“I’m thrilled to be back in Colorado. It was an honor to have played here,” said Broncos Ring of Famer Steve Atwater to a standing room only crowd at this month’s Denver Broncos Quarterback Club meeting.
Atwater opened his remarks with some comments on the current Broncos. “The two biggest differences from last year will be better coaching and improved quarterback play,” Atwater said. He feels that last year’s coaching staff didn’t get the most out of Case Keenum. “The offensive play calling could have been more creative. Case is good at play action passes but the team hardly used him in that role.”
Atwater thinks highly of new head coach Vic Fangio. “He has great rapport with the team and he loves football. The players would run through a brick wall for him,” Steve said. “I didn’t see the passion from some of the players last year. We will see it this year.”
Atwater questions if Kareem Jackson is the right fit at safety after seeing Jackson primarily at that position in minicamp. “He’s a good player but he’s not a big guy. I don’t know if that’ll work against the bigger running backs in the AFC West.”
And Atwater knows what it’s like to be a big safety laying heavy hits on the opposition. His nickname was the “Smiling Assassin” in his playing days. “Charlie Waters, my first defensive backs coach with the Broncos, gave me that nickname,” Steve said. Waters, as a former all pro safety, and teammate Dennis Smith were good mentors to him when he first got into the league. “I did everything Charlie said.”
Asked about his legendary hit on the Chiefs Christian Okoye Atwater said “It was a clean hit. Neither of us got hurt. Bo Jackson was tougher to tackle.”
After his talk Atwater graciously met with all the Quarterback Club members in attendance, talking football, signing autographs, and taking pictures. QB Club members left the meeting excited about the upcoming season!