.
On October 12, 1997, Law recorded four solo tackles, set a season-high with three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Billy Joe Hobert to wide receiver Andre Reed before fumbling it out-of-bounds as the Patriots defeated the Buffalo Bills 6–33. On December 7, 1997, Law set a season-high with nine solo tackles during a 26–20 victory at the Jacksonville Jaguars. He started in all 16 games throughout the 1997 NFL season for the first time in his career and made 77 combined tackles (69 solo), 11 pass deflections, and three interceptions, and was credited with half a sack.
The New England Patriots selected cornerback Tebucky Jones in the first round (23rd overall) of the 1998 NFL draft. Defensive coordinator Steve Sidwell retained Law as the No. 1 starting cornerback and paired him with Chris Canty to begin the season following the departure of Jimmy Hitchcock.
On September 13, 1998, Law recorded two solo tackles, made three pass deflections, intercepted two passes, and scored a touchdown on an interception by rookie Peyton Manning on a pass to tight end Marcus Pollard and returned it for a 59–yard touchdown during a 29–6 win against the Indianapolis Colts. The following week, he recorded six combined tackles (four solo), made two pass deflections, and sealed a 16–27 win against the Tennessee Oilers by intercepting a pass by Steve McNair to wide receiver Yancey Thigpen with 1:40 remaining in Week 3. On October 4, 1998, Law made four solo tackles, three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Danny Wuerffel to wide receiver Sean Dawkins during a 30–27 victory at the New Orleans Saints. It marked his third consecutive game with an interception. On October 25, 1997, he set a season-high with seven solo tackles, made two pass deflections, and picked off a pass attempt by Dan Marino to wide receiver O.J. McDuffie during a 12–9 overtime loss at the Miami Dolphins. Head coach Pete Carroll benched Chris Canty after nine-games and replaced him with Steve Israel. Opponents regularly targeted Canty with positive results to avoid challenging Law on the right side. On November 8, 1998, Law made four combined tackles (two solo), two pass deflections, and tied his season-high with two interceptions off passes by Chris Chandler as the Patriots lost 41–10 against the Atlanta Falcons. In Week 14, he recorded six solo tackles, set a career-high with seven pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Kordell Stewart to wide receiver Charles Johnson during a 23–9 win at the Pittsburgh Steelers. On December 20, 1998, Law recorded four combined tackles (three solo), made one pass deflection, and set a career-high with his ninth interception of the season on a pass by Steve Young to wide receiver Terrell Owens as the Patriots defeated the San Francisco 49ers 20–23. He started in all 16 games for the second season in-a-row and recorded 70 combined tackles (60 solo), 32 pass deflections, nine interceptions, and one touchdown. He became the first player in franchise history to lead the league in interceptions and was selected to the 1999 Pro Bowl, marking the first Pro Bowl selection of his career after four seasons and also marked the first of five Pro Bowl selections over his career.
On August 21, 1999, the New England Patriots re–signed Law to a newly restructered seven–year, $51 million contract that included an initial signing bonus of $14.20 million. The deal added six additional years to his remaining one–year on his rookie contract and kept him under contract throughout the 2005 NFL season. The deal was the largest contract for a cornerback in league history. Head coach Pete Carroll retained Law and Steve Israel as the starting cornerbacks to begin the season, following Patriots' decision to cut Chris Canty.
On October 17, 1999, Law set a season-high with nine combined tackles (eight solo), made two pass deflections, and returned an interception by backup quarterback Damon Huard for a 27–yard touchdown during a 31–30 loss against the Miami Dolphins. On October 31, 1999, Law recorded six solo tackles, set a season-high with three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Dave Brown to wide receiver Frank Sanders during a 27–3 victory at the Arizona Cardinals. In Week 13, Law made six combined tackles (three solo) and had a pass break-up before he exited in the fourth quarter of a 6–13 loss against the Dallas Cowboys after breaking a finger while he tackled wide receiver Rocket Ismail. He attempted to play through his injury with a cast for the next two games. On December 29, 1999, the Patriots officially placed Law on injured reserve due to a broken hand that sidelined him for the last two games (Weeks 15–16). He finished the season with 57 combined tackles (48 solo), nine pass deflections, two forced fumbles, two interceptions, and one touchdown.
On January 3, 2000, the New England Patriots fired head coach Pete Carroll after an 8–8 record in 1999, while New York Jets' head coach Bill Parcells announced his retirement and named Bill Belichick his heir apparent. The following day, Bill Belichick resigned as head coach of the Jets during an introductory press conference. Patriots announced Bill Belichick as their new head coach and general manager after they reached an agreement to trade their first-round pick (16th overall) in the 2000 NFL draft to the Jets in order to acquire Belichick.
On April 25, 2000, the Patriots signed cornerback Antonio Langham to pair with Law following the departure of Steve Israel. Bill Belichick had coached Langham during his time as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. In order to determine who would start alongside Law, the Patriots held a competition inbetween Antonio Langham, Tebucky Jones, Kato Serwanga, and J'Juan Cherry. On August 23, 2000, the Patriots signed cornerback Otis Smith who was a former teammate in 1996. Head coach Bill Belichick named Law and Antonio Langham the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.
On September 7, 2000, he set a season-high with nine combined tackles (eight solo) and had one pass break-up during a 21–13 loss against the Kansas City Chiefs. On October 8, 2000, Law made one tackle, a pass deflection, and helped secure a 24–16 victory against the Indianapolis Colts by intercepting a pass by Peyton Manning to tight end Ken Dilger in the fourth quarter. In Week 14, Law recorded two solo tackles and set a season-high with four pass deflections as the Patriots defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 30–24.
On December 18, 2000, Law was stopped for a routine inspection by U.S. Customs officials in Niagara Falls, New York, while crossing the Rainbow Bridge with teammates Terry Glenn and Troy Brown as they returned from visiting an adult nightclub in Canada. During the routine inspection, officials found three whole ecstasy pills and four that were partially crushed. Federal prosecutors declined to prosecute Law due to the small amount. U.S. Customs seized the drug and fined Law $700. On December 20, 2000, New England Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick announced his decision to suspend Law for the final game of the season. He remained inactive due to his suspension as the Patriots lost 27–24 against the Miami Dolphins in Week 17. He finished the season with 74 combined tackles (58 solo), 11 pass deflections, and two interceptions in 15 games and 15 starts.
On February 1, 2001, the New England Patriots hired Romeo Crennel to take over duties as defensive coordinator. Throughout training camp, the Patriots held a competition in between Otis Smith, Terrance Shaw, and Terrell Buckley following the departure of Antonio Langham. Head coach Bill Belichick named Law and Otis Smith the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.
In Week 2, he set a season-high with ten combined tackles (seven solo) during a 3–10 loss against the New York Jets. On September 30, 2001, Law made three combined tackles (two solo), one pass deflection, and had returned an interception Peyton Manning threw on a pass to tight end Ken Dilger for a 23–yard touchdown as the Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts 13–44. On November 11, 2001, Law made four solo tackles, a pass deflection, one sack, and sealed a 11–21 victory against the Buffalo Bills by intercepting a pass by Alex Van Pelt to wide receiver Peerless Price with only 1:27 remaining in the fourth quarter. In Week 17, Law recorded four solo tackles, had one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass Chris Weinke threw to wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. and returned it 49–yards for a touchdown during a 38–6 win at the Carolina Panthers. He started all 16 games and finished with season with 70 combined tackles (60 solo), nine pass deflections, three interceptions, one sack, and set a career-high with two touchdowns. He was selected to the 2002 Pro Bowl, becoming his second Pro Bowl of his career.
The New England Patriots finished the 2001 NFL season first in the AFC East with an 11–5 record to clinch a first-round bye. On January 19, 2002, Law led the Patriots with 12 combined tackles (ten solo) and had two pass deflections during a 13–16 overtime victory against the Oakland Raiders in the AFC Divisional Round that is now known as the Tuck Rule Game. The ending to this game became controversial due to the "Tuck rule". The following week, the Patriots defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 17–24 in the AFC Championship Game. On February 3, 2002, Law started in Super Bowl XXXVI against the St. Louis Rams and recorded seven solo tackles, made one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass Kurt Warner threw to wide receiver Isaac Bruce 47–yards to score the first touchdown of the game as the Patriots won 20–17. This earned Law the first Super Bowl ring of his career.
He returned as the No. 1 starting cornerback along with the entire secondary, including Otis Smith, Terrell Buckley, Tebucky Jones, and Lawyer Milloy with Eric Mangini as their defensive backs coach. On September 9, 2002, Law started in the New England Patriots' home-opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers and set a season-high with ten combined tackles (nine solo) and had his lone sack of the season on Kordell Stewart for a six–yard loss in a 14–30 victory. In Week 9, Law recorded six combined tackles (five solo), set a season-high with three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Drew Bledsoe threw to wide receiver Eric Moulds during a 38–7 victory at the Buffalo Bills. In Week 14, Law made five combined tackles (four solo), one pass deflection, and helped secure a 17–27 win against the Buffalo Bills by intercepting a pass Drew Bledsoe to Eric Moulds in the fourth quarter. He started in all 16 games and tied his career-high with 77 combined tackles (60 solo) and also had ten pass deflections, four interceptions, and one sack. His performance earned him his third Pro Bowl selection.
The New England Patriots were in need of cornerback talent to replace Terrell Buckley and fill in for Otis Smith after he underwent surgery for a torn pectoral muscle. In response, the Patriots signed free agent cornerback Tyrone Poole and drafted cornerbacks Eugene Wilson in the second round (36th overall) and Asante Samuel in the fourth round (120th overall) of the 2003 NFL draft.
He entered spring camp with a leg injury that sidelined him alongside Otis Smith. Rookies Eugene Wilson and Asante Samuel both progressed quickly in their absence by receiving first-team reps. On August 18, 2003, the Patriots cut expected No. 2 starting cornerback Otis Smith. Head coach Bill Belichick named Law the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season, but was reluctant to name the No. 2 starting cornerback stating Tyrone Poole, Eugene Wilson, and Asante Samuel would all play.
On October 5, 2003, Law made five combined tackles (four solo), one pass deflection, and sealed the Patriots' 30–38 victory against the Tennessee Titans by intercepting a pass Steve McNair threw to wide receiver Tyrone Calico and returned it 65–yards for a touchdown with 2:01 remaining as the Patriots were leading 27–31. He was inactive as the Patriots won 19–13 at the Miami Dolphins due to an ankle injury. On October 26, 2003, Law made seven combined tackles (six solo), a pass deflection, and sealed the Patriots' 3–9 victory against the Cleveland Browns by intercepting a pass Kelly Holcomb threw to wide receiver Kevin Johnson with exactly one minute remaining), set a season-high with four pass deflections, and also a season-high with two interceptions on passes thrown by Quincy Carter as the Patriots defeated the Dallas Cowboys 0–12. In Week 14, he recorded four combined tackles (three solo), had three pass deflections, and sealed the Patriots' 12–0 win against the Miami Dolphins by intercepting a pass Jay Fiedler threw to wide receiver Chris Chambers with 4:59 remaining. In Week 16, he set a season-high with nine combined tackles (eight solo), had one pass break-up, and intercepted a pass by Chad Pennington to wide receiver Santana Moss during a 21–16 victory at the New York Jets. He finished the season with 74 combined tackles (61 solo), six interceptions, one sack, and scored one touchdown in 15 games and 15 starts. He set a career-high with 23 pass deflections. He was selected for the 2004 Pro Bowl.
The New England Patriots finished the 2003 NFL season with a 14–2 record, placing first in the AFC East and earning a first-round bye. On January 18, 2004, Law started in the AFC Championship Game and made three combined tackles (two solo), three pass deflections, and set a career-high with three interceptions off passes thrown by Peyton Manning as the Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts 14–24. His three interception performance tied five other players for second most interceptions in a single playoff game, after Vernon Perry with four interceptions in 1979. The last player with three interceptions in a playoff game was 1983. Hours later, Carolina Panthers' rookie cornerback Ricky Manning would coincidentally tie the record as well, with three interceptions off of Donovan McNabb in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles. On February 1, 2004, Law started in Super Bowl XXXVIII against the Carolina Panthers and recorded five solo tackles and made one pass deflection during their 32–29 victory.
Head coach Bill Belichick named him the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season and paired him with Tyrone Poole with Asante Samuel as the nickelback. In Week 5, he set a season-high with nine combined tackles (five solo) during a 24–10 victory at the Miami Dolphins. On October 17, 2004, Law recorded six combined tackles (four solo), set a season-high with two pass deflections, and had his lone interception of the season on a pass Matt Hasselbeck threw to wide receiver Darrell Jackson as the Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks 20–30. On October 31, 2004, Law exited during the first quarter of a 20–34 loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers after injuring his foot. On November 3, 2004, it was confirmed by the Patriots that Law had broken a bone in his left foot and was expected to miss 4–6 weeks. On December 18, 2004, the Patriots placed Tyrone Poole on season-ending injured reserve due to a knee injury. The broken bone in Law's left foot would sideline him for the last eight games (Weeks 10–17) of the season. Asante Samuel would replace Law as the No. 1 starting cornerback and Tyrone Poole was also replaced by undrafted rookie Randall Gay. He finished the season with 29 combined tackles (23 solo), three pass deflections, and one interception in seven games and seven starts. On January 7, 2005, the Patriots officially placed Law on injured reserve precluding him from the playoffs due to a broken bone in his foot.
The New England Patriots would finish the 2004 NFL season with another 14–2 record to reclaim first in the AFC East with another first-round bye. Asante Samuel and Randall Gay would start in Law and Poole's place throughout the playoffs as the Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts 20–3 in the Divisional Round and would win the AFC Championship Game 41–27 at the Pittsburgh Steelers. On February 6, 2005, the New England Patriots would defeat the Philadelphia Eagles 24–21 in Super Bowl XXXIX, claiming back-to-back Super Bowl Championships. Law would earn his third and final Super Bowl ring.
Before being released, Law underwent surgery to repair ligament damage in his foot on January. On February 25, 2005, the New England Patriots, released Law due to his $12.551 million cap salary. He reportedly refused to restructure his contract when asked by the Patriots. Upon becoming an unrestricted free agent, Law was sought by multiple teams, including the Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Kansas City Chiefs. He attended a private workout with the Jacksonville Jaguars and had two private workouts with the Detroit Lions. The St. Louis Rams also expressed strong interest in acquiring Law. On August 6, 2005, the New York Jets and Law's agent, Carl Poston, were in the final stages of contract negotiations with an agreement in principle already completed.
On August 8, 2005, the New York Jets signed Law to a three-year contract as an unrestricted free agent. The contract had incentives that could pay Law $28 million over the first three years and also has options that total $50 million over seven years.
On February 22, 2006, the New York Jets released Law only one year into his three–year contract as the Jets were a projected $26 million over the salary cap for 2006. He was due to make $7.6 million in 2006.
On July 25, 2006, Law signed a five-year contract worth $30 million. He reunited with coach Herman Edwards, under whom Law had played in the 2005 season hoping to strengthen the Chiefs' defense. He was unable to duplicate the Pro Bowl season he had in New York in two seasons with the Chiefs, and the team released him on February 28, 2008.
Law signed with the Denver Broncos on November 7, 2009. This added to a defensive backfield that had five members over 30 years of age, with 20 Pro Bowl selections combined. His final game with the Broncos came on January 3, 2010. He finished the season with 10 tackles and one interception run back for 37 yards. He was released by the Broncos on February 24, 2010.
His time in Denver was short and uneventful, only lasting a season. It was his second choice, as he would have preferred to play in New England, but signed with Denver. Even though his last season was in Denver, Law stated, "I am a Patriot for life."
After retiring from the NFL, Law founded Launch Trampoline Park, a chain of entertainment facilities based around large areas of connected trampolines. Launch currently has franchised locations across New England, with one park open in Delaware. The website of its Rhode Island location reports that Law makes frequent appearances there, where he participates in games of trampoline dodgeball with customers.
On May 19, 2014, Law was announced as the 2014 Patriots Hall of Fame Inductee. He was inducted on August 1. On February 2, 2019, he was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2019; he was inducted on August 3, 2019, in Canton, Ohio.
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Patrick Dennis Bowlen was an American lawyer, executive and the majority owner of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League, winning three Super Bowls. He was inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the class of 2019. Bowlen owned other professional sports franchises in the Colorado region. Bowlen served as the Broncos CEO from 1984 until July 2014, when he stepped down as Broncos' CEO due to the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease.
Bowlen bought a majority interest in the Denver Broncos of the National Football League in March 1984 from Vancouver industrialist Edgar Kaiser Jr. The purchase price was said to be $70 million, making the Broncos the highest-priced franchise in the league at the time.
From 1999 to 2008, Bowlen and the Broncos were involved in several legal battles against former owner Edgar Kaiser Jr. In 1998, Bowlen agreed to sell retired football legend John Elway a share in the team. When Bowlen let the existence of the offer slip out to Kaiser while both were at the 1999 Bohemian Grove, Kaiser sued, claiming a breach of contract. Kaiser asserted that he had the right of first refusal if any deal was made involving franchise ownership. In 2004, a jury ruled in favor of Kaiser and a federal judge decreed that Kaiser was entitled to purchase back 10% of the Broncos using the identical purchase terms offered to Elway. Bowlen appealed the original verdict that ruled in favor of Kaiser and won in 2008, as the appellate court ruled that the structure of the Bowlen-Elway deal did not violate the original right of first refusal agreement.
On December 30, 2008, Broncos head coach and vice president of football operations Mike Shanahan was fired by Bowlen after a 14-year tenure as the head coach. Bowlen stated he wanted his team to go in a different direction. Bowlen searched for a new head coach over a two-week period and eventually chose Josh McDaniels, who at the time was the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots. Subsequently, after a losing streak in the 2010 season, McDaniels was fired as head coach of the Broncos. On February 12, 2009, Bowlen appointed Brian Xanders as the team's sole general manager and fired Jim and Jeff Goodman.
Within two weeks of the end of the 2010–11 regular season, Bowlen and the Broncos had hired former Carolina Panthers' coach John Fox to be their new head coach. Although Bowlen had discussions with Fox before the hiring, new front-office executive John Elway was mostly responsible for the hiring. By late 2009, rumors had begun to emerge that Bowlen had stepped out of the spotlight because of short-term memory loss. He told The Denver Post columnist Woody Paige that his memory wasn't what it used to be and that he couldn't recall details of the Broncos back-to-back Super Bowl titles in the late 1990s. Starting in 2010, Bowlen no longer played a major role in the Broncos' decision making, and Executive VP John Elway and President Joe Ellis assumed control. On July 23, 2014, due to complications with Alzheimer's disease, he officially relinquished control of the team to Joe Ellis.
On November 1, 2015, Bowlen was inducted into the Broncos' Ring of Fame, earning him a bronze plaque that stands on the south side of Empower Field at Mile High. Later that season, the Broncos would win Super Bowl 50, their third Super Bowl championship. When Elway, now the general manager for the team, received the Lombardi Trophy, he held it in the air and honored the Alzheimer-stricken Bowlen by exclaiming "this one's for Pat!" Bowlen had saluted Elway in the same fashion by saying "this one's for John!" after the Broncos won their first championship in Super Bowl XXXII eighteen years earlier.
After Bowlen acquired the team in 1984, the Broncos briefly held the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the National Football League (334 wins, 212 losses, and 1 tie, for a .612 winning percentage), passing the San Francisco 49ers after the 2015 season. At the time of Bowlen's death, the New England Patriots had surpassed that figure.
Besides being owner and CEO of the Broncos, Bowlen was also part-owner of the Arena Football League's Colorado Crush. He shared ownership with Denver-based sports mogul Stan Kroenke and legendary Broncos quarterback John Elway. The Crush entered the AFL as an expansion franchise in 2003. After going through a 2–14 season in 2003, the team became a perennial playoff contender and one of the league's top franchises. The Crush won the Arena Football League Championship in 2005.
In 2006, Major League Lacrosse decided to expand adding the Denver Outlaws to its league of teams. The Denver Outlaws have been the most winning franchise that Bowlen has ever owned, boasting a regular-season win percentage of 69.0% since their creation. The Outlaws have been to the playoffs every year of their existence except one (2015) and advanced to the championship game eight times (2006, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018), winning the championship in 2014, 2016, and 2018.
Bowlen was a member of the University of Denver Board of Trustees and contributed to the funding of the Pat Bowlen Athletic Training Center located on the school's campus. He also contributed significantly to the local Denver Boys & Girls Club chapters.
On June 13, 2019, Bowlen died of a pulmonary embolism. Under terms set prior to Bowlen's death, Joe Ellis led a three-person trust representing his estate. Bowlen's intent was for his seven children to inherit the franchise, though he did not specify which of them would have first right.
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Roland "Champ" Bailey Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League. He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, where he earned consensus All-American honors, and was selected by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 1999 NFL draft.
In 2004, Bailey was traded to the Denver Broncos, where he played for ten seasons until he was released in early 2014, following the Broncos' Super Bowl XLVIII loss. Bailey signed with the New Orleans Saints shortly afterward but was released before the start of the regular season. In October 2014, Bailey announced his retirement from the NFL after 15 seasons. He was selected to 12 Pro Bowls in his career, the most ever for a cornerback. He holds the current NFL record for most passes defended, with 203. In 2019, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Bailey is widely considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks in NFL history.
The Washington Redskins selected Bailey in the first round (seventh overall) of the 1999 NFL draft. The Redskins traded their first- (12th overall), third- (71st overall), fourth- (106th overall), and fifth-round picks in the 1999 NFL Draft and their third-round pick (87th overall) in the 2000 NFL draft to the Chicago Bears in exchange for their first-round pick (seventh overall) to use to secure their draft pick to immediately select Bailey. He was the first ever drafted player to come from his hometown of Folkston, Georgia.
On July 24, 1999, the Redskins signed Bailey to a five–year, $9.64 million rookie contract that included a signing bonus of $5.25 million. The contract had a maximum value of $12 million with incentives and bonuses included.
He entered training camp slated as the No. 2 starting cornerback under defensive coordinator Mike Nolan following the departure of Cris Dishman. Head coach Norv Turner named Bailey and Darrell Green the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.
On September 12, 1999, Bailey made his professional regular season debut and earned his first career start in the Washington Redskins' home-opener against the Dallas Cowboys and made six solo tackles, one pass deflection, and had his first career interception on a pass Troy Aikman threw to wide receiver Rocket Ismail as they lost in overtime 41–35. In Week 4, he set a season-high with eight solo tackles and had one pass break-up as the Redskins defeated the Carolina Panthers 36–38. On October 17, 1999, Bailey recorded six combined tackles (three solo), set a season-high with four pass deflections, set a career-high with three interceptions off passes thrown by Jake Plummer, and returned one 59–yards to score his first career touchdown during a 24–10 victory at the Arizona Cardinals. In Week 14, he recorded six solo tackles, made two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Jake Plummer as the Redskins defeated the Arizona Cardinals 3–28. He started all 16 games during his rookie season and finished with 80 combined tackles (73 solo), 15 pass deflections, five interceptions, one sack, and had one touchdown.
The Washington Redskins finished the 1999 NFL season with a 10–6 record to place first in the NFC East. On January 8, 2000, Bailey started in his first career playoff appearance and recorded three solo tackles, made two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass attempt by Gus Frerotte as the Redskins defeated the Detroit Lions 13–27 in the NFC Wild-Card Game.
On June 7, 2000, the Washington Redskins signed Deion Sanders and immediately named him the de facto No. 1 starting cornerback. The Redskins hired Ray Rhodes to be their new defensive coordinator after they chose not to re-sign Mike Nolan. Head coach Norv Turner named Bailey and Deion Sanders the starting cornerbacks to begin the season alongside Darrell Green.
On September 3, 2000, Bailey started in the Redskins' home-opener against the Carolina Panthers and set a season-high with eight solo tackles and had one pass deflection as they won 17–20. The following week, he had one solo tackle, two pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions on passes thrown by Charlie Batch during a 10–15 loss at the Detroit Lions in Week 2. On November 20, 2000, he recorded one solo tackle, had one pass break-up, and helped secure a 33–20 win at the St. Louis Rams by intercepting a pass by Trent Green to wide receiver Isaac Bruce with 5:49 remaining in the fourth quarter. On December 4, 2000, the Redskins fired head coach Norv Turner as they had a 7–6 record and appointed assistant head coach Terry Robiskie to interim head coach. On December 24, 2000, Bailey recorded six solo tackles, set a season-high with four pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Jake Plummer threw to wide receiver David Boston as the Redskins defeated the Arizona Cardinals 3–20. He started in all 16 games for the second consecutive season and made 61 combined tackles (56 solo), 14 pass deflections, and five interceptions. He was selected to the 2001 Pro Bowl, marking his first Pro Bowl selection of his career.
On January 4, 2001, the Washington Redskins hired former Kansas City Chiefs' head coach Marty Schottenheimer as their vice president of football operations and head coach. The Redskins selected cornerback Fred Smoot in the second round (45th overall) of the 2001 NFL draft. On July 28, 2001, Deion Sanders announced his retirement two days before reporting to training camp. Defensive coordinator Kurt Schottenheimer retained Bailey as the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season and paired him with rookie Fred Smoot.
On September 9, 2001, Bailey started in the Redskins' season-opener at the San Diego Chargers on Sunday Night Football and made four solo tackles, a pass deflection, one fumble recovery, and intercepted a pass by Doug Flutie to wide receiver Tim Dwight during a 3–30 loss. In Week 15, he set a season-high with six solo tackles and had one pass break-up during a 15–20 loss to the Chicago Bears. The following week, he had four solo tackles, tied his season-high of three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Aaron Brooks threw to wide receiver Willie Jackson during a 40–10 win at the New Orleans Saints in Week 16. He started all 16 games throughout the 2001 NFL season and finished with 51 combined tackles (49 solo), 18 pass deflections, three interceptions, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He was selected to the 2002 Pro Bowl, marking his second of 12 Pro Bowl selections throughout his career.
On January 13, 2002, the Redskins' owner, Daniel Snyder, fired head coach Marty Schottenheimer after one season with an 8–8 record. The following day, the Washington Redskins hired Florida Gators' head coach Steve Spurrier as the new head coach. This would be Bailey's third head coach as well as his fourth defensive coordinator in as many seasons. On February 11, 2002, the Redskins unexpectedly hired Baltimore Ravens' defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis to be their new assistant head coach/defensive coordinator. Lewis reportedly agreed to return to the Ravens after leading a historic defense to Super Bowl XXXV in 2000.
On September 8, 2002, Bailey started in the season-opener at the Arizona Cardinals and made five combined tackles (four solo), two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Jake Plummer to wide receiver Frank Sanders during a 31–23 victory. In Week 5, he made six combined tackles (five solo), two pass deflections, and helped secure a 31–14 victory at the Tennessee Titans by intercepting a pass by Steve McNair to wide receiver Drew Bennett midway through the fourth quarter. On November 17, 2002, Bailey set a season-high with seven solo tackles and set a career-high with six pass deflections during a 17–19 loss at the New York Giants. He started all 16 games for the third consecutive season and made 68 combined tackles (62 solo) and three interceptions. He set a career-high with 24 pass deflections.
On January 14, 2003, Washington Redskins' defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis became the new head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. George Edwards would be promoted, becoming Bailey's fifth defensive coordinator in-a-row. Head coach Steve Spurrier retained Bailey and Fred Smoot as the starting cornerbacks to begin the season following the retirement of Darrell Green. In Week 4, he made seven combined tackles (six solo), had one pass break-up, and intercepted a pass Tom Brady threw to wide receiver David Givens as the Redskins defeated the New England Patriots 17–20. In Week 11, he set a season-high with nine combined tackles (seven solo) and made one pass deflection during a 20–17 loss at the Carolina Panthers. He started all 16 games and made 72 combined tackles (68 solo), nine pass deflections, had two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and had one forced fumble. He was named to the 2004 Pro Bowl, marking his fourth consecutive selection.
At the conclusion of the 2003 NFL season, Bailey was on the cusp of entering free agency for the first time if the Redskins did not use their franchise tag on him. With this possibility, Bailey threatened to boycott training camp if they were to exercise their franchise tag on him. On February 16, 2004, the Washington Redskins officially exercised their franchise tag on Bailey, ceasing any plans to partake in free agency.
Unexpectedly, Redskins' owner Dan Snyder agreed to allow Bailey and his agent seek a trade. Multiple teams immediately expressed interest in acquiring Bailey, reportedly four to six teams. On February 25, 2004, it was reported that the Denver Broncos had probably edged out the New York Jets with a more appealing trade and would likely be the team to acquire Bailey.
On March 4, 2004, the Washington Redskins traded Champ Bailey and a second-round pick (41st overall) in the 2004 NFL draft to the Denver Broncos in exchange for running back Clinton Portis. Days prior, the Broncos had reached an agreement on a contract extension with Bailey. Immediately following the trade, the Denver Broncos officially signed Bailey to a seven–year, $63 million contract extension that included $23 million guaranteed and an initial signing bonus of $18 million, becoming the largest contract for a cornerback in league history.
He entered training camp slated as the de facto No. 1 starting cornerback following the departure of Deltha O'Neal. He joined a secondary that included Lenny Walls, Kenoy Kennedy and John Lynch under defensive coordinator Larry Coyer. No. 2 starting cornerback Larry Walls was expected to return as the starter, but an ankle injury sidelined him for the entirety of training camp.
Head coach Mike Shanahan named Bailey and Kelly Herndon the starting cornerbacks to begin the season. On September 12, 2004, Bailey made his debut in the Denver Broncos' home-opener against the Kansas City Chiefs and made six combined tackles (two solo), a pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by Trent Green during a 24–34 win on ESPN Sunday Night Football. On November 21, 2004, Bailey set a career-high with 13 combined tackles (11 solo), made two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Aaron Brooks to wide receiver Joe Horn during a 34–13 victory at the New Orleans Saints. He started all 16 games for the sixth consecutive season and recorded 81 combined tackles (68 solo), made 12 pass deflections, and three interceptions.
The Denver Broncos finished the 2004 NFL season with a 10–6 record for second place in the AFC West. On January 9, 2005, Bailey started in the AFC Wild-Card Game at the Indianapolis Colts and recorded eight solo tackles and made one pass deflection as they lost 24–49.
The Denver Broncos used their three highest draft picks in 2005 to draft cornerbacks. They selected Darrent Williams in the second-round (56th overall) and both Karl Paymah (76th overall) and Dominique Foxworth (97th overall) in the third-round of the 2005 NFL draft. The three new rookies and veteran Lenny Walls competed amongst themselves to determine a replacement. Head coach Mike Shanahan named Bailey and rookie Darrent Williams the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.
On September 18, 2005, Bailey recorded three solo tackles, made one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by Drew Brees to wide receiver Keenan McCardell and returned it for a 25–yard touchdown as the Broncos defeated the San Diego Chargers 17–20. In Week 3, Bailey made three combined tackles (two solo) and had two pass break-ups before he exited in the second quarter of a 10–30 win against the Kansas City Chiefs after his leg buckled from under him when he tried to get up following a tackle on fullback Tony Richardson. He received an MRI and was confirmed to not have suffered any tears, but had sustained an injury to his hamstring that would sideline him for the next two games (Weeks 4–5). This would become the first games he would miss in his career and end a streak of 99 consecutive starts, one shy of 100. On October 23, 2005, Bailey recorded four combined tackles (three solo), set a season-high with four pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Eli Manning threw to wide receiver Plaxico Burress during a 23–24 loss at the New York Giants. On November 13, 2005, Bailey set a season-high with 10 combined tackles (eight solo), had two pass deflections, and one interception on a pass from Kerry Collins to wide receiver Jerry Porter during a 31–17 victory at the Oakland Raiders. On November 24, 2005, Bailey recorded six solo tackles, made three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Drew Bledsoe threw to tight end Dan Campbell and returned it 65–yards for a touchdown during a 24–21 overtime victory at the Dallas Cowboys. The following week, he had one solo tackle, one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by Trent Green thrown to Tony Gonzalez during a 31–27 victory at the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 13. On December 11, 2005, Bailey made eight combined tackles (seven solo), two pass deflections, and had his third consecutive game with an interception after picking off a pass by Kyle Boller to tight end Todd Heap as the Broncos defeated the Baltimore Ravens 12–10. He finished the season with 66 combined tackles (60 solo) and 23 pass deflections in 13 games and 13 starts. He set a new career-high with eight interceptions that he would immediately break the next season and also set a new career-high with two pick-sixes in a single season that would stand for the rest of his career.
The Denver Broncos finished the 2005 NFL season first in the AFC West with a 13–3 record, earning a first-round bye. On January 14, 2006, Bailey started in the Divisional Round against the New England Patriots and recorded two solo tackles, one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by Tom Brady to wide receiver Troy Brown in the endzone while the Broncos were leading 10–6 at the time. He returned the interception 100–yards down the left sidelined and as he approached the opposite endzone tight end Benjamin Watson delivered an unexpected hit that instantly knocked the ball from Bailey's possession and sent it flying out-of-play at the one–yard line. His return broke the record for the longest non-scoring play in NFL history at the time and had been routinely added to highlight reels on the NFL Network, including being ranked 85th in the NFL 100 Greatest Plays. The blow delivered by Ben Watson sent the ball flying out of Bailey's hands so rapidly that it was difficult to determine if the ball exited the field-of-play at the one–yard line or if it had crossed through the endzone to result in a touchback. The result of the call would most likely have affected the outcome of game. If it was determined that the ball had exited through the endzone, the Patriots would've received possession at their 20–yard line down 10–3. The referee determined the ball exited the field-of-play at the sideline, which resulted in the Broncos receiving possession at the one–yard line, which led to a one–yard rushing touchdown by running back Mike Anderson to increase their lead by 14 points to 17–3. The Broncos capitalized on this outcome to defeat the Patriots 27–13 to advance to the AFC Championship Game.
He returned to training camp slated as the de facto No. 1 starting cornerback. Head coach Mike Shanahan named Bailey and Darrent Williams the starting cornerback duo to begin the season. On September 10, 2006, Bailey started in the Denver Broncos' season-opener at the St. Louis Rams and set a season-high with nine solo tackles as they lost 10–18. In Week 5, he recorded five combined tackles (three solo), two pass deflections, and had his first interception of the season on a pass Steve McNair threw to wide receiver Clarence Moore as the Broncos defeated the Baltimore Ravens 13–3. On October 22, 2006, he had two solo tackles, two pass deflections, and had his third consecutive game with an interception after picking off a pass Charlie Frye threw to wide receiver Braylon Edwards during a 17–7 victory at the Cleveland Browns. On November 5, 2006, Bailey recorded seven solo tackles, set a season-high with four pass deflections, and had two interceptions thrown by Ben Roethlisberger during a 31–20 win at the Pittsburgh Steelers. On December 17, 2006, Bailey made four combined tackles (three solo), two pass deflections, and tied his season-high of two interceptions after picking off two passes Matt Leinart threw to wide receiver Anquan Boldin during a 37–20 win at the Arizona Cardinals. The following week, he recorded six solo tackles, had one pass break-up, a fumble recovery, and intercepted a pass Carson Palmer threw to wide receiver Chad Johnson during a 24–23 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16. In Week 17, Bailey made five solo tackles, a pass break-up, and intercepted a pass by Alex Smith to running back Frank Gore and returned it 70–yards for a touchdown during a 26–23 overtime loss to the San Francisco 49ers. His pick-six would mark the last touchdown of his career and also set a new career-high with his 10th interception of the season, which also tied New England Patriots' cornerback Asante Samuel for the most interceptions in the 2006 NFL season.
Bailey, San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson and Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor were unanimous choices for the NFL All-Pro team. Following the season's conclusion, Bailey finished second in voting for NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
On January 1, 2007, No. 2 starting cornerback Darrent Williams was shot and murdered in a drive-by shooting while he was sitting inside a Hummer limousine. It was later discovered the gang members responsible intended to target wide receiver Brandon Marshall.
On January 8, 2007, the Denver Broncos released defensive coordinator Larry Coyer following a so-called "mid-season meltdown" where the Broncos began with a 7–2 record and finished the season with a 9–7 record in 2006. The Broncos hired Jim Bates to be the assistant head coach, but was responsible for running the defense with newly promoted defensive backs coach Bob Slowik listed as the defensive coordinator. On March 1, 2007, the Broncos acquired ×2 Pro Bowl cornerback Dre Bly in a trade with the Detroit Lions as a response to losing Darrent Williams.
In Week 2, Bailey made four solo tackles, one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass Josh McCown threw to wide receiver Jerry Porter during a 23–20 overtime victory at the Oakland Raiders. In Week 4, he set a season-high with nine solo tackles during a 20–38 loss at the Indianapolis Colts. He was inactive for a 31–28 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7 due to a thigh injury he sustained in their previous game against the San Diego Chargers in Week 5. He finished the 2007 NFL season with 84 combined tackles (71 solo), 14 pass deflections, and three interceptions in 15 games and 15 starts.
On January 8, 2008, the Denver Broncos fired assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Jim Bates after a 7–9 record in 2007. Bobby Slowik was given full responsibility over the defense as defensive coordinator. He returned as the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season alongside Dre Bly. On September 14, 2008, Bailey made seven solo tackles, one pass deflection, and had his lone interception of the season on a pass by Philip Rivers to wide receiver Chris Chambers during a 38–39 victory against the San Diego Chargers. In Week 7, Bailey recorded two solo tackles and had one pass deflection before he exited the field in the second quarter of a 7–41 loss at the New England Patriots due to a groin injury. He remained inactive for the next seven games (Weeks 9–15) due to a torn groin muscle. On December 21, 2008, he set a season-high with nine solo tackles and had a strip/sack for an eight–yard loss on Trent Edwards during a 30–23 loss against the Buffalo Bills. He finished with 44 combined tackles (39 solo), three pass deflections, one sack, and one interception in nine games and nine starts. On December 30, 2008, the Broncos fired head coach Mike Shanahan after they finished with an 8–8 record.
On January 11, 2009, the Denver Broncos hired Josh McDaniels as their new head coach. Mike Nolan was hired to be defensive coordinator, reuniting him with Bailey as his defensive coordinator from his rookie year with the Washington Redskins.
The Broncos selected cornerback Alphonso Smith in the second round (37th overall) of the 2009 NFL draft, trading their first-round pick (14th overall) in 2010 NFL draft to the Seattle Seahawks in order to acquire the draft pick to select him. Alphonso Smith and André Goodman competed for the role as the No. 2 starting cornerback to replace Dre Bly. Head coach Josh McDaniels named Bailey and André Goodman the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.
On September 15, 2009, Bailey was chosen for the Broncos 50th Anniversary team by the Denver community. On October 4, 2009, Bailey recorded eight solo tackles, set a season-high with four pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Tony Romo threw to wide receiver Miles Austin during a 17–10 victory against the Dallas Cowboys. In Week 9, he set a season-high with 12 combined tackles (10 solo) during a 10–28 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He started all 16 games throughout the 2009 NFL season and recorded 74 combined tackles (63 solo), 15 pass deflections, three interceptions, and one sack. In 2009, Bailey did not allow a touchdown in 80 passes thrown his way that year and played on 98% of the snaps.
In 2010, Bailey matched up against some of the NFL's best wideouts. He held Dwayne Bowe to no catches on 2 targets. The Arizona Cardinals only completed 3 passes on him for 19 yards in a game where he matched up with Larry Fitzgerald. Bailey was selected to play in his record-breaking 10th Pro Bowl. No cornerback in NFL history has been to more. He was ranked 48th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011.
It was announced on February 22, 2011, by the Broncos vice president of football operations, John Elway, that Bailey was re-signed to a 4-year contract.
During the 2012 offseason, Bailey was named the 46th-best player in the NFL by the league's network, NFL Network.
In 2012, Bailey was named an All-Pro for the 8th time of his career and was selected to the 2013 Pro Bowl. The Pro Bowl selection was his 12th, extending the record he set for trips by a cornerback, and tied the record for most Pro Bowls played, along with Randall McDaniel and Will Shields. On December 6, 2012, Bailey recorded the 52nd and final interception of his career, picking off Carson Palmer in a 26–13 victory on Thursday Night Football over the Oakland Raiders.
During the 2012 AFC Divisional Round against the Baltimore Ravens, Bailey was beaten woefully multiple times on deep routes by Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith, who totaled 98 yards for two touchdowns on three catches as Baltimore would go on to win in dramatic fashion 38–35 in double overtime, en route to eventually winning Super Bowl XLVII. Bailey's struggles against Smith led to the initial speculation on the effectiveness of the aging 34-year-old cornerback.
During the 2013 offseason, Bailey was named the 53rd-best player in the NFL by his peers on the league's network, NFL Network.
During the course of the 2013 season, while not making his season debut until week 7 at the Indianapolis Colts, Bailey was limited to a career-low 5 games with a foot injury; however, Bailey returned in time for the playoffs and held his own when fellow cornerback, Chris Harris, was ruled out for the remainder of the season after a torn ACL Bailey played in his first Super Bowl at Super Bowl XLVIII in which he had 4 tackles in a 43–8 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. (which would turn out to be the final game Bailey played).
On March 6, 2014, the Denver Broncos released Bailey.
On April 4, 2014, Champ Bailey signed a two-year, $7 million contract with the New Orleans Saints. Bailey failed to make the final roster and was released by the team on August 30, 2014.
Bailey announced his retirement from professional football on October 18, 2014. On November 14, 2014, it was announced that Bailey would sign a one-day contract with Denver to allow him to officially retire as a Bronco.
On February 2, 2019, Bailey was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He was enshrined on August 3, 2019, during a ceremony in Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
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