Broncos unveil busts, pillars of 2016 Ring of Fame inductees

The Denver Broncos busted out its three new additions to the Ring of Fame Plaza Sunday night in honor of the franchise’s newest inductees — Jason Elam, Simon Fletcher, and John Lynch.

Unveiled were the pillars featuring Elam’s, Fletcher’s, and Lynch’s bronze busts, which sit just outside of the south stands of Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The trio will be honored, and their Ring of Fame place revealed, during halftime of Denver’s Monday Night Football tilt with the Houston Texans.

Fletcher, who racked up a club-record 97.5 sacks in his 11 season in Denver, joked his pillar didn’t look like him, at least currently.

“That is not my face. That is my face 30 years ago,” Fletcher said with a laugh. “You talk about a reality check, but also gratitude for the time that has passed between then and now.

“The things that have happened in my life, my children growing up and now being grandfather, and most importantly the same Broncos fans that welcomed and supported me in April of 1985 have done it in everything that I’ve attempted to do since I’ve been here, even until this day.”

Elam too thanked the Denver fans Sunday, saying he loved his time spent playing for the Broncos and its fans.

“I think that we have the best fans in the whole world and I love coming to Denver. The Broncos have also been so good about inviting the Denver Broncos alumni back and so it’s the best fans, the best organization and the best teammates that I’ve ever had,” Elam said.

“I’m a blessed man, for sure.”

Lynch, who spent his Sunday afternoon working his day job as a Fox Sports color analyst during the Saints-Chiefs matchup in Kansas City, said it was specially to play for the Broncos alongside guys like Champ Bailey, Jack Plummer, Tom Nalen and Rod Smith. And Denver became home for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers transplant.

“There were so many great things about coming here. I think just playing for an organization, one thing you learn is a lot of people pay lip service to their goal being to win championships ever year. They live it here, and they breathe it,” Lynch said. “That’s thanks to our owner Pat Bowlen. I got to experience that first hand. That was a treat.”